Friday, June 27, 2008

So much younger then

Speaking of established artists when they were just starting out, this week's Friday performance is a trip down memory lane.

Remember Letterman on NBC? Remember when unknown bands making their network TV debuts got to play more than one song, plus a little interview time? Remember when Michael Stipe was an enigmatic anti-frontman? Remember when Letterman was a cocksure up-and-comer himself?

Remember albums?

From October 6, 1983, around the time they were the first booking by a new club called Cabaret Metro (now Metro Chicago), it's R.E.M. on "Late Night with David Letterman."



3 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's so much about these clips that just blows my mind...the as of yet unnamed song that would become "So. Central Rain," Letterman chatting it up with the band (you never hear the band speak for themselves anymore), and even the fact that both these songs run four minutes long--I don't see the record labels (or tv execs) letting any band get on a late night show with a 4+ minute single. This was great.

Ben said...

How about Peter Buck's facial expression at 0:59 when he thinks Letterman is mocking him? He looks like he wants to rip the guy's head off.

Anonymous said...

I caught that too. It was a little prissy, wasn't it? A little, "Oh no you did-ent."