Richard Lloyd, Television Guitarist, Dies at 75

Richard Lloyd, a key guitarist in the groundbreaking New York rock band Television, passed away at the age of 75. He was found deceased in his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Saturday morning, November 7th, according to Rolling Stone. His family shared that he was surrounded by his loved ones, including his wife Sheila and their dog Willie Mays, during his final moments.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1951, Lloyd was raised in Greenwich Village before moving to New York City at the age of six. Initially studying drums, he later transitioned to guitar. After experiences in Boston and Los Angeles, he returned to New York in 1973, where he met Tom Verlaine, Richard Hell, and drummer Billy Ficca, with whom he formed Television in the same year.

Television gained fame for their performances at CBGB, a Lower Manhattan club that nurtured the careers of numerous influential acts such as the Ramones, Talking Heads, and Blondie. Their self-titled debut album, Marquee Moon, released in 1977, received critical acclaim for its complex arrangements and the unique synergy between Lloyd's and Verlaine's guitar playing, despite its modest commercial success. Television disbanded shortly after the album's release in 1978.

Lloyd embarked on a solo career following the band's breakup, releasing his debut solo album, Alchemy, in 1979. However, personal struggles with substance abuse hindered his progress in subsequent years. After overcoming addiction, he returned to the music scene in 1985 with his second solo album, Field of Fire. Over the next three decades, Lloyd continued to produce music, with his final solo studio album, The Countdown, released in 2018.

He also contributed to session work for artists like Matthew Sweet and John Doe of X, and remained an active performer and guitar instructor throughout his career.

In 2017, Lloyd published his memoir, Everything Is Combustible: Television, CBGB’s and Five Decades of Rock and Roll. Television reunited for a third album, released in 1992, and performed together on various occasions in the years that followed. In 2007, Lloyd announced his departure from the band to concentrate on his solo projects.