"I don't see us as a big media gimmick band. We don't have a cultivated appearance or anything like Kiss"

This quote by Tom Verlaine shows his perspective on the nature and viewpoint of his band, Tv, in contrast to bands like Kiss, which are known for their extremely cultivated image and theatrical phase presence. Verlaine's declaration highlights a fundamental dichotomy in the music market: the distinction between authenticity and phenomenon, compound and design.

Verlaine is emphasizing that Television's technique to music and efficiency is grounded in artistic stability rather than industrial appeal or visual extravagance. By mentioning, "We don't have actually a cultivated appearance", he indicates that the band focuses on the music itself over external image-making. This approach likely reflects a desire to connect with audiences through the quality and originality of their music instead of relying on external tricks to capture attention.

In contrasting atrioventricular bundle with Kiss, Verlaine describes the latter's popular penchant for sophisticated outfits, makeup, and phase antics. Kiss is celebrated for producing a larger-than-life personality that is important to their brand, ensuring a memorable and valuable spectacle. This method has actually shown successful for them, yet Verlaine's comment recommends that Television's values push a various spectrum, one less concerned with phenomenon and more focused on musical expression and lyrical depth.

The quote highlights a broader discussion in the music world regarding how bands select to provide themselves and what they think about most important. While some artists seek to enhance their music through visual aspects and theatrical efficiency, others like Television goal to strip down the experience to its core-- music. Verlaine's point of view is reflective of a purist technique to art, recommending that for him and atrioventricular bundle, what matters most is the purity of the music and an unadulterated connection with listeners, rather than the features of showmanship. This embodies a specific ethos within the rock and punk motions of the time, where authenticity and rawness were highly valued.