
Tom Verlaine performs with Television at the Bottom Line in New York City on June 11, 1978.
The fiery, incandescent, and visionary guitarist who died on January 28, 2023, helped spark a punk revolution—and then transcended the form entirely.
Musicians feel and experience influence in many ways. And to be certain, Tom Verlaine’s guitar playing—his deconstructed melodies, pointed attack, and capacity for flight—inspired many to attempt imitation. But for a lot of us, Verlaine’s guitar and voice, and the music he created with Television and as a solo artist, were much more than another set of musical tricks to nick. They symbolized liberation and freedom from musical constraints, the rush, promise, and exhilaration of bohemian city life, the world of poets, and the notion that outsider musical voices could find audience and reverence. In the end, Verlaine’s playing may have been impossible to duplicate. But the electricity in his expression suggested an enormity of potential to those looking for a ray of light in weird times.
Tom Verlaine was born as Thomas Miller in Denville, New Jersey, in 1949 and grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. (He later changed his last name to honor the French Symbolist poet Paul Verlaine.) As a youth he was captivated by Stan Getz, John Coltrane, and Richard Wagner. He took piano lessons, was drawn to the saxophone, and, in his telling, found rock ’n’ roll comparatively unexciting—at least until he heard the Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, and Byrds. In their works he found the same sort of intensity he had found appealing in jazz. The revelation led Verlaine to guitar. And ultimately, the fusion of those influences—British Invasion energy, free jazz fire, and classical melodic instincts and concepts—would shape his approach to the instrument.
Verlaine conjured a visceral, even mystical sense of tension and release from his fingers. His lines could sound tattered and violent or hushed and tender. And in inhabiting the two worlds, he often approached the sublime elevation of his hero John Coltrane.
Verlaine moved to New York City in 1968. In time, he reconnected with fellow prep school delinquent and poet Richard Hell, with whom he formed Television in 1974. By then, Verlaine had also joined forces with another wildly talented guitar foil, Richard Lloyd. In 1975, Hell, whose bass chops and extroversion were better suited for punk’s more brutish side, was fired and replaced with Blondie bassist Fred Smith. Along with drummer Billy Ficca, they formed a potent rhythm section uncannily suited to Verlaine’s musical vision.
In this performance at Chicago’s Riot Fest in 2014, Tom Verlaine plays his Frankenstein S-style with a super-strat body, Danelectro lipstick pickups, and a mid-’60s Jazzmaster neck.
Photo by Debi Del Grande
Even with the benefit of hindsight, it’s still a wonder that Verlaine and Television managed to make their 1977 masterpiece Marquee Moon amid the ossified record industry environs of the mid ’70s. Though Television was instrumental in jump starting New York City’s punk revolution (Verlaine talked CBGB owner Hilly Kristal into taking a chance on the band, effectively launching punk’s most celebrated venue), Television was an odd fit in a scene of misfits. Between Blondie’s high-energy pop moves, the Ramones’ bonehead-genius riff machine, and Patti Smith’s live-wire, larger-than-life poet-goddess presence, Television’s combination of wiry, twitchy garage-rock threads and searching, extended jams must have seemed alien at times. Had punk’s ethos of “shorter, faster, louder” been more strictly codified at the time, they might have even been cast out for letting their jams sprawl in the fashion of the Grateful Dead or Quicksilver Messenger Service (Verlaine’s quivering string vibrato often bore a more-than-passing likeness to that of Quicksilver lead guitarist John Cipollina).
Television’s modest first single, 1975’s “Little Johnny Jewel,” recorded for NYC scenester Terry Ork’s small label, offers a taste of how odd they must have sounded in contrast to their peers and the slick-and-super-mega chart toppers of the time. In some ways, “Little Johnny Jewel” sounds unbelievably small. Verlaine’s guitar, sent direct to the console, sounds thin, plinky, even miniscule. Yet Verlaine’s solo on “Little Johnny Jewel” is filled with deep yearning and ache. The bass riff, built on a few descending three-note figures, suggests back-alley mystery and creeping menace. It may sound small, odd, and misshapen next to the brutal linearity of the Ramones, but it perfectly captured the romance and sensuality of the city in which it was created, and the spirit of the art outcasts that inhabited its quieter, darker corners.
As Television found their footing and formalized their roles, they morphed from tentative and sloppy into a band capable of crooked clockwork precision and power. Verlaine and Lloyd, meanwhile, evolved into one of the most fascinating guitar duos ever. Lloyd leads were often marked by fluid exactitude. Verlaine, however, conjured a visceral, even mystical sense of tension and release from his fingers. His lines could sound tattered and violent or hushed and tender. And in inhabiting the two worlds, he often approached the sublime elevation of his hero John Coltrane.
Little Johnny Jewel
Television’s wave crested and crashed early on. Marquee Moon was a masterpiece on arrival. And its centerpiece, the song which shares the LP’s name, was anchored around an extended Verlaine solo that ascended from cool and spare to frantic and white hot. Live, the song was often explosively ecstatic. (If you want to know what musical freedom sounds like, check out the versions of “Marquee Moon” and “Little Johnny Jewel” from the official live bootleg, The Blow Up.)But Television’s highly evolutionary approach to guitar music did not sit easily alongside the more accessible fare of CBGB compatriots Blondie or the Ramones. Their second LP, Adventure, was less visionary than its predecessor, yet it’s a showcase for some of Verlaine’s most melodic and lovely tunes, as well as some of his choicest solos (“The Fire” for one). In theory, Adventure was a more accessible work than Marquee Moon, yet it floundered commercially, effectively ending the band’s first chapter.
In subsequent years, Verlaine, who had little interest in the more grotesque trappings of the rock business, remained quietly busy and prolific. His early solo LPs were rich with bright spots and great songs, but sometimes compromised by contemporary production or short on the extended incendiary guitar flurries that had become his trademark. However, 1992 marked a vernal, transformative year for Verlaine. It saw his reunion with Television, the release of the band’s underrated third, eponymous LP, and his own instrumental LP Warm and Cool. The latter, in particular, a collage of beautiful, drifting, and fractured mood pieces and lost spy movie themes, hinted at the directions Verlaine would often take in the future—filmic, intimate statements that reflected his love of cinema, Morton Feldman, and painting, as well as a winking sense of humor. That thread found realization again in 2006’s Around, another collection of enthralling instrumentals that found Verlaine at ease, and still capable of communicating palpable intensity and anxiety in a minor-key drift and a flurry of a few notes.
Tom Verlaine performs with Television at the Bottom Line in New York City on June 11, 1978.
Photo by Ebet Roberts
If you followed Verlaine in the press—and it would be fair to call him a bit press averse—it was easy to assume he was irascible and unapproachable. And when you felt his most intense musical moments penetrate your heart and gut like darts, it wasn’t too hard to imagine that a spirit of confrontation, even anger, inhabited them. Yet when my partner Meg and I opened for Television and met Verlaine, I found him kind, open, quiet, even shy. We drank wine, smoked cigarettes, talked about ’60s soul, painting, food, the stupid rents in our respective cities, and thoughts of getting away from it all. He asked that Erik Satie play before Television took the stage. And when he left to go to dinner, he left his guitar behind for me to play. He was a sweet guy, full of humility. In those moments we shared, it was very easy to understand where the tender melancholy in his songs and melodies came from. Verlaine possessed a blinding fire inside. But he was also impossibly cool, and positively overflowing with heart and soul.
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Featuring Bluetooth input, XLR inputs, and advanced amplifier platform, the KC12 is designed to offer exceptional sound quality and versatility for a wide range of applications.
The KC12 is a first-of-its-kind, 3-way, 3000-watt active loudspeaker system encompassing the visual aesthetic of a column loudspeaker while surpassing the acoustic performance of conventional designs. Simple and easy to deploy, the elegant KC12, available in black and white, is ideal for a wide range of customers and applications from solo entertainers, musicians and bands, mobile entertainers and DJs to corporate AV, event production, and static installations.
Column-style portable loudspeaker systems are most often put into service due to their unobtrusive form factor. However, typical designs lack clarity and definition, particularly when pushed to high output levels, forcing the user into a form-over-function compromise. Solving this common dilemma, the KC12 cleverly utilizes a 3-way design featuring QSC’s patented LEAF™ waveguide (first introduced in L Class Active Line Array Loudspeakers) combined with a true 1-inch compression driver, two 4-inch midrange drivers, and a high output 12-inch subwoofer, while still maintaining the desired, elegant appearance of a “column” system. The KC12 produces an outstanding full-range horizontal coverage of 145 degrees and 35 degrees of audience-directed vertical coverage with clean and natural sound at all output levels.
The system features three inputs: a Bluetooth ® input combined with a 3.5 mm TRS stereo input, as well as two combo XLR inputs (Mic/Line/Hi-Z and Mic/Line/+48 V), with independent, assignableFactory Presets for each XLR input, making it ideal for small events where two microphones are needed for different uses. The rear panel incorporates a multi-function digital display, offering control and selection of several loudspeaker functions, including Global Parametric EQ, Subwoofer level, Presets and Scenes, Bluetooth configuration, Delay (maximum of 200 ms), or Reverb. Bluetooth functionality also provides True Wireless Stereo (TWS), which ensures low latency pairing between the music source and both left and right loudspeakers simultaneously.
Additionally, the KC12 can be deployed with or without its lower column pole, making the system ideally suited for utilization on a floor, riser or raised stage. The system is backed by a 6-year Extended Warranty (with product registration).
“The KC12 exquisitely resolves the form-over-function compromise that has frustrated users of this category of products since they made their market introduction over 20 years ago,” states David Fuller, VP of Product Development, QSC Audio. “With the benefit of time, experience, extensive customer research, and cutting-edge innovation, our talented design team has truly created something very different from the status quo – not simply a differentiated product, but an overall better solution for the customer.”
The feature set and performance characteristics of the KC12 are complemented by a new, advanced amplifier platform, first incorporated into the L Class LS118 subwoofer released this past October. Fuller adds, “Among the platform’s key attributes are layers of real-time telemetry and protection to ensure uninterrupted performance day after day, which is a foundational QSC brand attribute.”
“Just like our first K Series reset the bar for powered loudspeakers, elevating customers’ expectations for performance, quality, reliability, usability, and professional appearance, the K Column offers a compelling, new approach to a familiar category and is destined to redefine the whole notion of what a ‘column’ is for users of portable PA products,” states Ray van Straten, VPBrand, Marketing & amp; Training, QSC Audio. “The product is simply stunning in its sleek and elegant appearance, but with the marketing tagline, ‘Just Listen’, we’re confident that once again, QSC sound quality will ultimately be the reason customers will quickly embrace the K Column as the next ‘New Standard’ in its category.”
The QSC KC12 K Column carries a MAP price of $1,999.
For more information, please visit qsc.com.
This pedal is designed to offer both unique distortion qualities and a tonal palette of sonic possibilities.
At the heart of the Harvezi Hazze pedal is a waveshaper designed around a unijunction transistor - a relic from the early days of the semiconductor industry unearthed from the e-waste bins of flea markets in Tbilisi, Georgia, the Eastern European country's largest city.
The unijunction transistor offers unique properties allowing one simple component to replace a number of very complex devices. Therefore. depending on the operating mode, users can access a distortion, a limiter, a waveshaper and a generator - with smooth transitions among each of these.
The name "Harvezi Hazze" translates from Georgian as "a fault on the transmission line" or "signal jamming", and both the semantic and phonetic nature of these translations imply what users can expect: an impediment to the input signal, which can range from pleasant harmonic distortions to complete obliteration. The signal chain of Harvezi Hazze consists of an optical compressor with fixed parameters; a dual-mode distorting amplifier with either softer or harsher clipping; a waveshaper built around a unijunction transistor; and a tone stack section designed to tame these sonic building blocks.
Signal flow and controls
Following the input, the signal goes to the Compressor, Distorting Amplifier, Waveshaper, and then to the Tone Stack and output stages. Harvezi Hazze features six control knobs, a three-way switch and a footswitch.
- Gain Control: This controls the output amplitude of the signal in the distorting amplifier section. Depending on the position of the switch, the distortion introduced by this section is soft (with the switch in the left position) or more aggressive with an abundance of high harmonics (with the switch in the middle position).
- Spoil and Spread: This knob controls the operation of the unijunction transistor (waveshaper section). Spoil sets the point on the amplitude axis at which the wave will fold, and Spread sets the amplitude of the folding. The higher the Spread value, the more severe the distortion will be, while Spoil will change the timbre and response threshold. By adjusting Spoil, users can achieve various gating and cutoff effects; at low Spread values, distortion sounds are mixed into the clean sound.
- Tone: This knob adjusts the brightness of the sound. With higher values, higher harmonics become present in the signal.
- Three-way switch. This feature regulates either the distortion mode in the amplifier section (left and center positions), or turns on the total feedback mode (right position) when the values of all knobs begin to influence each other. In this position, effects occur such as resonance at certain frequencies and self-oscillation.
- Level knob: This controls the output volume of the signal.
- Footswitch: This routes the signal through the effect circuitry or from input to output directly (true bypass).
The array of switches on the side of the unit provides even further tonal options; the lower position of the switch enables the specific function:
- Tone Stack: Routes the signal through the tone stack section (Tone knob).
- Bass Boost: Enhances bass frequencies.
- Tone Mode: Changes the behavior of the Tone knob (tilt or lowpass).
- Notch Freq: Changes the central frequency of the filter.
- High Cut: Attenuates high frequencies.
- Compressor: Routes the signal through the compressor.
Harvezi Hazze is priced at €290. To learn more, please visit https://somasynths.com/harvezi-hazze/.
Ibanez Blackout series acoustic guitars feature all-black aesthetic, high-quality electronics, and in-demand woods. Models include AEG721 with Fishman S-core pickups, AEWC621 with Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp, and TCY621 with Ibanez under-saddle pickup. With prices ranging from $249.99 to $399.99, these guitars offer a unique and stylish option for musicians.
Ibanez has unveiled its new Blackout series of acoustic guitars to their lineup. Inspired by the popular Iron Label series, these instruments feature an all-black aesthetic, including a matte black finish and black hardware. The Blackout series offers three distinct models: the AEG721 7-string acoustic-electric, the AEWC621, and the TCY621. Each model boasts in-demand woods, including a Spruce top, Sapele back and sides, and Macassar Ebony or Purpleheart for the fingerboard and bridge.
To complement their unique appearance, the Blackout guitars are equipped with high-quality electronics. The AEG721 and AEWC621 feature Fishman’s S-core pickups and Ibanez AEQ-SAP2 preamps, while the TCY621 utilizes an Ibanez under-saddle pickup and AEQ-2T preamp.
For more information, please visit ibanez.com.
AEG721
- AEG body
- 634mm/25" scale
- Spruce top
- Sapele back & sides
- Comfort Grip 3pc Nyatoh/Maple neck
- Macassar Ebony fretboard & bridge
- Black dyed Bone nut & saddle
- Black Die-cast tuners (18:1 gear ratio)
- Fishman® S-core pickup
- Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp w/Onboard tuner
- Balanced XLR & 1/4" outputs
- Ibanez Advantage™ bridge pins
- D'Addario® XTAPB1253, plus .070 guage Phosphor Bronze
- String Gauge: .012/.016/.024/.032/.042/.053/.070
- Factory Tuning: 1E,2B,3G,4D,5A,6E,7B
- Recommended case: AEG10C/MAP: $169.99
- Finish: Blacked Out
LIST PRICE: $599.99
ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $399.99
AEWC621
- AEWC body
- 634mm/25" scale
- Spruce top
- Sapele back & sides
- Comfort Grip Nyatoh neck
- Macassar Ebony fretboard & bridge
- Black Die-cast tuners (18:1 gear ratio)
- Fishman® S-Core pickup
- Ibanez AEQ-SP2 preamp w/Onboard tuner
- Balanced XLR & 1/4" outputs
- Ibanez IACS6C coated strings
- Recommended case: AEG10C/MAP: $169.99
- Finish: Blacked Out
LIST PRICE: $599.99
ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $399.99
TCY621
- Talman Double Cutaway body
- Neck joint at 16th fret
- Spruce top
- Sapele back & sides
- Okoume neck
- Purpleheart fretboard & bridge
- Black Die-cast tuners
- Ibanez Undersaddle pickup
- Ibanez AEQ-2T preamp w/Onboard tuner
- Ibanez Advantage™ bridge pins
- Recommended case: TM50C/MAP: $179.99
- Finish: Blacked Out
LIST PRICE: $374.99
ESTIMATED STREET PRICE: $249.99
Martin's 2025 NAMM Show lineup features new guitars with enhanced playability and vintage aesthetics.
C. F. Martin & Co. is unveiling an exciting lineup of new guitars ahead of The 2025 NAMM Show, including refinements to its trusted Standard Series and two all-new Retro Plus guitars.
With the Standard Series refresh, Martin brings fans enhanced playability, timeless aesthetics, and three stunning new models, while its two new Retro Plus guitars offer thermally aged spruce tops and the classic appearance of an 18-style guitar at an accessible price point. These releases showcase Martin's mission to create instruments that unleash the artist within.
These new guitars and more will be on display at The 2025 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, through Saturday, January 25, with more releases to come.
Standard Series Refresh
Martin is refreshing its popular Standard Series lineup to bring subtle yet impactful refinements to enhance the look, tone, and playability of these iconic guitars, while introducing three new models to the series: the D-17, 000-17, and OM-45.
One of the key updates is Sitka spruce Golden Era (GE) top bracing, as featured on the Modern Deluxe Series, which offers a more vintage, breathy tone with enhanced sustain. The GE modified low oval neck profile maintains its popular shape but is optimized for vintage appeal with minimal increase in total mass.
It's paired with playability enhancements like a thinner fingerboard with a gently beveled comfort edge and refined string spacing at the nut, while the new GE modern belly bridge features smoother, more comfortable corners.
Standard Series guitars also now feature either bone or ebony bridge pins, along with newly added sunburst and ambertone finish options for select models. Additional aesthetic updates include a long diamond neck transition, a nut cut on angle, and a sleeker vintage-style heel.
These are the changes Martin enthusiasts have been asking for, delivering a blend of vintage appointments and modern playability enhancements. Players will notice improved comfort and vintage tones, particularly with the GE-inspired bracing and aesthetic refinements.
For more information, please visit martinguitar.com.
D-17
The Martin D-17 is a bold new offering in the refreshed Standard Series, combining vintage-inspired appointments with modern refinements for players seeking rich sounds and enhanced playability. Its iconic Dreadnought body shape is a favorite among players for its loud, projective tone and strong bass. This model is handcrafted with a satin-finished solid mahogany body, delivering a warm and woody tone, while vintage-inspired details such as a sleeker heel and nickel open gear tuners give the guitar a timeless, elegant look. With its satin-finished select hardwood neck and 25.4" scale length, whether you’re strumming big chords or picking intricate tunes, the D-17 delivers powerful, dynamic sound with a classic, vintage vibe.
000-17
The Martin 000-17 is another fresh addition to the Standard Series lineup. Its Auditorium (000) body shape offers a balanced tone and comfortable size, making it great for both fingerstyle playing and heavy-handed strumming. Crafted from solid mahogany with a satin finish, it delivers a warm, woody tone with a clear top end and a punchy midrange—ideal for players seeking a vintage-inspired sound with a modern edge. Its satin-finished select hardwood neck and 24.9" scale length contributes to a more relaxed string feel and warmer, mellower tones. Whether you’re playing at home, in the studio, or on stage, the 000-17 delivers the balanced, dynamic sound that players expect from a high-quality Martin.
OM-45
The Martin OM-45 is a pinnacle of craftsmanship in the refreshed Standard Series, combining classic appointments with modern enhancements for a truly exceptional instrument. This all-new full-gloss acoustic is crafted with solid East Indian rosewood back and sides and a solid spruce top, delivering a rich, resonant tone with remarkable sustain. Its genuine mahogany neck ensures a smooth, effortless feel, while the longer 25.4" scale length provides just the right amount of string tension for enhanced clarity, making this guitar great for intricate picking and strumming. Its dazzling pearl inlay, aging toner, and gold open gear tuners offer an elegant touch, making the OM-45 as stunning to look at as it is to play.
De Retro Plus Mahogany
The Martin DE Retro Plus Mahogany is inspired by Martin’s legendary 18-style flagship models. It combines powerful tone and iconic design with cutting-edge craftsmanship at a fraction of the price. Its torrefied solid spruce top is thermally aged for enhanced resonance and a beautifully seasoned sound, delivering the rich, broken-in tone of a vintage instrument from the first strum. It’s the same premium feature long reserved for our Authentic and Modern Deluxe series, now available for the first time ever in the Road Series. It even comes stage-ready with Martin E1 electronics, featuring a built-in tuner and controls for dialing in your perfect live tone.
000E Retro Plus Mahogany
This 000 model blends balanced tone with the same cutting-edge craftsmanship and 18-style appearance as its Dreadnought counterpart, including a torrefied solid spruce top. With solid mahogany back and sides, scalloped spruce X bracing, a Performing Artist neck, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and Martin E1 electronics, these guitars have everything you could want in an acoustic. Ideal as a gigging workhorse or your first step into premium acoustics, they deliver best-in-class quality at an unbeatable value for serious players, and a lifetime of inspiration for anyone who picks one up. Just be warned, you won’t be able to put them down—because nothing compares to a Martin.