Richard Lloyd

Best known through his contributions to the pioneering outfit Television, Richard Lloyd stands out as an exceptionally talented guitarist whose extensive catalog encompasses both his own projects and numerous partnerships. Adept at crafting sharp, geometric riffs alongside fluid, unhurried melodies, he first earned recognition through his playing on the band's opening pair of LPs, Marquee Moon (1977) and Adventure (1978). Though his individual path advanced slowly amid personal challenges, the intensely introspective and dynamic Field of Fire from 1985 restored his standing as a significant artist. Audiences took note of his supporting roles alongside John Doe on the 1990 release Meet John Doe and Matthew Sweet on both 1991's Girlfriend and 1993's Altered Beast, while he also assisted in resurrecting the influential pre-punk ensemble Rocket from the Tombs via multiple concerts and the 2003 disc Rocket Redux. During the 2000s and 2010s he redirected focus toward his own releases, issuing The Cover Doesn't Matter (2000), The Jamie Neverts Story (2009), and Countdown (2018).

Richard Lloyd entered the world in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on October 25, 1951. As a child he developed a passion for music and began on drums under the guidance of esteemed percussionist William Kessler. Witnessing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 ignited his devotion to rock & roll; further exploration of the British Invasion acts dominating radio at the time revealed the jazz and blues figures behind them. He abandoned drumming for guitar, and by the late '60s he had befriended Velvert Turner, a guitarist mentored directly by the legendary Jimi Hendrix. Turner shared Hendrix-derived insights with Lloyd, who absorbed additional influences by attending performances from Led Zeppelin, John Lee Hooker, the Who, Jeff Beck, the Grateful Dead, and the Allman Brothers Band. Lloyd possessed a talent for accessing backstage areas, granting him opportunities to encounter and exchange ideas with admired players. Convinced that guitar defined his path, he began carrying the instrument to high school daily in place of textbooks, ultimately repeating his senior year at another institution where he formed a friendship with Al Anderson, a guitarist later associated with Bob Marley.

Following periods in Boston and Los Angeles, Lloyd relocated to New York City in 1973 after learning of the New York Dolls and sensing potential in the local rock environment. He shared an apartment with Terry Ork, an artist and enthusiast who performed silk screening at Andy Warhol's Factory and held a position at Cinemabilia, a cinema-focused bookstore. One of Ork's colleagues there, aspiring writer and musician Richard Meyers—performing under the name Richard Hell—was active in the Neon Boys. Ork determined the group required an additional guitarist and connected Lloyd with Hell, Tom Verlaine (born Tom Miller), and Billy Ficca. The Neon Boys transformed into Television, securing a Sunday residency at CBGB on the Bowery; the distinctive guitar dialogue between Lloyd and Verlaine defined the band's sound and drew growing crowds as a fresh scene emerged from the venue, later termed punk rock despite Television's divergence from the rapid, loud approach of acts like the Ramones. Interest spread, leading to a 1975 demo produced by Brian Eno, though no label signed them; Hell departed soon after, with Fred Smith, previously of Blondie, assuming bass duties. Later that year Ork established Ork Records to issue Television's first single, "Little Johnny Jewel," extending the band's reach beyond New York, and in 1976 Elektra Records offered a contract.

Television unveiled Marquee Moon in February 1977 to widespread critical acclaim and toured extensively, followed in April 1978 by Adventure, another critical favorite that fell short commercially. Commercial disappointment combined with internal creative tensions prompted the band's dissolution in July 1978, after which Lloyd pursued solo work. His 1979 album Alchemy yielded the title track, which received alternative-rock airplay, yet modest sales and personal difficulties sidelined him for years. In 1985 he signed with Sweden's Mistlur Records and recorded with several Scandinavian musicians; the resulting Field of Fire earned strong reviews and imported successfully to the United States before Moving Target issued a domestic version. Real Time, a 1987 live set captured at CBGB and spanning both Television and solo material, followed.

Throughout the '90s Lloyd's solo output frequently yielded to collaborations. He contributed to John Doe's 1990 solo debut Meet John Doe and toured in Doe's band, while also participating in sessions for Matthew Sweet's Earth and appearing on the 1991 breakthrough Girlfriend plus subsequent tours; further joint efforts produced Altered Beast (1993) and 100% Fun (1995). Amid breaks from Sweet, Lloyd joined a Television reunion that produced a self-titled third album in 1992 and accompanying tours. Though that release underperformed commercially and no fourth studio effort materialized, the group reconvened periodically for concerts and festivals, its profile sustained by reissues and archival live documents such as 1982's The Blow Up and 2003's Live at the Old Waldorf, June 29th, 1978. Lloyd also supplied guitar to the New York roots-pop band the Health & Happiness Show on their 1995 second album Instant Living.

Lloyd relaunched his solo career in 2000 with The Cover Doesn't Matter on the independent Upsetter label. In February 2003 Pere Ubu's David Thomas organized a reunion of his earlier proto-punk band Rocket from the Tombs; with original guitarist Peter Laughner having passed in 1977, Thomas recruited Lloyd for the role. (Television's initial venture outside the East Coast included a Cleveland date sharing a bill with Rocket from the Tombs, leaving a strong impression on Lloyd.) Intended as a single event, positive notices prompted two 2003 tours by the reconstituted lineup, after which Lloyd produced and played on Rocket Redux, a studio recreation of their live repertoire originally sold at merch tables before Smog Veil Records gave it wider distribution. Rocket from the Tombs mounted occasional tours and issued fresh material on 2011's Barfly, yet Lloyd exited prior to the supporting dates. Between these commitments he toured and recorded the solo albums The Radiant Monkey (2006) and The Jamie Neverts Story (2009), the latter a homage to Jimi Hendrix.

In 2007 Lloyd ended his association with Television to concentrate on personal endeavors; the band continued intermittently with Jimmy Rip filling his slot. He finished Lodestones in 2010 and released it digitally, followed in 2016 by Rosedale, on which he performed most instrumental parts himself while incorporating contributions from Television's Billy Ficca and former Talking Heads member Chris Frantz. His autobiography Everything Is Combustible appeared in 2017, with paperback and e-book editions following the next year. Lodestones received a limited vinyl reissue for Record Store Day in 2018, succeeded in October by Countdown, captured across two Nashville sessions. Outside writing, recording, and performing, Lloyd provides guitar instruction both in person and online and has authored an educational column for Guitar World magazine.