Television Guitarist Richard Lloyd Dies at 75 of Bile Duct Cancer
Lloyd, who joined the punk band before its CBGB debut in 1974, was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma in March.
Richard Lloyd, the guitarist who helped shape the sound of the punk band Television, died on November 7 at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the age of 75. The cause was cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer of the bile duct, which he had been diagnosed with in March. His family reported the death to The New York Times.
Lloyd was recruited as Television's second guitarist shortly before the band made its debut at CBGB in 1974. He played alongside singer and co-guitarist Tom Verlaine, bassist Fred Smith and drummer Billy Ficca, the lineup that recorded the 1977 album Marquee Moon.
Television grew out of a teenage friendship between Thomas Miller and Richard Meyers, who later became Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell. Hell was the band's original bassist and quit in 1975, going on to form Richard Hell and the Voidoids; Smith, formerly of Blondie, replaced him.
Television broke up in 1978, partly because of Lloyd's heroin addiction and mental health issues. David Bowie recorded the Television song "Kingdom Come" for his 1980 album Scary Monsters.
A solo career after Television
After the band's split, Lloyd released nine solo albums. Tom Verlaine died in 2023. Lloyd is survived by his wife, Sheila O'Keefe Lloyd, among others.
Quick answers
How did Richard Lloyd die?
He died at 75 at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee, of cholangiocarcinoma, a bile duct cancer diagnosed in March.
Which band was Richard Lloyd in?
He was the second guitarist of Television, joining before the band's 1974 debut at CBGB and playing on the 1977 album Marquee Moon.
Did Richard Lloyd release solo music?
Yes, he released nine solo albums after Television broke up in 1978.