Tom Verlaine and his band Television helped establish the punk rock music scene in the mid-1970s, influencing music for years to come with the records Marquee Moon and Adventure.
Verlaine later ventured out on his own, notably with his 1990 album, The Wonder. More recently, Verlaine has toured with Patti Smith and reunited with Television for a 1992 recording and several performances.
This summer, Verlaine's back on his own, embarking on a tour that features music from two albums released earlier this year.
Verlaine displays his guitar work in the first album, Around, which is purely instrumental. The second album, Songs and Other Things, showcases Verlaine's vocal style.
Change may be the only constant in Verlaine's musical odyssey. He began with classical music, then moved on to jazz, playing piano and saxophone before focusing on the guitar. He even adapted the breathing style he learned while playing sax into the pauses that are a signature of his guitar work.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.