Seminal New York rock act Television is pondering a return to the recording studio, guitarist Richard Lloyd tells Billboard.com. Although Television has not released a studio album since a 1992 self-titled set for Capitol, Lloyd says, “We have quite a few new songs which get performed live, and we also talk about recording from time to time.”
“Currently we do not have record company funding, but [we] may do some recording anyway,” Lloyd continues. “Although recording new material is desirable, we are in no hurry, which is par for our course.”
Lloyd is referring to the decade-plus hiatus that followed the release of the band’s acclaimed late-’70s albums “Marquee Moon” and “Adventure.” After re-forming to record “Television” and tour, the band vanished for nearly another decade before regrouping in 2001 for a run of shows in the U.K. and North America.
As previously reported, “Marquee Moon” and “Adventure” will be reissued in expanded form Sept. 23 by Rhino, in addition to a previously unreleased concert album, “Live at the Old Waldorf.”
Whether the band hits the studio or not, Lloyd seems pleased Television is again “fully functional. We have been performing around 10-12 shows a year, in various places.” As previously reported, the group will play Sept. 25 in Tokyo and Sept. 27 at the Asagiri Jam Festival in Fujinomiya, Japan. A Sept. 21 gig in San Francisco has also been added.
Lloyd has been busy touring and recording with Rocket From The Tombs, the late, great ’70s Cleveland rock act that never released an album in its lifetime but was home to future Pere Ubu frontman David Thomas and Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome. The revived group will tour the U.S. in November and December.
Lloyd is also mixing an album he produced for New York band the Blondes.
