60s and 70s talk/variety shows with musical artists

Looking back I have grown to more appreciate shows like the Smothers Brothers, Ed Sullivan, Dick Cavett, Top of Pops, Lulu show and Mike Douglas and their influence they had on fans of rock music. For quite a span they booked many of the greats and offered us our first exposure to their music and iconic moments in rock history. Watching these clips 40+ years later is amazing to think of the talent and performances that were a part of their shows. Even the interviews were amazing..Cavett interviewing Hendrix after Woodstock and asking him about his version of the SSB, Mike Douglas having John and Yoko as guest hosts for a week and John bringing out Chuck Berry and playing together, Cavett interviewing Sly Stone. Of course, Ed with Elvis and the Beatles. Amazing stuff. Doesnt happen anymore for obvious reasons.

Any thoughts from others or memories?

 

I just thank God for being born in 1958.

 

Perhaps even more amazing was that the Dinah Shore daytime show booked David Bowie (multiple times) and he was not at all mainstream at that point, nor had he had a lot of commercial success with singles. Dinah also booked Iggy Pop! And in contrast to today's music performances on tv (where the artist performs the song only)--both Bowie and Pop were interviewed at some length by Dinah and sat on the "panel" with other guests.

 

The panel was often the best part too!

I was a pretty little kid when I watched those shows but since I had my own tv I could watch them whenever I wanted (spoiled youngster). And all those great musical guests and just the general vibe of the mid 70s was really cool and made a huge impression on me forever.

 

Don't forget Andy Williams! He had wonderful guests, Simon & Garfunkel, Donovan, etc. Some clips you can see how much Andy respected talent, the look on his face--classy guy, gave me a warm feeling just watching him interact with them.

 

The Hollywood Palace had some off the beaten path artists as well...

 

red skeleton had lots of rock acts as did the hollywood palace variety show.

 

I remember John & Yoko as guest hosts of Mike Douglas Show for a whole week in Feb. 1972. It was a weekday afternoon variety/talk show. It was almost spring of my senior year of high school and I skipped a class and went home and watched every episode that entire week. I wonder what I missed in school.

 

I think this is where Leno and Letterman et al went wrong. The musical guest are usually last with nothing more than a handshake and a thanks a lot. No interview just mugging for the camera then the credits roll.

 

Letterman did conduct TWO interviews (and one of which quite long) with none other than Captain Beefheart though! One in '80 and one in '82, IIRC. They're on the Tube anyway.

Talk about those were the days...

 

I really miss these types of interview shows as well, and unfortunately as time went on, if these guys were on a show like Lettermans', it's sadly because Letterman, et al was trying to bring out their quirks and make them seem 'funny' to the general audience. I honestly don't think Letterman featured Beefheart in interview form because he liked Beefhearts music (though who knows, I could be mis-judging him).

However, Ringo was on Leno a while back (definitely in the early 00's, after George died) and was actually interviewed. Leno and Ringo started talking about cars and Ringo name dropped Marc Bolan/T.Rex in reference to selling a Rolls, names to which the audience did not react. I wish I had been in that audience.

 

I remember the 1982 one. They showed the video for Ice Cream for Crow and the good Capt. said "I don't want my MTV, because they don't want my video" or something like that.

 

I saw a clip of Gene Simmons of KISS in full demon garb on the panel for the Mike Douglas Show. Very odd & funny piece of television.

 

Letterman did us right in many way... Dylan playing a three song set, and early REM getting two songs. Seen a few of my pals on that show over the years.

 

Dylan only came on the show because he heard Liberace was going to cook.

 

I think the first time Dinah had Bowie on was 1976, by which time he had already had 5 top 10 US Billboard albums and a couple of top 10 singles (including a recent #1). You can't get much more mainstream than that - he was rock royalty by then. Definitely agree with Iggy though, but I don't think he would have been booked if Bowie hadn't been part of the package.

Diamond Dogs #5
David Live # 8
Young Americans #9
Station To Station #3
Changesonebowie #10
Ziggy & Aladdin Sane had gone Gold


Space Oddity # 15
Young Americans #28
Fame #1
Golden Years #10

 

I loved all those shows. A few others with great guests: Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The Johnny Cash Show, The Sonny and Cher Show... now some of the coolest YouTube videos of classic rock can be found because of these shows.

I remember watching Zappa on Mike Douglas around the Zoot Allures period...sometimes that 3pm hour really rocked after school. I also loved watching Mike Douglas act all corny and sympathetic-yet-disapproving when he had to interview some of these wild cats. What a time that was.

I do miss the looseness of those late 60's early 70's shows...anything could happen, and often did. Things are too slick now, like a USA Today article.

You know, we could also use another "Midnight Special" kind of program...or Old Grey Whistle Test...those shows were amazing--live performances by modern artists...what a concept.

 

"You can't hide the hook!"

 

Once I saw a tape of The Basil Brush Show from 1967 and The Small Faces were on performing Green Circles.

 

Most definitely The Johnny Cash Show.
Neil Young, Derek and the Dominoes.
One thing I always liked about Johnny was his eclectic taste and affinity for all kinds of music, especially good music.

 

Letterman had Zevon on for the full hour. Same with Madonna

Ferguson had Ringo on for a complete show. Conan had U2 do a full show.

Howard Stern interviewed Gaga on radio and TV(?) for 90 minutes.

Up until a few years ago Muchmusic in Canada used to show some very interesting indepth pieces on musicians.

U2 got the full hour on Letterman this week to pimp the Spidey play. They got 5-6 songs and an interview on the same show in March 2009.

Conan had Neil Young for a week on his show when Prairie wind came out. he gave Strokes and White Stripes similar exposure.

Any Evis Costello Spectacle episode is something that couldn't have existed in decades past.

 

The ratings during the music performance usually drops off a cliff. Plus many musicians are bad interviews.

Interesingly, sometimes I think that some of the backing musicians shown on TV would make a significantly better interview than the "star". For instance Dave Stewart backed Joss Stone last week on Craig Ferguson. Also, Alain Toussaint was a backup musician on a Elvis Costello Spectacle episode.

 

do not forget the smothers brothers show with the who were moon overloaded his bass drum with explosives and blew out petes hearing

 

60's tv shows were just cool. You never knew where a pop band was going to show up. At random. The Standells on The Munsters. Chad and Jeremy on Gilligan's Island (or something like that).

As far as on variety shows, it was just as strange. I remember the Animals on Red Skelton. How weird. Seeing the old timers with the new kids of those days was just strange strange strange (except on the Smothers Brothers show). This one is a humdinger of strange-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VazthCdS3Y0&playnext=1&list=PLD452BB447B4614A5