Richard Lloyd, one of the legendary dueling guitarists of the band, Television, has died at age 75, WUSF reported.
- Richard Lloyd died at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy as one half of Television’s legendary guitar duo.
- The band emerged from the gritty 1970s New York music scene, famously helping launch CBGB alongside contemporaries like Blondie and the Ramones.
- Following Television’s 1978 breakup, Lloyd maintained a robust career releasing nine solo albums and collaborating widely across the rock community.
The band got its start in the gritty downtown music scene of 1970s New York, performing at the same club that later launched Blondie, the Talking Heads, and the Ramones, WUSF reported. Richard Lloyd recalled in a video for Guitar World that the group did not quite fit into the musical genres the club’s founder, Hilly Kristal, initially had in mind, according to WUSF.
We’re the band that convinced Hilly to have music other than what his initials stood for, CBGB’s, which stood for country blues and blue grass and other music for undernourished gormandizers.
Richard Lloyd said in archival footage noted by WUSF.
Television made experimentalism accessible by writing very strange songs with a pop aura on their landmark records, Lenny Kaye, the longtime guitarist for Patti Smith, told WUSF. Kaye and Lloyd bonded deeply over their shared instrument during the mid-1970s, when their respective groups frequently shared bills at the Bowery venue, WUSF reported.
Lenny Kaye, the longtime guitarist for Patti Smith, told WUSF that he and Lloyd were guitar brothers. The two musicians would retreat to a nearby flophouse entrance to share a joint and exchange guitar tips.
Lloyd possessed an impressive command of music theory and maintained a specialized physical workout to keep his hands sharp, telling WUSF in a 1986 interview with WNYU that he used calisthenics and squeezed a rubber doughnut to strengthen his fretting grip.
After Television broke up in 1978, Richard Lloyd went on to record nine solo albums, including his 1979 debut, Alchemy, WUSF reported. Musician James Mastro remembered his late collaborator on Instagram as a multifaceted artist encompassing roles as a guitarist, songwriter, scientist, teacher, curmudgeon, and comedian, according to WUSF.
Television guitarist Richard Lloyd dies at 75 https://t.co/awSna7RppA
| Category | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Age at Death | 75 | Reported by WUSF |
| Key Band | Television | Dueling guitarist |
We are so very sad that Richard Lloyd has today passed away at the age of 75. Deepest condolences to Sheila and to all of his family and friends 💔 pic.twitter.com/JPQmHDkhBH
