Tom Verlaine: A genius who refused to play by the punk rules

PUNK was not supposed to give us guitar heroes. Virtuosity was frowned upon, spat at. But there was one exception: Tom Verlaine, the guitar deity who died on January 28 at the age of 73.

Verlaine was one of the original New York punks, part of the legendary CBGB scene which also included Blondie, Talking Heads, Ramones and Verlaine’s friend and part-time lover, Patti Smith.

Verlaine’s tone was so pure, it could make you shiver and cry. Listen to songs such as “Torn Curtain”, “Days”, or the intricate composition that his band, Television, will forever be remembered for, “Marquee Moon”. It’s more than 10 minutes of sonic bliss, built around a staccato riff and a fluid, slightly neurotic counter melody. Every time I play it (and I have done so a lot over the past few days), it leads you straight back to New York’s East Village. But there’s a South African connection too. So keep reading...

DEEL