Richard Lloyd, Television guitarist behind Marquee Moon, dies at 75

Richard Lloyd, the guitarist whose work with Television helped shape the album Marquee Moon, died at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on 7 November 2026. He was 75. The cause was bile duct cancer, Variety said, citing The New York Times.

Lloyd and frontman Tom Verlaine played intricate guitar solos in Television, a New York band associated with the punk scene but known for its unusual song structures. Its first two albums, Marquee Moon and Adventure, both reached the UK top 10.

From CBGB to a solo career

Television formed in 1973 and helped establish CBGB, the Lower Manhattan club that became a center of the emerging punk scene. The Ramones, Blondie and Talking Heads followed Television into the club, according to Variety. Marquee Moon followed on Elektra Records in February 1977; Variety credits it with influencing later alternative-rock bands including R.E.M. and Sonic Youth and describes Lloyd’s contribution to Television as underrated. It characterizes Lloyd as bringing the fire to his guitar partnership with Verlaine, and Verlaine the finesse.

In his memoir, as reproduced by LA Times Now, Lloyd recalled recording his guitar part for “Venus” a second time, note for note, to give the song more depth. He said he used eight guitar tracks on “Guiding Light”.

The band split shortly after Adventure came out in April 1978, and Lloyd and Verlaine pursued solo careers. Lloyd released his first solo album, Alchemy, in 1979. Television reunited in 1992, released a self-titled album and toured.

Beyond Television, Lloyd released 9 solo albums and played on Matthew Sweet’s 1991 album Girlfriend.