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Tonight's Musical Guest, Today
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Nirvana on Saturday Night Live. Warren Zevon on David Letterman. Sometimes, late-night TV musical performances live on forever. Most don’t. But we still want to talk about them.
Each week on “Tonight’s Musical Guest, Today”, long-time friends Alex Beaton and Jon Hillman dive in on the music and cultural memory of a band through the arc of their late-night TV performances. Watch along with Alex and Jon as they examine and react to these musical history moments preserved in the amber of time alongside two celebrity guests and a talk show host.
From Conan to Colbert, Letterman to Leno, or SNL to MadTV, there is no shortage of iconic late-night musical moments. And no end to the ones you don’t remember.
Tonight's Musical Guest, Today
Elliott Smith with Rory Phillips
While coming up in the Portland post-punk scene, this singer/songwriter recorded a batch of lo-fi acoustic demos on a whim. What followed was a once-in-a-generation rise and fall fueled by some of the most beautiful songwriting of the past 30 years. It's ELLIOTT SMITH week!
Returning to the show is pod-favorite and fellow Texan Rory Phillips (The Impossibles, Slowreader, The Stereo)! Rory and the guys discuss the upcoming Slowreader reunion shows before diving into the incredible music and turbulent life of Elliott. Clip one is likely the most surreal ever on the show, with Elliott somehow ending up on a zany 90s morning show hosted by Tom Bergeron and a puppet. Good Will Hunting changes everything with an Oscars performance that defines his public persona for the rest of his life. And full band performances on SNL, Conan, and Letterman capture the power poppier side of Elliott.
Want to watch along with us? Check out the links below for the performances discussed this week!
Clementine, 7/28/1995 on Breakfast Time
Miss Misery, 3/5/1998 on MTV Live with Carson Daly
Miss Misery, 3/23/1998 on The Oscars
Waltz #2 (XO), 8/20/1998 on Much Music Canada
Waltz #2 (XO), 10/17/1998 on Saturday Night Live
Son of Sam, 4/21/2000 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Stupidity Tries, 7/21/2000 on The Late Show with David Letterman
Check out Rory and Slowreader at their upcoming reunion shows in Austin, TX!
