|   Performances on SNL that didn't suck | WStan
Apr 16, 2002 1:48 PM | | J made a comment below that made me think that one of the greatest music tragedies in the history of American entertainment must be the extraordinary numbers of bands who appeared on Saturday Night Live who sounded awful. I've probably seen 150 or 200 SNL shows over the years and almost every band, even if it was a group I liked rather than just the pop/R&B performer du jour, sounded really lousy. I'm guessing it is the acoustics and/or the sound system in the place. Of all of those groups I have seen, I can count on one hand the number that I thought put on good shows:
1. Lenny Kravitz: Are You Gonna To Go My Way
2. Neil Young: Rockin' In The Free World
3. James Brown: Sex Machine (I think - it was a long time ago)
4. The Bangles: Walk Like An Egyptian (yeah, I know - I'm not a huge fan of the song or the group but they did a good job that night).
Last weekend's guest, Andrew WK, was actually better than I expected, but the boy's a freak. He needs to get a haircut so he's not playing with his long locks quite so much.
Who do you think put on a good show on SNL? |
| You're telling a hard rock performer to get a haircut?!? | Darius
Apr 16, 2002 2:02 PM | | Did you imagine back when you were younger you'd <i>ever</i> say something like that? :-)
That Andrew W.K. performance was good but you can hear the guy must've been partying a bit too hard with his vocal cords, as his voice seemed shot unless the mike was just leveled too low. |
| Lou Reed... and Radiohead | cc
Apr 16, 2002 4:50 PM | | I agree that bands on SNL almost always sound horrible, which has always made the excitement a lot of people have about "who's going to be on" inaccessible to me. I'll never forget watching Nirvana with my friend's little brother and our tacit disappointment at the toy instruments sound they were "given." I think if I played in a loud rock band and was asked to be on the show, I would have to figure something out, because it just doesn't work.
But I saw a tape of Lou Reed (your favorite, Stan) doing "The Original Wrapper" (ooh, you'd really love this) in I guess 1986, and he somehow got his band to play with some decent intensity, gave a flawless rendition of the complex "rap" vocal, AND totally elevated the song with wildly enthusiastic noise guitar breaks. The recorded version, with weak drum programming and overall tepid production, doesn't compare. Even the cheezball saxophonist plays pretty hot.
I thought Radiohead didn't lose anything the (most recent?) time they were on - I think before Kid A came out, or just after. I haven't seen many others - though I did see Andrew W.K. but don't have much to say about it. I don't really care about his hair.
Oh, and can we please have this discussion without mentioning Elvis Costello's 1978 appearance, when he switched in midsong? Whoops, I just mentioned it. Just that it comes up in EVERY discussion of either "great SNL moments," or "great rockers on TV moments," or "great punk rock moments" and I'm tired of even thinking about it. One of those things you can't see for yourself anymore because you hear so much about before you get a chance to see it. |
| Here's a few, from very recent, to ancient | DLD
Apr 16, 2002 5:04 PM | | I thought Ryan Adams and band rocked out great and had decent sound, what, about two months ago? He wins on sheer energy alone
The first Cowboy Junkies performance, Misguided Angel
Joan Armatrading's Love and Affection from '75 or '76, fantastic
REM, Losing My Religion (I believe that was the one), otherwordly
Agree on Neil Young
The Clash, Go Straight To Hell. Haunting and intense
Many many others I've taped over the years but can't recall
that were fine, and yes, many crap ones as well.
Worst televised prformance? John Fred and His Playboys trying to do Judy In Disguise on Johnny Carson in the 60's. I knew the band, they used to try to play their instruments in various clubs in Baton Rouge and were generally uniformly awful. They were good studio musicians who couldn't put on a show. That night they were beyond awful, I felt for them. |
| Performances on SNL that didn't suck | BradH
Apr 16, 2002 6:29 PM | | There were a few that had good sound. I've got a bunch of 'em on tape. Some that come to mind are Fishbone, Dee-Lite, Paul Simon (1986). Blur sounded good on Letterman in '95. It's real hit or miss with tv guys mixing you're sound, I guess. |
| Brad, did you catch Paul and Art | DLD
Apr 17, 2002 10:57 PM | | in the late 70's doing My Little Town together? A damn good, no, GREAT!! song. I forgot that one, and of course, I guess it goes without saying, that Neil Innes's performance of Cheese and Onions in the late 70's during the concert to "Save Great Britian" would rank among the greatest moments ever, but that, of course, would be merely stating the obvious.....
"I want to own a squadron of tanks..." |
| McCartney & Linkletter? Together? NO WAY!!! | BradH
Apr 18, 2002 8:26 PM | | Surely not after that lawsuit and all.
I think I remember seeing it originally but I've seen the reruns a lot.
Never saw Innes. Did you know I had a perfect copy of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band doing "Equestrian Statue" on the Beat Club from about '67?
I thought the Deep Ellum Arts Festival was next weekend but it was last weekend! Damn! |
| Any chance of getting a copy of the Bonzo Dog Band? | DLD
Apr 18, 2002 9:01 PM | | Was Ollie Halstrom (Hassel?)in it? I can't remember all my Bonzo Dog trivia. Too much data, not enuf brain cells. |
| The video gods are angry at me. | BradH
Apr 18, 2002 11:58 PM | | If I could get this VCR to work you could tape off a treasure trove, I've got shelves of the stuff. When I get it running I'll let you know about Ollie. The Beat Club always superimposed the personel onto the picture at some point in the song. I remember that Bonzo Dog clip was live audio, too, with good sound. That's a funky tape it's on with Thunderclap Newman, Canned Heat, Blue Cheer, Manfred Mann, Byrds in '73, no telling. It's all taken from Japanese laserdiscs. |
| Going to be dating myself, here... | DustyChalk
Apr 16, 2002 8:25 PM | | Talking Heads when they did "Take Me To The River", although, if I remember correctly, all their pupils were dilated, and it kind of freaked me out (I was just a kid).
Kate Bush. No contest. Amazing, downright _legendary_ performance. I wish I had more than my memories, would love to see them again.
Can't think of anyone else. Yeah, Fishbone ruled! ("...tighter than a mosquito's butt..." indeed!) |
| How 'bout Terence Trent D'Arby doing "Under My Thumb"? | Swish
Apr 17, 2002 4:47 AM | | I thought it was outstanding. He did a a really fast paced cover that rocked like crazy. I know there were others, but this one sticks out in my mind. |
| Blondie debuting "Dreamin Is Free" live | Mr MidFi
Apr 17, 2002 5:45 AM | | Honorable mentions to Neil Yound, "Rocking in the Free World" and Devo, "Satisfaction". |
| I always wished I'd seen... | Mike-T
Apr 17, 2002 7:15 AM | | Fear!
Utter chaos--I've seen video, but I wish I could have watched it on live TV. The studio claimed the next day that they sustained about $200,000 in damages, apparently.
Mike T. |
| re: Performances on SNL that didn't suck | sgsqcy
Apr 17, 2002 9:21 AM | | I am almost positive, not for sure but I remember when the Stray Cats was on for the first time. I never heard of them before and thought they were awesome for only having 3 members in the group, especially the drummer standing up while playing. |
| Sinead O'Conner | wik
Apr 17, 2002 12:09 PM | | I know I'll probably get killed for this but I liked her performance the night she ripped up the Pope's picture. Probably wasn't the best career move though. |
| Gil Scott Heron.. | Worf101
Apr 18, 2002 11:07 AM | | December of 1976. I was stuck up at the Ranger School in Wanakena NY. Richard Pryor was hosting. Gil Scott was musical guest. He did a version of Johannesburg that was mesmerizing. Unrivaled and unedited. Amazing music... and amazing show for about 3 years..
Da Worfster... |
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