Richard Lloyd (Television) is ill with cancer — and has launched a fundraising campaign

Richard Lloyd, the co-founding guitarist of the legendary and highly regarded band Television, has been diagnosed with a serious form of bile duct cancer. According to a GoFundMe campaign launched by Sean Seymour, his bandmate in the Richard Lloyd Group, the cancer has resulted in tumors in his liver, including one located dangerously close to a major blood vessel.

Seymour explains that due to the tumor's location, doctors cannot safely operate at this stage. Lloyd has been in the intensive care unit seven times, dealing with severe complications, including two bouts of sepsis and issues related to his liver and kidneys. The funds raised are intended to cover medical expenses, monthly living costs, and the financial gap created by Lloyd’s inability to tour and his wife Sheila’s need to work as a full-time caregiver.

"I am usually a fairly optimistic person and I am dealing with this, but it is becoming very difficult alone, and financially we are stressed. That is why I am asking for your help," Lloyd wrote.

Seymour further notes that unresolved royalty issues dating back two years have added to the financial pressure. For a working musician, the inability to perform is devastating, as touring is his primary source of income.

"Richard spent decades giving his music to other people. Now it is our turn to give him something back," Seymour wrote.

Television was formed in New York in 1973 and was a seminal act at the CBGB club. Their debut album, Marquee Moon, remains a classic of alternative rock, defined by the intricate, dizzying guitar work of vocalist Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd.

So far, about 40,000 dollars have been raised—half of the target goal—including a contribution from musician Patti Smith, who was part of the same 1970s New York music scene and helped promote the band during its early years.