The TV frontman was 73 years old.
It’s reports The New York Times. They write that he died on Saturday, in Manhattan.
Verlaine’s death was confirmed to the newspaper by Jesse Paris Smith, daughter of Verlaine’s former partner, rock legend Patti Smith.
She said that the musician passed away “after a short illness.”
Patti Smith pays tribute to Verlaine like this, on Instagram:
This is Patti Smith on Instagram: “This is when everything seemed possible. Bye Tom, high omega.”
Verlaine became a school artist as a guitarist and frontman in the TV band, Native to the environment surrounding the club CBGB in New York.
The first TV album, “Marquee Moon” from 1977, often ranks high in the rankings of all-time best records.
The band initially became a short-lived relationship, which gave up after two albums. In the 1990s they reunited.
In between, Verlaine has released a number of critically acclaimed solo records.
REM vocalist Michael Stipe is one of many artists now praising Verlaine on social media.
Others who reported on him included The Bangles frontman Susannah Hoffs, Waterboys manager Mike Scott, Echo & The Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant, punk/pop hitmaker Billy Idol and producer Steve Albini.
Morrissey posted a “RIP” message to Verlaine on his website, quoting from the TV song “Elevation”:
“I sleep on these beaches tonight.”
Despite its television association with the New York punk scene, the band is particularly known for the virtuoso guitar playing of Ben Verlaine and Richard Lloyd – not least on the ten-minute title track from “Marquee Moon”.
In the past 30 years, Verlaine has been relatively low profile as an artist. But he played, among other things, on many of Patti Smith’s later recordings.
“Infuriatingly humble web fan. Writer. Alcohol geek. Passionate explorer. Evil problem solver. Incurable zombie expert.”
