Fred Smith, longtime Television bassist, has died. He was also in the band that gave rise to Blondie

Fred Smith, longtime bassist of Television, has died. He was 77. News of his death, which occurred on Thursday, February 5th, was confirmed by the band via social media. A brief statement referenced a long illness, against which the musician had fought "long and hard," with no further details given about the cause of death.

Smith took his first steps in the New York scene as bassist for Angel and the Snake, a band that would soon go on to become Blondie. In 1975 he left the group to join Television, stepping in for Richard Hell and playing a decisive role in shaping the band's rhythmic balance. He stayed with the group until its breakup in 1978, taking part in the recording of "Marquee Moon" in 1977 and "Adventure", released the following year.

 

 

 

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After the end of Television, Smith went on collaborating with numerous musicians, taking part in the solo work of Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd and also playing with artists such as Roches, Willie Nile, Peregrins and Revelons. He rejoined Television for their 1992 reunion, which led to the release of their self-titled third album, and continued performing live with the band well into the 2000s.

In the message announcing his death, Television guitarist Jimmy Rip remembered him as "not only my bandmate for 46 years, but a true friend," stressing how invaluable his presence had been through the hardships of life on tour. Rip described his humour as "dry, subtle, deadpan, hilarious," qualities that, in his view, perfectly mirrored his way of playing. "He was a natural talent, always essential and in service of the song," Rip wrote, adding that concerts dedicated to the music of Tom Verlaine, who died in January 2023, had been planned for this year. "Thankfully we managed to say goodbye to each other, our last words were 'I love you'," he concluded. "I'll miss him more than can be imagined."

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