Guitarist Tom Verlaine, co-founder of Television, dies at 73

By MARK KENNEDY
AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Verlaine, a guitarist and co-founder of the seminal proto-punk band Television, has died. He was 73. Verlaine influenced many bands while playing at ultra-cool downtown New York music venue CBGB alongside the Ramones, Patti Smith and Talking Heads. Though Television never found much commercial success, Verlaine’s jaggedly inventive playing as part of the band’s two-guitar assault influenced many bands. Television issued its groundbreaking debut album “Marquee Moon” in 1977 — including the nearly 11-minute title track and “Elevation.” The band released its sophomore effort, “Adventure,” a year later. Verlaine released eight solo albums, his most commercially successful being his 1981 sophomore solo album “Dreamtime.”