Television with Richard Hell on the Underground Tonight Show, club gig, NYC 1974

Excerpt of recently unearthed footage of Television with Richard Hell performing "Hard On Love" from the only existent live club footage available to date of the original Television. The video was filmed sometime during 1974 and appeared on the NYC public access television show The Underground Tonight Show. As reported in Melody Maker from September of that year, John Lennon was watching the program: "On TV next came a group called TELEVISION, and Lennon sat fairly transfixed. Television are so bad they're good. They can barely play their instruments and they are very short of money; they're young and dressed in rags. But they have a spirit that's irresistible, and John immediately identified them as a parallel with The Beatles in their Hamburg days. "Yeah, I can relate to them, they're exactly as we were. Skint and loving every minute. They sound terrible but they're OK!' He liked their name too."

[@rivereuphrates8103]

RIP Tom. This band changed my life and how i play music. Thank you 🙏

[@AdamTebrugge]

This is great, never take it down.

[@PsychicLines]

Ficca killin it

[@huwgriffiths7271]

Yessss. What a cool cat. Such an underrated drummer, and an integral part of TV’s sound

[@MaterLacrymarum]

Amazing stuff. God, these were great times in music. Verlaine is a master.

[@kentwood9821]

So cool to see this while reading Richard's (Lloyd) book. Grab it if you haven't, it's phenomenal.

[@doctorskull8197]

This is GREAT‼️😎🔥🎸😍

[@pobbard]

Thanks for posting this!

[@pollution]

OMG…this is awesome!

[@loriinman6270]

Thanks for sharing. This is amazing.

[@veesonnets9457]

Thank you!!!!

[@nicomedy2010]

happy 73 rich ;-)

[@josephhuether1184]

Live…from a telephone booth!!!
Phenomenal!

[@lightningmetropolis]

Aggressive version of this song. On the Double Exposure bootleg they did it as a ballad.

[@biancabluzuzu]

This is pretty pretty amazing !
Whoa 🧡

[@gogagoga4824]

Wooow!! 🖤

[@sebastian4451]

increíble

[@hundredsroadwerewolf]

Wow.

[@rarerockrecords8903]

Do you have any more footage of this?
There is a documentary underway about Terry Ork and the early days with Hell and Verlaine.
Be great to have some of the footage for it.

[@papajon5404]

The whole episode exists though Television only appears as you see it (including the introduction).

[@EugeneLorey]

Yowza.

[@lperezduran]

bien ahi

[@videokicks]

Amazing. Is there more out there?

[@Pollymb]

Yowza 🤯

[@revmutt]

Didn’t you have a whole collection from this show? I was sorry I didn’t get to watch it all.

[@kelechi_77]

Like punk rock Bob Dylan

[@GiantPinhead]

Farewell, Tom

[@mr88jmr88]

Is that Richard Hell in the sunglasses?

[@markopolo8845]

Most certainly…

[@DearMr.Fantasy]

The one and only.

[@charleshall3372]

Way better when Richard Hell sings!

[@nullvoid244]

Boy bands

[@justint8635]

lol so bad but great footage!

[@mozboywi]

is that Lester Bangs?

[@floglobe]

no

[@harveyandruss8748]

Hard On Love led to Love Comes in Spurts. Just sayin'

[@RoySuggs]

It's the reverse. "Love Comes in Spurts" was a Neon Boys song from 1973, with lyrics by Hell, written long before "Hard On Love." Tom was trying to match it.

[@kristazieschang1205]

television, only the shirts and mink deville were worse.

[@user-pk1bp3rt8e]

absolutely mind melting.

[@user-pk1bp3rt8e]

WOWWWWWW