Hidden Track

As we entered the 1980s, there weren’t many places for rock bands to play on late-night television. Johnny Carson was more likely to have Paul Anka or Wayne Newton appear than Elvis Costello or Van Halen. But when NBC gave David Letterman the slot following The Tonight Show in 1982, things quickly began to change. Early on, Letterman established himself as a champion of up-and-coming acts. And as Letterman’s show got bigger, his bookings got bigger too.

Through the years, nearly every major act has performed on either Late Night with David Letterman or The Late Show with David Letterman. Many of these performances have been taken off YouTube by the networks (damn you, Viacom!), but at least 20 great clips remain. You’ll notice Paul Shaffer trying to get in on each and everyone of these performances.

Without further ado, read on after the jump for this week’s must-watch (seriously) B List, as we present 20 amazing Letterman appearances…

1. Letterman interviews a wacked out David Byrne, and the Talking Heads perform Burning Down The House and I Zimbra in 1983:

2. REM makes their television debut on Late Night in 1983, performing Radio Free Europe and So. Central Rain:

3. Gnarls Barkley plays Crazy with a string section during their appearance last August on The Late Show:

4. The Black Crowes, who made their network TV debut on Late Night, played a cover of Traffic’s Feelin’ Alright during a celebration of Letterman’s first anniversary on CBS in 1994:

5. My Morning Jacket and the Boston Pops play Gideon:

6. Eddie Van Halen rips an instrumental version of Panama in 1985:

7. During Letterman’s last show on NBC in 1993, Bruce Springsteen stopped by to join Paul and the boys for the fitting Glory Days:

8. Ween plays Exactly Where I’m At during this White Pepper promotional appearance from the year 2000:

9. The Dynamic Duo: Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia play When I Paint My Masterpiece in 1987. That’s really a tremendous song:

10. In 1986, Keith Emerson sits in with Paul and the band for an incredible take on America from the musical West Side Story:

11. The Neville Brothers and The Meters combined forces for a fierce Fire On The Bayou:

12. Sly Stone shows a little too much enthusiasm during this version of Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya and I Want To Take You Higher from 1983, right before he went into hiding:

13. In 1994, Lou Reed graced Letterman with his presence for a performance of Sweet Jane:

14. On the date of Kurt Cobain’s suicide, Blind Melon plays an altered version of Change. I love the question mark Shannon Hoon drew on his head. It’s fucking awful that we lost two of the best voices of that decade in Cobain and Hoon. I blame Imus:

15. Radiohead plays a brilliant version of Karma Police during a 1997 appearance on The Late Show:

16. Motorhead plays a rippin’ version of Chuck Berry’s Let It Rock on Late Night in 1991:

17. Jeff Healey wins for best blind guitar player as illustrated by this ridiculous version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps:

18. Phish climbs out onto the marquee at Letterman to perform Scents and Subtle Sounds, ten years after they first performed on the show:

19. Beck always stops by Letterman’s show when he releases an album. In 2005 Beck stopped by The Ed Sullivan Theater to perform Black Tambourine:

20. Joe Walsh looks wasted during this late ’80s version of Rocky Mountain Way. That is one helluva tie-dye on the other guitar player.

I couldn’t find copies of my two favorite Letterman appearances: The Band playing Atlantic City in 1993 and Warren Zevon’s Lawyer’s Guns and Money. If anyone has seen those clips, or has other clips to recommend, leave a link or comment below…