T.V.O.D.

Husker Du on the Joan Rivers show got me a-thinkin':

Was that their one and only (non-cable/MTV) TV appearance? For that matter, apart from Letterman, how many punk/alt bands did play on broadcast TV in the '80s? Not even SNL was featuring too much cool stuff after the '70s that I can recall. If, say, The Replacements guested on "The A Team," or The Butthole Surfers backed up the Golden Girls at the retirement home talent show, I missed it.

Devo in the early early '80s snuck on to the airwaves via "Fridays" and "Square Pegs". Brad mentioned that for some reason Romeo Void got mentioned on whatever that show Ted Knight was on after Mary Tyler Moore, but did they ever actually play?

#3.

Sadly, Romeo Void did not actually turn up on Too Close For Comfort. It would've been interesting to see Cousin April and Monroe jump on stage and join the band in a rousing rendition of "Never Say Never."

The Waitresses were on Square Pegs in addition to Devo.

Captain Beefheart was on SNL in 80 or 81.

Wire performed "Drill" for a befuddled Suzanne Somers, who I think was filling in for Joan Rivers but may have had a talk show of her own. I don't recall.

Debbie Harry played a past her prime rock star on Wiseguy, but she was not on the cutting edge any more by that time. The part was kind of autobiographical.

For a brief time, NBC (I think) attempted to do a late night Sunday program, and Pere Ubu turned up on that doing "Waiting for Mary," I think. I can't recall if the host of the show was David Sanborn or Jools Holland (maybe both were for a stint), but there were quite a few decent types who turned up on it during the couple of months it was on. John Cale maybe? I don't recall.

Joe Jackson was on some random Saturday morning kids show doing "On Your Radio," an uplifting number for the tykes to absorb. That was probably late 70s, though.

Oh yeah, that David Sanborn show! "Night Music" I believe it was called. Don't remember Jools Holland, maybe he was a guest on it once? But I do recall the Residents being on. And I seem to recall the Residents having something to do with the Pee Wee Herman show, but I don't remember if they actually performed or not.

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Wire performed "Drill" for a befuddled Suzanne Somers

Wow, I cannot imagine that. That's as surreal as, well, Husker Du with Joan Rivers.

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The Waitresses were on Square Pegs in addition to Devo.

I just remember that they did the theme song. But they also appeared on the show?

Thanks, Toland, I sure as hell would have remembered The 'Mats on SNL, but guess that was one of those somewhat duff seasons where I wasn't watching it regularly.

Yes, the Waitresses did make an appearance on Square Pegs. Maybe at the end of the first episode? I don't remember for sure, but I think they played at a school dance. I'll have to dig out the DVDs tonight.

John Densmore from the Doors was on the show also, as the drummer in Johnny Slash's band Open All Night (or Open 24 Hours - one of those two.)

Here's Wire with Suzanne Somers. Dig Graham Lewis' epic mullet.

[www.youtube.com]



Post Edited (09-09-14 17:55)

One of my favorites was Butthole Surfers on Garry Shandling, where King and Gib ask him to hang.
[www.youtube.com]
"Butthole and surfing shouldn't be put together. Someone's ass is gonna get waxed".

The original Letterman (trainers and serious irreverence) had great musical guests but Fridays had a bunch, too.



Post Edited (09-10-14 00:30)

I believe Jools Holland was a co-host of that "Night Music", which had some great damn guests on it. I think Kay was the one who recently posted that clip of Sonic Youth on there. I can't remember who else I saw other than SY and that Pere Ubu show Brad mentioned, but there were some really good ones on there.

I also remember being particularly enamored with Omar Hakim's drumming. Can't remember who else was in the house band though….

The Jam were on Fridays ... I have it on vhs. And Weller was on Leno during the very first solo album. Also, Westerberg was on SNL solo in the early 1990s.

I remember that David Sanborn show, and in particular the amazing Residents clip. I was probably in junior high or high school then, and (for a Midwestern kid without cable) it may have been one of the strangest musical sights on television in my life to that point.

And don't forget R.E.M. on Letterman, the classic on 10/6/03 with "So. Central Rain" and "Radio Free Europe." [www.youtube.com]

And don't forget XTC performing on Lettterman in 1989. Unless I'm mistaken, this was the group's final public performance. To me, it's a bittersweet hint at what could have been.

I have a tape of all the Wall of Voodoo videos and their TV performances and I was surprised of the many talk shows they were on. Most of them (if not all) were of the local AM morning talk show variety.

The Flaming Lips on Beverly Hills 90210? That was in the '90s, though.

I also have childhood memories of the various top 40 acts on Solid Gold, none of which were TP worthy that I can remember, except perhaps Thin Lizzy. I can still picture Phil Lynott lip synching his way through "The Boys are Back in Town."

The rapidly aging Violent Femmes showed up on Sabrina, the Teenaged Witch, again in the 90s.

[www.youtube.com]

i can't remember if it were don kirschner's rock concert or the midnight special but it all started for me (after hearing the beatles for the first time) with seeing the NEW YORK DOLLS on the tele.

then i saw PATTI SMITH sing, twirl and fall off a stage for reAL when i was fifteen.

since then, only viewing wendy o williams on fridays (a show cir '80-81) thats burnt its way into my brain.

fabulous thread Mister,
like the liquid i used to pour into a creepy crawlers mould as a kid



Post Edited (09-13-14 23:43)

grab a Billy Beer, sit back in your favorite chair and enjoy