Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine

Artist: Tom Verlaine
Title: Tom Verlaine
Release Year: 1979
Pressing Year: 1979
Label: Elektra/Asylum Records
Catalog Number: 6E-216
Run-Out Etching: 6E-216-A-RE-SP
Run-Out Stamping: [large]S [small]RC (SRC logo)
Format: 33 RPM • 12” Album • Stereo
UPC: none

Tom Verlaine scores a solid winner on his first solo release. Not surprisingly, many of the songs here suggest the music of Television, his former band, especially in the use of vibrant and full guitar textures and frequent solo break sections in which to feature them. Verlaine's fey vocals surprisingly do not detract from the gutsiness of these numbers.

Several of the songs here utilize hooky initial guitar riffs in the tradition of 1960s bands like The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Beatles. Two selections, Red Leaves and Mr. Bingo, show mild swamper influence; the former also has subtle psychedelic touches in the chorus, while the latter (when Verlaine's vocal enters) suggests a Lou Reed number. Even more Lou Reed/Velvet Underground-oriented is the lengthy and wonderful Breakin' In My Heart.

Last Night is a noble slow-tempo number with unusually noticeable keyboard usage. And Yonki Time is a daffy, loping, bluesy selection with bizarre tongue-in-cheek lyrics and quirky production touches — a fun work to hear. This is a top-notch solo debut that bears repeated listenings.

Personnel: Tom Verlaine (guitar, vocals); Fred Smith (bass, percussion, backing vocals); Jay Dee Daugherty (drums, percussion, backing vocals); Allan Schwartzberg (drums, percussion); Tom Thompson (drums); Deerfrance (backing vocals); Mark Abel, Ricky Wilson (guitar); Bruce Brody (piano).

VINYL GRADE: VG+
Notes: Minimal surface noise. A good cleaning is all this one needs. No warping.

LABEL GRADE: VG
Notes: No ring wear, tape, spindle wear, or writing. Standard white/yellow/red Elektra text logo on black. Text is silver on half-black and half-red circle label.

SLEEVE GRADE: VG
Notes: Original plain white paper. No tape, no writing, no rips, no stains. Some crinkles. Track listing, liner notes (black text on white) on one side; b&w photo of Tom Verlaine at the piano on the other. Two-inch split at center of bottom edge; two-inch split at center of left edge.

JACKET GRADE: VG+
Notes: No visible ring wear, light crinkling, no splits, no tape, no writing. Edges, spine (readable), corners are worn. A few dings. (The image shown is my own original scan.)

Shipping is $4.00. NOTE: I will NOT be responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail.

Payments managed by eBay.

Combined shipping: I will be happy to combine multiple items. If you buy more than one item from me, the shipping cost will be the highest original shipping fee plus $1 per additional item.

This is not a record-club issue or a cut-out. It is the original release.

Note: I haven't cleaned this 44-year-old record because everybody seems to prefer their own methods. I'll leave the cleaning up to the buyer. Also, I'm not a professional vinyl seller or buyer. It comes from my own collection. Bought at Books, Strings & Things, downtown Blacksburg VA.

Enjoy the auction -- and good luck!