Guided by Voices' Greg Demos Proves to be as Unsinkable as Fats Domino on "Late Night with David Letterman"

Fats Domino may be unsinkable, according to Guided by Voices, but bassist Greg Demos proved he was just as much last night during the band's performance of "The Unsinkable Fats Domino" on Late Show with David Letterman. Slipping on his butt after a usual rock star move, Demos got right back up quick and laughed it off, all without missing a beat (well sort of).

At the very least, he provided good advice to all bands who wish to play on Letterman: rock out like a bad ass while playing, just be sure to wear rubber soled shoes.





"The Unsinkable Fats Domino" is off the the latest GBV record Let's Go Eat the Factory. It's the first record in 15 years with the "classic lineup" of Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos and Kevin Fennell, out in hard copy on 1/17. Based on what I saw of them live back in 2010, it's bound to be a stunner.

Let's Go Eat the Factory Track Listing
Laundry And Lasers
The Head
Doughnut For A Snowman
Spiderfighter
Hang Mr. Kite
God Loves Us
The Unsinkable Fats Domino
Who Invented The Sun
The Big Hat And Toy Show
Imperial Racehorsing
How I Met My Mother
Waves
My Europa
Chocolate Boy
The Things That Never Need
Either Nelson
Cyclone Utilities (Remember Your Birthday)
Old Bones
Go Rolling Home
The Room Taking Shape
We Won't Apologize For The Human Race

Seen Your Video: Wild Flag Performs "Romance" on David Letterman Last Night

Wild Flag rocked the snot outta Late Night with David Letterman last night. I've now seen them twice (SXSW and the Black Cat a couple months back), and last night's performance was nothing compared to the power they bring during a full club set. Wow...

Justin Townes Earle (with Jason Isbell!!) Plays "Harlem River Blues" on Letterman

Justin Townes Earle brought his country ode to NYC to Late Night with David Letterman last night. The track, "Harlem River Blues," is a wonderful example of why JTE has been characterized as "Nashville North," because it sounds like barreling down a country back road, as well as barreling down NYC's 2nd Avenue.

And look closely at the guitar player in the swanky fedora behind JTE...if you think that's the super cool Jason Isbell, you would be correct. (Isbell is playing the 930 Club on 1/14 with Justin Jones FYI...)

JTE is touring Europe this winter but will do a one-off show at the YMCA Boulton Center in Bay Shore, NY this Saturday (1/8). Ticket are still available here.

Seen Your Video: "Baltimore Blues No.1" by Deer Tick on Letterman

Seen Your Video: "The Weekender" by The Hold Steady on Late Night with David Letterman

The Hold Steady's new record comes out this week (oh it's soooo goood), and they're starting the late night show circuit accordingly. They're playing and sitting down to talk with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report on 5/13 (Craig Finn chatting with Colbert? Two of my favorite witty Catholics go great together), and played David Letterman this past Friday. "The Weekender" is, by far, one of my favorites on Heaven is Whenever and I cannot wait to see it all live and in person myself (July! Memphis! With The Whigs!)

Seen Your Video: "Kill Me Carolyne" by The Whigs on David Letterman

Last night was quite the night for good music on late night television...Drive By Truckers on Jimmy Fallon, and Late Night with David Letterman had The Whigs. The Whigs have long been a favorite of mine to see live due to their powerful stage show...plus, that reverse duck-walk thing that lead singer/guitarist Parker Gispert does always makes me marvel at his balance. Someone get that boy on "Dancing With the Stars" already!

If you haven't yet heard their recently release, In The Dark, yet, you can download a few tracks and listen to its entirety via stream (info here). The songs definitely take on a new and amazing shape live so if you're around Sunday, tickets are still available for their show with with Band of Skulls and 22-20 at Baltimore's Ottobar.

Whigs Releasing New Record, Playing Letterman in March

The Whigs announced that In the Dark, their follow up to the massive Mission Control, will be released on 3/16. Touring for the record will start as openers for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club in late February, SXSW this year (yipppee!),
a co-headlining tour, (the other "co" of "co-headlining" hasn't been announced yet), in late March, as well as a stop by Late Night with David Letterman on 3/31. Seems like a lot but given how much they toured for Mission Control, you know this is them just getting started.

The track listing for In the Dark is as follows:
1. Hundred / Million
2. Black Lotus
3. Kill Me Carolyne
4. Someone's Daughter
5. So Lonely
6. Dying
7. I Don't Even Care About The One I Love
8. Automatic
9. I Am For Real
10. In The Dark
11. Naked

Performance of the new record's title track here at the Black Cat last December. Their live show is so vibrant, it will make you forget that Atlanta Braves "tomahawk chop" intro...maybe.


Whigs Opening Dates Supporting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
February 26th: Harlow's, Sacramento, CA
February 27th: Knitting Factory, Reno, NV
February 28th: Wasted Space @ The Hard Rock, Las Vegas, NV
March 2nd: Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
March 4th: Knitting Factory, Boise, ID
March 5th: Showbox Market, Seattle WA
March 6th: Commodore, Vancouver
March 7th: Wonder, Portland, OR
March 9th: Slim's, San Francisco, CA
March 11th & 12th: Echoplex, Los Angeles, CA
March 13th: HOB, San Diego, CA

Hold Steady Frontman Co-Writing Screenplay Adaptation for Chuck Klosterman's Fargo Rock City

Given The Hold Steady's tour schedule, I gotta wonder, does lead singer Craig Finn ever sleep? The Hollywood Reporter blog reported today that Finn and Tom Ruprecht, writer for David Letterman, are teaming up to take Chuck Klosterman's memoir Fargo Rock City to the big screen. Finn and Ruprecht are currently at work on the screenplay and Klosterman will join them as producers once the film gets to that point.

The project is in the early writing stages currently, and upon completion, the team said they will begin shopping it around to obtain studio and third-party financing. Given the names associated with it though, it probably has a good shot. At the very least, the soundtrack should be pretty cool.

And $10 says they name the girl-character that Klosterman first dances with is named "Holly."

Sex, late-night and rock ’n’ roll?

Tom Ruprecht, a longtime writer on CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman,” and Craig Finn, frontman of the popular rock band the Hold Steady, are teaming to write and produce the coming-of-age comedy “Fargo Rock City.” The duo has acquired rights to the 2001 memoir of the same name by music scribe Chuck Klosterman, who will join the pair in producing.

Klosterman’s book tells of growing up in North Dakota as one of the few fans of heavy metal, and his experiences using music to transcend high school nerddom. The 1980s-set screenplay will revolve around a group of high school seniors facing graduation as they try to find success with women and generally break out of their geeky cocoons.

“Seventeen or eighteen is the perfect age for characters in a movie like this, because it’s at that age that you have drivers licenses and a certain amount of independence, but you’re still young enough that you can totally make terrible decisions,” Finn told us. “And you’re still young enough that you can have a two-hour argument over whether Motley Crue would beat Guns ‘N Roses in a fight.”

The pic will concentrate on particular portions of the book, including a chapter in which a faulty ATM dispenses excessive amounts of money to Klosterman, which both Finn and Ruprecht say they see as metaphors of the gilded age and easy credit of both the 1980’s and the past few years.

While music is an important theme in the memoir, it won’t be featured quite as prominently as it is in Klosterman’s writing. “Heavy metal is kind of a common bond among a group of friends,” Ruprecht said. “It’s the language they speak. But this will also be a universal story of dorky kids trying to be cool.”

Ruprecht and Finn are working on the first draft of the script, with the group planning to seek financing from studio and third-party entities when they’re done.

Ruprecht, repped by 3 Arts Entertainment, has written for Letterman for more than a decade and is the author of a faux oral history of George W. Bush; he’s also contributed to the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and McSweeney’s, though we’ll try not to hold that last one against him.

Finn sings and plays guitar for the Hold Steady, the Brooklyn rock band that has earned a devoted following thanks to its high-energy shows. He writes many of the act’s songs, which contain sharply etched characters and stories dealing with themes ranging from religion and the perils of being a teenager (the latter of which, like Klosterman, he draws from his childhood in the Midwest).

Klosterman is a music writer for publications such as the New York Times Magazine and Esquire. (Another book, “Killing Yourself to Live,” his nonfiction account of visiting the graves of dead rock stars, is being developed as a feature by indie banner Half Shell Entertainment.)

Musicians penning movies that aren’t about music is a fraught proposition. Most singers turn to acting, and even then, it’s with spotty results. (Yes, you, Dave Matthews). But Finn has the storytelling chops and, it seems, the dedication to make a go of it.

Paul McCartney's Recent Ed Sullivan Theater Rooftop Performance

We posted a few days back about Paul McCartney's soundcheck/performance from the marquee of the Ed Sullivan Theater when our friend in NYC caught word of it happening early in the afternoon and headed over for the 22 minute soundcheck. The Letterman people very kindly posted video of it; tracks include "Coming Up," "Band on the Run," a great ripping "Let Me Roll It," "Helter Skelter," and "Back in the USSR." McCartney's backing band and his voice are in top-shape, but it sort of bums me out that his incredible rock-n-roll yell (check out the Beatles version of "Kansas City" or "Helter Skelter") has dissipated over time....

McCartney Imitating Beatles Rooftop Concert for Letterman Appearance

Paul McCartney is playing the David Letterman show this evening and it seems he will be playing atop the Ed Sullivan Theater, much like the famous Beatles performance atop Abbey Road Studios oh so long ago. Received this from a friend a little while ago:

McCartney is setting up on Letterman's roof...soundcheck soon...dunno if i can get there, they closed streets off just setting up i guess. Tapes at 5:30

So if you're in the area, could be worth a trip over to Broadway and 53rd for a look!

Update (4:22 pm)

So since I work like 12 blocks away, figured I'd go take a walk over to the Letterman studios...when I got there, maybe 500 people on sidewalk in the penned off pit.

When I left probably about 1,000...still plenty of time for people to get there! ;-)

I stayed for 40 minutes, he started right when I got there, unfrotunately they have a black curtain surounding them, but he kept poking his head out waiving too the crowd, etc. Most was only monitor, but they turned on the Pa's here and there, and it still sounds better than a Bruce show.

Not the biggest Beatles fan (no!)

But spoiler for what he rehearsed when I was there:

Some new song I guess, didn't know
Comin' up (quite good)
Get Back (also quite good)
Another newer song, I liked this, chorus has uh ohh uh ohs
Eleanor Rigby (2x's)

Figured at that point my 2 hour lunch hour was enough.

Seen Your Video: Airborne Toxic Event on David Letterman

We haven't posted about our old favorites The Airborne Toxic Event in the last little while so here is their debut on the Late Show with David Letterman this past Friday. The group playing strings in back of violinist/keyboardist Anna Bullock is Anna's brother's group, The Calder Quartet.

Hard to believe it wasn't even a year ago that we saw them at SXSW 08. Kudos kids!