 |
Richard HellSinger, songwriter and bassist, one of the most important figures in the early New York punk scene.
Date of Birth: 02.10.1949
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Richard Hell
Early LifeRichard Hell (born Richard Meyers) was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1949. His father was a psychologist who studied animal behavior and passed away when Richard was 7 years old. After her husband's death, Richard's mother became a teacher. In his final year of school, Richard transferred to Sanford School, where he met Tom Miller (later known as Tom Verlaine, the leader of Television). Together, they ran away from school and were soon arrested for arson. Richard never finished high school and moved to New York with the hope of pursuing a career as a poet. There, he bought a used typewriter and started publishing books and magazines under the name Genesis: Grasp, later renamed Dot Books. Before turning 21, Richard had already been published in several magazines, including Rolling Stone.
Music Career
In 1969, Verlaine joined Richard in New York, and they formed the band The Neon Boys. In 1973, the band recorded a demo with the songs "Love Comes in Spurts" and "That's All I Know (Right Now)", which is considered one of the possible contenders for the title of the first punk rock recording. In 1974, they added a second guitarist to the band and changed their name to Television. Television's performances at CBGB became one of the factors that led to the formation and development of the first wave of new wave/punk rock bands. For example, Patti Smith wrote her first review about Television in June 1974 (for Soho Weekly News), and later, she had a romantic relationship with Tom Verlaine and formed her own highly successful band. Television served as the basis for CBGB owner Hilly Crystal's decision to make the club a venue for various rock bands.
In 1975, Richard began playing his most famous song, "Blank Generation," with Television. That same year, Richard left (or was kicked out) of Television due to disputes over creative leadership. He claimed that initially, he and Verlaine shared authorship, but later, Verlaine preferred to perform only his own songs. Verlaine never commented on this. Either way, Richard left Television around the same time that Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan left New York Dolls, and the three of them formed The Heartbreakers. After a few performances, Walter Lure joined the band as a second guitarist. During this period, Richard co-wrote the famous punk song "Chinese Rocks" with Dee Dee Ramone and became its first performer with The Heartbreakers. Although Richard did not participate in the recording of the band's studio albums, this recording was preserved and later included on some of Richard's compilations. In the early 1976, Richard left the band.
After leaving The Heartbreakers, Richard formed the band The Voidoids with Robert Quine, Ivan Julian, and Mark Bell. The Voidoids incorporated reworked versions of songs performed by Neon Boys and Television, including "Blank Generation" and "Love Comes in Spurts" (with the latter's arrangement changed almost beyond recognition compared to Verlaine's version). The Voidoids' style was based on the combination of Richard's distinctive vocals and strong lyrics with Quine's innovative atonal guitar passages. This combination produced one of the most original sounds among early American punk bands, less straightforward than the Ramones and not as British-influenced as The Dead Boys. The Voidoids' debut album, "Blank Generation," was released in 1977, with the title track becoming an anthem of American punk. However, severe drug addiction and other problems led to the original lineup of The Voidoids breaking up, and by the time they recorded their second album, "Destiny Street" (1982), only Richard and Quine remained. Notable songs from the album include "The Kid With the Replaceable Head" and the ballad "Time," as well as cover versions of songs by The Kinks, Them, and Bob Dylan.
Career as a Writer and Later Life
In 1982, Richard appeared in the film "Smithereens" directed by Susan Seidelman, and in 1985, he played a silent role as Madonna's murdered boyfriend in the film "Desperately Seeking Susan". In the early 1990s, Richard became a member of the supergroup Dim Stars, which included Sonic Youth members Thurston Moore and Steve Shelley, as well as Gumball member Don Fleming. Dim Stars only recorded one album, composed and recorded in three weeks. They also released one EP and never performed live. Richard's writing career began in 1996 with the publication of his novel "Go Now," which drew heavily from his personal experiences. In 2001, he released a collection of poetry, essays, and drawings titled "Hot and Cold," followed by his second novel, "Godlike," in 2005.
In 1997, the book "Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk" was named after a phrase written on a shirt by Richard in the 70s. In 2005, Richard sold his archive of manuscripts, recordings, correspondence (handwritten and electronic), journals, and other documents collected throughout his life to the New York University library for $50,000. Richard was previously married to Patty Smyth of the band Scandal (not to be confused with Patti Smith) for two years (1985-1986), and they have a daughter named Ruby. In 2002, Richard married Sheelagh Bevan, and they currently live together in East Village, New York.
The Voidoids Lineup
Richard Hell - vocals, bass guitar
Robert Quine - lead guitar
Ivan Julian - bass
Mark Bell - drums
Naux - drums
Fred Maher - drums
