Richard Lloyd, Television Guitarist, Dies at 75

Richard Lloyd, the co-founding guitarist of the New York City band Television, died on Saturday at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to the New York Times. He was 75. The cause of death was bile duct cancer, also called cholangiocarcinoma.

Life and Career

Lloyd was born Richard John Alt on Oct. 25, 1951, in Pittsburgh. He moved with his mother to New York City as an infant and grew up in Greenwich Village. He took up the guitar at an early age and attended concerts at the Fillmore East as a teen. He attended Stuyvesant High School but dropped out before graduation.

After living briefly in Boston and Los Angeles, he returned to New York and became part of the scene around the New York Dolls. Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell had formed a band called the Neon Boys with drummer Billy Ficca. After being introduced through Terry Ork, Lloyd joined the band. Hell left in 1975 and was replaced by Fred Smith.

Television and CBGB

Television formed in 1973. The band became a fixture at CBGB and Max's Kansas City. According to legend, Verlaine and Lloyd were walking past CBGB, saw owner Hilly Kristal outside, and asked what kind of music the venue showcased. Told "Country, Bluegrass and Blues," the pair replied that their band played something like that.

The band signed with Elektra Records in 1976 and released "Marquee Moon" in February of 1977. The album included "See No Evil" and the nearly 11-minute title track. Television released its second album, "Adventure," in 1978 and split shortly after. The band reformed in 1992 and released a self-titled album.

David Bowie famously called Television "the most original band I've seen in New York."

Later Years

Lloyd released nine solo albums, including "Alchemy" in 1979 and "The Countdown" in 2018. He contributed guitar to Matthew Sweet's 1991 album "Girlfriend." He was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in March 2026. In August, a GoFundMe was launched to raise money for his treatment. His family said in a statement to Rolling Stone, "His loving wife Sheila and his dog Willie Mays were with him at the end."

Why it matters

Television's classic 1977 album "Marquee Moon" is a defining document of the 1970s New York City music era and influenced future alternative rockers like R.E.M. and Sonic Youth. Lloyd's guitar work was a vital element of the band's sound.

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Sources

• variety.com: Richard Lloyd, Television's Fiery and Fluent Guitarist, Dies at 75
• pitchfork.com: Richard Lloyd, Television Guitarist, Dies at 75 | Pitchfork
• rollingstone.com: Richard Lloyd, Television's Virtuoso Guitarist, Dead at 75
• guitarworld.com: Television's Richard Lloyd dies aged 75 | Guitar World
• consequence.net: Richard Lloyd, Television Guitarist, Dead at 75
• yahoo.com: Richard Lloyd, Television Guitarist, Dies at 75

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