Television | Foxhole | Live | London | April 1978

This is Television’s live rehearsal performance of Foxhole filmed for the British TV show, The Old Grey Whistle Test [OGWT] which was aired by the BBC on the 26th of May 1978. In all likelihood, it was shot at the Hammersmith Odeon, during the bands three-night run, 16-18 April 1978.

The full clip is here online for the first time in pristine quality with a dramatically enhanced audio.

From the outset we have to express huge gratitude to the excellent John McLaughlin Archive for providing the original BBC segment. Please check out their page for an absolute treasure trove of OGWT performances and interviews from the 1970’s and ‘80’s 
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Also big thanks to producer Particledots, who engineered an audio separation of the murky and poorly mixed original sound, and worked with me to create a much higher quality version of the audio. From the stems he had engineered, I was able to edit the tracks. And then he and I worked on enhancements and remixing, sending our experiments back and forth. And now at last, I’ve created a final mix that I am satisfied with.

The restoration took a few weeks. It was just the project I needed at this time to break the 3-month lull from uploading to my YouTube channel imposed by depressing copyright strikes.

Then suddenly last weekend, we hear the sad news that Television founding member, guitarist Richard Lloyd had just passed.

This performance of Foxhole commences with Lloyd’s crisp and exciting guitar riff. Tom Verlaine is credited as the sole author of Foxhole, like the majority of Television’s songs. However, as apparently Lloyd often noted about Television's workflow: Verlaine would bring in a core idea or a riff he wrote but couldn't play while singing. He would pass that part to Lloyd, who would refine it, flesh it out, and make it a central, driving pillar of a track. Certainly Lloyd is the driving pillar of this magnificent performance of Foxhole.

Richard Lloyd
October 25, 1951 – November 7, 2026
RIP

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Television was an American rock band from New York City that formed in 1973. Its most prominent lineup comprised vocalist and guitarist-keyboardist Tom Verlaine, guitarist Richard Lloyd, drummer Billy Ficca, and bassist Fred Smith. An early fixture of CBGB and the 1970s New York punk rock scene, the band is considered influential in the development of punk rock and alternative rock. 
[Wiki]

Television’s three Hammersmith Odeon shows were the culmination of the April 1978 British “Live in Colour” tour. The eight-shows were to promote their second album Adventure which had just been released in the UK.

The band’s debut album Marquee Moon, released in early 1977 is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The follow up, Adventure was to these ears less compelling. Three tracks on Adventure do stir a similar sense of excitement and urgency in me as the Marquee Moon material; Ain’t That Nothin’; The Dream’s Dream and best of the bunch in my opinion; Foxhole. The Television Live in Colour tour featured four songs from Adventure - unsurprisingly the aforementioned three tracks, plus Careful.

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It is a profound tragedy that there has been no decent footage in circulation of Television during their mid-late 1970’s heyday. This clip was originally broadcast on the OGWT in May 1978. Short excerpts or poor quality versions of it have popped up here and there over the years. It has been an ambition of mine since the inception of my YouTube channel over a decade ago, to find a master copy of the Television OGWT clip, and restore and host it on my channel.

As is happening with increasing frequency it seems, upon uploading it to YouTube yesterday, it was immediately blocked, with copyright claimed by WMG. I have disputed the claim, which according to YouTube’s standard practice, should allow the video to be viewed temporarily while the alleged copyright holder decides its ultimate fate on my channel.

In the meantime, please enjoy whilst...

Soldier boy stands
At a full salute

Thanks for watching, I hope you dig it!

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Credits

Video and Audio Source:
Television | Foxhole | Live | London | Recorded April 1978 | Broadcast on the Old Grey Whistle Test | 16 May 1978 | Copyright BBC 

Musicians: 
Tom Verlaine | lead vocals, guitar
Richard Lloyd | guitar, vocals
Billy Ficca | drums
Fred Smith | bass, vocals

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