Richard Mayers grew up in Kentucky and made his way to New York to become a writer . He bought a printing press and began to publish books and magazines and his poems were published in numerous magazines and periodicals by the time he was 21.
In 1969, his childhood friend Thomas Miller (Tom Verlaine) joined him to form the band Neon Boys whose 1973 demo 'Love Comes In Spurts' places them among the earliest punk artists. In 1974 they added a second guitar and changed their name to Television.
In 1975 when Verlaine refused to play all but one of Richard's songs (Blank Generation) when they were recording, Hell quit/was fired from Television. That same week, Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan quit the New York Dolls and together they start a new band; The Heartbreakers. Hell and Dee Dee Ramone wrote Chinese Rocks and everything seemed to be going well but Hell got restless.
In 1976 he teamed up with Robert Quine (bald 33 year old law school graduate who hadn't played guitar since college), Marc Bell and found Ivan Julian through auditions. Richard Hell and the Voidoids released 'Blank Generation' in 1977. One of the best albums of the 70s? I am not going to try to decide that now. But worth listening to again as a reminder of just how good they were. I seriously love this man.
blank generation
love comes in spurts
His book, 'Go Now' is brilliantly written. A must have! :)
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