Tom Verlaine - Verlaine's Original Self Titled Mixes

After Television's initial break-up, Tom Verlaine decided to go the solo route and started recording his self-titled debut album. It's generally noted that his first album doesn't sound like Television, but that's not to say it doesn't not sound like Television. A lot of the songs started life as Television leftovers and you can't avoid the comparison when Fred Smith and Jay Dee Daugherty, Television's rhythm section, reprise their role on that band's leader's debut. The whole thing is a little messy and a little meta, but a lot of post-break-up records bear a considerable resemblance to pre-break-up status so there is no real shock there. What is surprising though is that Verlaine's then label, Elektra Records, decided to pass on the his initial mix of the album, choosing instead to have Bob Clearmountain remix it. The label complained that Verlaine's mix was too rough and unpolished, similar to Television's debut, Marquee Moon. A little surprising when you consider how much of a success that album was compared to Television's follow-up, Adventure, which has a more polished sound. Clearmountain, expectantly, brought that polished sound to Verlaine's debut and that was mostly the end of it until 2002. Verlaine's original mix had been circulating between private collectors and on bootlegs prior to it's brief but accidental release Collectors' Choice Music. They used the wrong master for initial pressings of the reissue CD and most of those copies were shipped to early mail order purchases. It was corrected by the time the disc made it to retail.

This isn't a rip of one of the accidental pressings, rather it's from one of the bootlegs CDs that were floating around years prior. All things considered, the sound here is quite good, but it's not an easy call between Verlaine's mixes and Clearmountain's. Both have their perks and questionable points, easily making both worth having. In retrospect, it's rather amazing that they didn't reissue this original mix via Rhino Handmade or another platform, though that probably means someone with some clout would prefer this version to remain somewhat forgotten. After all, this is a transitional album that doesn't necessarily find Verlaine in top form, though his follow-up, 1981's Dreamtime, is a firm reminder of how powerful he is and Television were.

A lot of people stop at Marquee Moon as it's such an incredible record. They should give Adventure a chance, but they should also give Verlaine's first few solo records that same opportunity to shine. It's easy to expect too much after the brilliance of Marquee but you'll find plenty to absorb on Verlaine's solo records, especially Dreamland and this, his solo debut. All the better to have his original draft of the album to compare against the final product. After all, which should be considered the final product, the artist's work or the label's approved version?


Tom Verlaine - Tom Verlaine: Original Verlaine Mix

01 The Grip Of Love
02 Souvenir From A Dream
03 Kingdom Come
04 Mr. Bingo
05 Yonki Time
06 Flash Lightning
07 Red Leaves
08 Last Night
09 Breakin' In My Heart