Tom Verlaine, a former vocalist for the New York City rock band Television, was an American singer, guitarist, and composer who was born Thomas Miller on December 13, 1949, and died on January 28, 2023.
Verlaine supported several guitar recording and playing methods, such as close miking, delay, reverb, slap echo, phasing/flanging, tremolo, etc.
In “Little Johnny Jewel,” the first commercially successful recording for television, Verlaine, defying convention, plugged his guitar directly into the mixing desk without any amplification. Verlaine didn’t often use strong distortion.
Verlaine’s approach included a lot of vibrato, and he used the Jazzmaster’s distinctive vibrato arm frequently. Verlaine, like many modern rock & roll musicians, used the mixolydian and minor pentatonic scales on his guitar, clearly influenced by the blues.
Verlaine set himself apart from other contemporary lead guitarists mostly by his use of phrasing, frequently opting for slower and less technically challenging riffs.
Parents and Siblings
On December 13, 1949, a Jewish family in Denville, New Jersey welcomed Thomas Miller into the world. Victor and Lillian Miller were the names of his parents. He had a twin brother named John Miller.
Spouse and Children
He’d been married to Lizzy Mercier Descloux since 1997 and they have two children.
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