Television, The Blow Up (side C)

The Blow Up is a double-LP (or CD) reissue of an old live cassette from 1982. While bootlegs exist of the Richard Hell lineup, these 1978 recordings feature the final line-up with Fred Smith on bass. The performances aren't special or transcendent—they seem like a somewhat arbitrary document of Television as a live band. Their musicianship lacks the consistency of the classic rock bands that obviously influenced them (and that influence is emphasized here with covers of Dylan and the Rolling Stones). At the same time, it's fascinating to hear them work out arrangements and experiment, which leads to very different results than the measured precision of Marquee Moon. Along with the classics from Marquee Moon and the already-mentioned covers are the early single "Little Johnny Jewel" and an early version of "Foxhole". The sound quality isn't bad for a cheap live recording from this era, but the remastering (credited as digital, even for the vinyl reissue) seems unambitious as a restoration job.