Saturday Night Live - Musical Guests

[Aggie87]

Tonight Wilco is on SNL. They just played "Hate it Here", which souned pretty good. Nels Cline had a brief solo, and seemed more interested in staying out of the camera. I'm liking the new Wilco album more and more lately.

Any other recent musical performances you've enjoyed? Or some of the classics from way back?

[marcello]

SUN RA

[sidewinder]

SUN RA

Thanks for posting this - bet there were more than a few drinks spilt when this was transmitted (mid-80s?). Too bad they cut it off for commercials just when the band were hitting the groove.

[marcello]

SUN RA

Thanks for posting this - bet there were more than a few drinks spilt when this was transmitted (mid-80s?). Too bad they cut it off for commercials just when the band were hitting the groove.

This is from the 1st year, 1976.

[sidewinder]

This is from the 1st year, 1976.

Thanks - ah, yes - Ra is looking a bit younger.

[Joe]

Ornette and Prime Time were featured one night during the ill-fated 1980 season (I believe). I thought there was evidence of this on Youtube, but I cannot locate it at the moment.

Captain Beefheart was also a musical guest in 1980, IIRC.

The most memorable of these "I watched it live" performances? For me, Neil Young in 1989, doing a killer version of "No More" from FREEDOM.

[AllenLowe]

favorite was the Jessica Simpson lip-synch disaster -

[Parkertown]

Except that was her little sis, Ashley.

[zen archer]

SUN RA

Thanks for posting this - bet there were more than a few drinks spilt when this was transmitted (mid-80s?). Too bad they cut it off for commercials just when the band were hitting the groove.

This is from the 1st year, 1976.

Sun Ra was on the third season of SNL May 20th 1978. They are releasing the 3rd season on

dvd in May.

[tkeith]

I remember when Pryor hosted, he said, "This is the person... I wanted to have on the show tonight -- Gil Scott Heron." On the reruns of this episode, that segment is missing.

[robviti]

favorite was the Jessica Simpson lip-synch disaster -

you say "lip-sync disaster," i say hoedown spectacularrrrrrr!

[JSngry]

Be amazed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Satur..._musical_guests

[JSngry]

Episode 51 November 12, 1977 Ray Charles

Goosebumps.

[Aggie87]

Be amazed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Satur..._musical_guests

Thanks for the list! Keith Jarrett was on in April 78? I can't imagine him on SNL. And does anybody recall what Miles Davis performed in '81? Or who was in the band for this performance?

edit - looks like Miles performed "Jean Pierre", based on a little googling.

Paul Simon & George Harrison, 11/20/76

Edited March 2, 2008 by Aggie87

[medjuck]

I remember when Pryor hosted, he said, "This is the person... I wanted to have on the show tonight -- Gil Scott Heron." On the reruns of this episode, that segment is missing.

Heron is included on that show in the box set of Season 1. A friend of mine cleared the music rights for the box. He told me that he had to get permission from Heron who was in prison at the time.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

what is up with larry goldings going on tour with james taylor this summer?

[Kalo]

what is up with larry goldings going on tour with james taylor this summer?

$$$$$!

[ghost of miles]

Thanks for the list! Keith Jarrett was on in April 78? I can't imagine him on SNL. And does anybody recall what Miles Davis performed in '81? Or who was in the band for this performance?

edit - looks like Miles performed "Jean Pierre", based on a little googling.

Yeah, I actually watched that live when it was broadcast--I was 15, with no interest in jazz and only a dim awareness of who Miles was. I remember thinking that he seemed kind of slow-moving and ill, and I wondered what was up with the back-to-the-audience pose.

I also remember staying up to watch the Sex Pistols (I was quite the little punk-rock head when I was 11 or 12) and being really disappointed when I found out that they'd been bumped (pretty sure this was related to their initial difficulties with being admitted into the U.S.). The replacement? Elvis Costello, for whom I had little appreciation at the time.

Another fave musical appearance: the Replacements, when Bob Stinson was still in the band. I remember being quite drunk at a college party, and everybody gathering around the TV set both times they came on. I think they did "Kiss Me On the Bus" and "Bastards of Young."

[7/4]

Any other recent musical performances you've enjoyed? Or some of the classics from way back?

Beefheart, Zappa, Sun Ra!

[paul secor]

Episode 51 November 12, 1977 Ray Charles

Goosebumps.

That WAS one to see. Ray reunited with Fathead, Hank Crawford, Marcus Belgrave, and (I think) Leroy Cooper.

[analogak]

i can't find it anymore but the "peaches and regalia" with a fat don grolnick was fun. a little too much bozzio antics but everyone was having a nice time.

[JSngry]

I also remember staying up to watch the Sex Pistols (I was quite the little punk-rock head when I was 11 or 12) and being really disappointed when I found out that they'd been bumped (pretty sure this was related to their initial difficulties with being admitted into the U.S.). The replacement? Elvis Costello, for whom I had little appreciation at the time.

Yeah, I remember that one too. That was another memorable one, as Costello was in full early-anger form and freaked everybody out by changing songs midstream, starting "Less than Zero" getting a few bars into it, stopping abruptly, and then kicking hard in "Radio Radio".

No idea if it was planned or not, the given explanation post-show being that Costello thought that the originally planned song was too British-specific so he called an audible, an yeah, ok, but planned or spontaneous it made for a riveting TV moment, and if you're old enough to remember that little window where all things "punk" (and how ironic in hindsight now to think of Costello as such) carried with them a genuine anarchy, hey, it was a moment.

[JSngry]

Episode 51 November 12, 1977 Ray Charles

Goosebumps.

That WAS one to see. Ray reunited with Fathead, Hank Crawford, Marcus Belgrave, and (I think) Leroy Cooper.

Yep. And Ray played some alto too.

[JSngry]

Be amazed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Satur..._musical_guests

Thanks for the list! Keith Jarrett was on in April 78? I can't imagine him on SNL.

Hey, Jarrett was quite the Cult Figure back on those days.

The one I still haven't gotten over was Betty Carter. She made no attempt whatsoever to "ease" anybody into it, just BAM!!!

[jazzbo]

I remember the Miles, the Jarrett and the BetCar, good stuff for tv!

I also will always remember Rickie Lee Jones' first appearance. . . I sat there glued and said to myself "WHO IS THIS CHICK?" Start of a fanship for me.