Haven’t read through this thread entirely, but is there some background as to why Paul Schafer did this kinda shit? Seems like a colossal dick move to push you and your band onto musical guests.
― circa1916, Friday, 30 September 2022 22:42 (one year ago) link
i mean it makes sense for some bands, like early TMBG
― na (NA), Friday, 30 September 2022 23:00 (one year ago) link
Sure, but that’s not typical. It doesn’t seem like it was a “Hey, can we play with you guys?” sorta set-up, but kinda the price you pay if you wanna be on the show. Cuz I can’t imagine most bands would be cool with it.
― circa1916, Friday, 30 September 2022 23:14 (one year ago) link
As mentioned upthread, that's why the Replacements never did Letterman (Pleased To Meet Me-era, iirc).
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 September 2022 23:16 (one year ago) link
Yeah, it always seemed like a shitty flex, like “you may think you’re so great, but actually we can do your shit as well as everyone else’s.”
― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 30 September 2022 23:24 (one year ago) link
Also I’d like to know if bands’ song choices were ever vetoed because the house band couldn’t do them or didn’t have a part to play.
― assert (matttkkkk), Friday, 30 September 2022 23:26 (one year ago) link
Probably not. Shaffer & co. were all heavy session pros, so there's not a lot they couldn't fake.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 September 2022 23:31 (one year ago) link
A lot of times they would also back up solo artists, even if said artists already had established backing bands.
For example, Stevie Ray Vaughan sans Double Trouble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEeck-DHDaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQr_L4_M9lU
"Crossfire" & "Wall of Denial"...Another example of somebody making separate appearances on the show months apart promoting the same album.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 September 2022 23:41 (one year ago) link
i mean, the roots do this on fallon all the time?
― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Saturday, 1 October 2022 15:42 (one year ago) link
But people like them!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jszCZPGsCow
CSN: "As I Come Of Age"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 04:37 (one year ago) link
#OneThread
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWsM3BkXZXM
Albert Collins & The Anton Fig Blues Band: "A Good Fool Is Hard To Find"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 04:45 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bijm95hoVF4
Lucinda Williams, with Gurf & Roger McGuinn (!)*: "Six Blocks Away"
*I guess he was sitting in that night?
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 04:52 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwBV-bXQsfY
Subdudes, with Paul stepping back: "Tired of Being Alone"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 04:59 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPQPJp8xrOY
Psychedelic Furs: "Until She Comes"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 05:07 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jkZEJuD21o
Spin Doctors, w/a double rhythm section:'"Jimmy Olsen's Blues"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 05:17 (one year ago) link
One more...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGq-Y4LQrQ
Squeeze, except it's just Difford & Tillbrook &...Jools(?): "If It's Love"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 05:24 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OUfXJ8g6Fw
Blue Rodeo, with Steve Ferrone: "Restless"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:16 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5B2_Rbu8-8
Steve Earle: "Copperhead Road" and a funny interview
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:26 (one year ago) link
Re: earlier discussion on why they did this, I'd imagine the production team were happy to have essentially the same band on each week with the same backline. Saves them dealing with some over-hitting drummer or guitarist who turns their amp up full otherwise "it doesn't sound right".
― pick the mouse that can reach all the cheese in the maze (Matt #2), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:30 (one year ago) link
Man, WIll's really rocking the Breck hair in that Lucinda McGuinn video.
― Askeladd v. BMI (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:35 (one year ago) link
Matt OTM. I remember a conversation with guy who had been in the show a few times who he said something like "Paul, Will and company have been doing it for so long they are like the crew of a B52 bomber."
― Askeladd v. BMI (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:37 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-f3Weo2vs4
Cracker, with their drummer on tambourine and dance moves: "Teen Angst"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:41 (one year ago) link
Think I already posted the Poi Dog Pondering appearance upthread. Believe they managed to get the whole band on stage somehow. One guy had to play percussion on a soda can iirc.
― Askeladd v. BMI (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 14:50 (one year ago) link
It wouldn't surprise me if Paul renegotiated his contract at some point so that they always had to play with the bands in order to give him and his band more to do on the show. They were and are highly well-connected so maybe they thought it was their due. But Matt's explanation could very well be right.
― Chris L, Tuesday, 11 October 2022 15:28 (one year ago) link
Still think it must have had something to do with either union rules, royalty payments or both.
― pplains, Tuesday, 11 October 2022 15:37 (one year ago) link
Yeah, but the practice stopped when they went to CBS and they may have been worried about losing bookings to Leno.
― Chris L, Tuesday, 11 October 2022 15:46 (one year ago) link
They still did a version of it at CBS: bands appear in their full lineups, but sometimes the house band would play along with them to beef up the sound. However, usually when this happened, Paul & co. wouldn't get as much screentime during the performances.
Speaking of CBS, Dave's people have been having clips from that era removed left and right as of late.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 11 October 2022 16:47 (one year ago) link
Dave's staff has really stepped up trying to post their own clips. Somewhat ghoulishly perhaps, anytime a celebrity who was on the show dies they'll get an old interview with them up that same day.
― Chris L, Tuesday, 11 October 2022 18:26 (one year ago) link
...or just if somebody's in the news. Noticed they put up some Blink-182 stuff right after the reunion announcement.
Anyway, this is new to me: Sonic Youth (w/a very pregnant Kim) doing "Bull In The Heather" on the CBS show.
https://digg.com/music/link/sonic-youth-letterman-1994-GqIWpyBSo0
Paul and the band have to sit silently and watch.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 16 October 2022 19:45 (one year ago) link
By the time Letterman moved to CBS, Shaffer’s band rarely accompanied musical guests.And I always assumed the main reason one or two members of a band had to play with Shaffer et al on NBC was the size of the studio. For the first few years of Late Night the Bangles, R.E.M., and Dylan, among others, played without Shaffer’s band, but Letterman was moved to a new, and smaller, studio around ‘86-‘87 or so, making it difficult-to-impossible to fit even just a four-piece band’s gear etc. onto the stage.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Sunday, 16 October 2022 20:50 (one year ago) link
when we played the CBS show Paul & the band hung around to watch our performance from their stations, even though we were dead last and they all could have bailed early. out of sight of the camera Schaeffer was there really bopping head head along and following what we were doing, just rocking out, and it made me feel like a million, billion bucks. One of the best "go ahead and meet your heroes" experiences I can imagine
― J Edgar Noothgrush (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Sunday, 16 October 2022 21:01 (one year ago) link
Cool!
Another one of those 'discreet augmentation' bits from the CBS Orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d75oeqBBVA
ZZ Top: "What's Up With That"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 16 October 2022 21:55 (one year ago) link
On that same tip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIpmUroL2D4
Johnny Winter: "Dust My Broom"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 16 October 2022 22:03 (one year ago) link
oh man that Johnny Winter one is hot stuff
― J Edgar Noothgrush (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Sunday, 16 October 2022 22:33 (one year ago) link
the letterman youtube videos have started including ads and psas at the end, it's lovely stuff
― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Sunday, 23 October 2022 22:05 (one year ago) link
From now or then?
― 2-4-6-8 Motor Away (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 October 2022 22:33 (one year ago) link
era appropriate
― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Monday, 24 October 2022 02:21 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opdndYLhcJI
Richard Thompson: "I Feel So Good" (Will Lee going HAM during the guitar solo)
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 21:19 (one year ago) link
Posted before, but was taken down:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Y_3t629YM
Breeders: "So Sad About Us" (with bonus Who from TWMDB afterwards)
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 21:27 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3MxcmfEtxo
Ray Davies (no Kinks, not even Dave): "How Do I Get Close?"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 21:39 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVgeAK6IN4s
Los Lobos: "Reva's House"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 21:48 (one year ago) link
I stayed up for that Ray Davies appearance (hey, 11:30-12:30 Central was LATE on a weeknight for a high schooler who had to get up at 6am for Jazz Band practice). I was disappointed that Dave wasn’t there, but liked the performance anyway. And Letterman’s wrong: it was their 26th album (counting live albums, not counting compilations), not their 48th. It’s hard to see the hype sticker, but it calls the Kinks “The World’s Premier Rock & Roll Band!” They really wanted to fill the stadiums that the Stones and Who had filled in the summer of ‘89, but UK Jive topped out at #122 in the US, and the best they could hope for was 1/2-empty sheds on their 1990 tour.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Tuesday, 25 October 2022 22:15 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo6V2V6luLY
Liz Phair: "Supernova"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 21 November 2022 02:56 (one year ago) link
WOW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYifslpfSq8
The Feelies: "Doin' It Again"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 21 November 2022 03:02 (one year ago) link
oh big cheers for that one - they sound good!
― ミ💙🅟 🅛 🅤 🅡 🅜 🅑💙彡 (Austin), Monday, 21 November 2022 05:40 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaoEuyObRkY
Bo Diddley: "Bo Diddley Put The Rock In Rock-'n'-Roll"
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 9 December 2022 21:39 (one year ago) link
Lol @ Dave's bit of business with the LP cover at the start of the Liz Phair clip
(Liz doesn't sound her best there... too bad)
― Wet Legume (morrisp), Friday, 9 December 2022 21:52 (one year ago) link
https://consequence.net/2023/01/paul-shaffer-fill-in-the-roots-jimmy-fallon/
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 30 January 2023 19:37 (one year ago) link
(posted today)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnUI4a7BKpE
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 27 July 2023 00:29 (eight months ago) link