R_of_G
October 2nd, 2008, 09:10 AM
Bass player and songwriter Richard Hell celebrates his 59th birthday today (Oct 2).
Hell was a member of several of New York city's most influential punk bands of the 1970's. He was one of the founding members of Television, though he left the band prior to their recording their first album so his contributions to the band existed only in their live performances. After leaving that band he formed the Heartbreakers with Jerry Nolan and Johnny Thunders, former members of the New York Dolls. His next band was the Voidoids. Their album "Blank Generation" and particularly it's title track, are emblematic of the 1970's punk scene in NYC.
One of the reasons I love this album is the phenomenal guitar work of the late Robert Quine. There have been many to claim that punk rockers can't play their instruments. Quine's work on this album obliterates that myth. The drummer on the album is Marc Bell who went on to become "Marky Ramone" replacing Tommy Erdelyi as the drummer in the Ramones.
Happy Birthday Richard!
Hell was a member of several of New York city's most influential punk bands of the 1970's. He was one of the founding members of Television, though he left the band prior to their recording their first album so his contributions to the band existed only in their live performances. After leaving that band he formed the Heartbreakers with Jerry Nolan and Johnny Thunders, former members of the New York Dolls. His next band was the Voidoids. Their album "Blank Generation" and particularly it's title track, are emblematic of the 1970's punk scene in NYC.
One of the reasons I love this album is the phenomenal guitar work of the late Robert Quine. There have been many to claim that punk rockers can't play their instruments. Quine's work on this album obliterates that myth. The drummer on the album is Marc Bell who went on to become "Marky Ramone" replacing Tommy Erdelyi as the drummer in the Ramones.
Happy Birthday Richard!