Tom Verlaine - Cooky's, Frankfurt, Germany, April 6, 1987
More Verlaine! I've posted this one before, but it was at least a decade (or more) ago, and it deserves a little more love. Any of the 1987 Verlaine shows I've heard deserve a little more love, really — I think of that year as the culmination of Tom's musical searchings up to that point in his career. There should be an official live album from '87, I think it would blow a lot of minds.
For one thing, the band here was a real band, as much as Television ever was. Patti Smith’s drummer Jay Dee Daugherty was behind the kit, Fred Smith was on bass, and Jimmy Ripp filled in ably on second guitar, adding rich textures behind Verlaine's flights of fancy. This recording doesn’t sound like a solo artist with an anonymous group — it sounds like a cohesive unit, the songs often blending into one another, seamless and sleek.
The first half of the set is focused on tighter-than-tight rhythmic interplay — guitar riffs bouncing off one another, bass and drums locked in a death grip. Verlaine’s guitar sounds gorgeous here — much more melodic, playful and lyrical than the Television days. The second half sees the Verlaine Band loosening up a bit, stretching out on “Kingdom Come” and the old warhorse “Marquee Moon.” Tom’s solo on the latter is something to behold! Things finish off with blazing renditions of “Glory,” “Psychotic Reaction,” and “Red Leaves.” Not sure if Verlaine says more than a few words to the crowd throughout, but he's said enough.