The bassist of Television and co-founder of blondie, Fred Smithwas one of the figures of New York rock at the end of the seventies.
Fred Smithbassist of Television and co-founder of blondie He has died at the age of seventy-seven. Smith He was one of the most important figures in redefining New York rock in the late seventies. Three years ago, he passed away Tom Verlaine his bandmate and one of the great references of his generation.
The guitarist of Television, Jimmy Riphas been in charge of sharing this news on networks, where he has dedicated a heartfelt memory to it. Fred joined Television in 1975after leaving behind blondie and to replace Richard Hellwho was already beginning his career with The Voidoids.
Next to Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd, Fred Smith He was an essential part of the creative nucleus that was formed around the epicenter of punk, art rock and the American new wave. His work in “Marquee Moon” (77) remains an absolute reference. Far from the forceful bass of the punk bands of the time, Smith opted for an almost jazzy approach, which gave the songs Television of a rhythmic depth unusual in those times. Songs like “See No Evil”, “Venus” or the monumental “Marquee Moon” are not understood without those precise and elegant lines.
After the initial dissolution of Television at the end of the seventies, Fred Smith He progressively moved away from the media spotlight, participating in specific projects and always maintaining an ambivalent relationship with the music industry. He returned with the band in the various subsequent reunions, proving that his playing remained influential even decades later.
