Thom Verlaine
Photo: YouTube
Thom Verlaine (born Thomas James Miller, 8 December 1949 – 28 January 2023) was an American musician, poet, and songwriter, best known as the frontman and principal creative force behind the influential New York art-rock band Television.
Verlaine shared a rare and profound musical connection with David Bowie, most clearly embodied in the song “Kingdom Come” — a composition that Bowie admired deeply and later transformed into one of the emotional centres of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980).
- Name: Thom Verlaine (Thomas James Miller)
- Born: 8 December 1949 (Denville, New Jersey, USA)
- Died: 28 January 2023 (New York City, USA)
- Role: Musician, songwriter, poet
- Bowie link: “Kingdom Come” (Scary Monsters, 1980)
- Core idea: Poetic minimalism, tension, guitar as narrative
The connection: “Kingdom Come”
The most direct and significant link between David Bowie and Thom Verlaine is the song “Kingdom Come”. The track was originally written and recorded by Verlaine and released on his 1979 solo album Flash Light.
Verlaine’s original version is restrained and introspective, built around his distinctive, skeletal guitar style and a quietly penitential vocal delivery. Its emotional power lies in tension and understatement.
Bowie’s cover on Scary Monsters (1980)
David Bowie recorded his own version of “Kingdom Come” for Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980), following a suggestion by guitarist Robert Fripp, who recognised the song’s dramatic potential.
Bowie’s interpretation transformed the song. Where Verlaine’s performance is inward and austere, Bowie delivers the lyrics with mounting intensity, pushing his voice toward a near-apocalyptic climax. The contrast between the two versions highlights the unique artistic identities of both musicians.
Influence on Bowie’s own songwriting
“Kingdom Come” was more than a cover choice — it directly influenced Bowie’s own writing. The song’s structure, tension, and rhythmic feel informed Bowie’s composition “Up the Hill Backwards”, also featured on Scary Monsters.
This places Verlaine not merely as a songwriter Bowie admired, but as a genuine creative catalyst during a crucial transitional album.
Record Store Day 2015 release
In recognition of the enduring link between the two artists, a special 7-inch coloured vinyl single was released for Record Store Day 2015.
The release paired Thom Verlaine’s original recording of “Kingdom Come” with David Bowie’s Scary Monsters version, allowing listeners to experience the dialogue between the two interpretations side by side.
Shared artistic values
Bowie and Verlaine shared a commitment to emotional distance, ambiguity, and atmosphere. Neither relied on overt sentimentality; instead, both used tension, texture, and restraint as expressive tools.
Bowie’s decision to spotlight Verlaine’s composition at such a pivotal moment in his career speaks volumes about the depth of his respect.
Thom Verlaine in Bowie’s creative universe
Thom Verlaine occupies a singular place in Bowie’s creative universe: not as a collaborator in the conventional sense, but as a songwriter whose work directly shaped one of Bowie’s most important albums.
Through “Kingdom Come,” Verlaine’s voice continues to echo inside Bowie’s legacy — a meeting point of post-punk restraint and dramatic transformation.