My Chemical Toilet

It's Good To Talkshow: Britney Spears on Letterman

Letterman has had a stupidly wide variety of acts on his show from Tom Waits to... Britney Spears. Yep. Making a grand-ass entrance at the back of the theatre, Brit' struts and half mimes and live woos her way through 'I'm A Slave 4 U'. Of course, with her being rather unwell at the moment, it's worth having a look at her when she was on her game. Whatever game that was.

[video:fikret09]

It's Good To Talkshow - Goldfrapp bring some 'Happiness' on Wossy

Goldfrapp are a group that can't sit still. Kicking off their career with unsettling ethereal electronic orchestrations, before re-emerging as synth-glam pervs and now, psychedelic popsters. Godda hand it to 'em, they keep things interesting. And I fancy Alison Goldfrapp. Anyway, here's the group performing the bouncing summery joy of 'Happiness' on the Jonathan Ross show. [video: floppopdotcom]

It's Good To Talkshow: Jose Gonzalez sings 'Killing For Love' on Jay Leno

I've not left myself much to say after such a comprehensive headline. Still, for you dear reader, I'll try my best. Jose Gonzalez, who of course shot into our consciousnesses via a TV ad, is a rare thing. A popular, but still very very good, folkie singer-songwriter. His new tune, 'Killing For Love', continues where the Veneer LP left off. Performing the lead single on Jay Leno, it's clear that Jose is still a cool cat to keep an eye on.

[video:wimmulder]

It's Good To Talkshow: Björk's 'Pagan Poetry' on Letterman

Think about it. Who in the world has got a better seat in pop than Letterman? For years, he's sat at his desk watching the best (and invariably the worst) that music has to offer. Of the former, Letterman had Björk on his show doing a rather lovely version of 'Pagan Poetry' from her underrated Vespertine LP. Press play on the video and let it roll all over you.

[video: vicotoon]

It's Good To Talkshow: Liam Finn croons all over Letterman

The editor pointed me in the direction of Liam Finn, who according to his esteemed whip crackery, "is the quite talented son of Crowded House's Neil." Well, if you don't think he's matched the talents of his paw yet, you have to say he trounces him in the beard stakes. That is one fabulous chin appendage. Anyway, have a listen to his rendition of 'Second Chance' and see what you think. One to keep an eye on?

[video: rockinronedwards]

It's Good To Talkshow: At The Drive In go wild on Letterman

At The Drive are/were clearly bonkers. They play music that sounds like it could break yer bones. Sadly, because I'm really ill, I don't have the gumption to find out what the song is called, but suffice to say, it's hard-hitting, aggressive and strangely funky. I bet Letterman was just a little scared when these chaps rolled in.

[video:Eriatarka]

It's Good To Talkshow: Duffy belts out "Mercy" on Jonathan Ross

Bandwagon-jumper? Me? OK, maybe a little, but it gives me great pleasure to see a singer like Duffy - someone who clearly has personality by the bucketload, judging by her voice and fistful of killer tunes - doing so well in the charts. Are we turning a corner away from reed-thin electro-pop and into sixtie- inspired lung-busters? I do hope so. Here's Duffy getting her rocks off in 'Mercy' on the Jonathan Ross Show.

[video:catcha2007]

It's Good To Talkshow: Kenna and The Neptunes team up on Letterman

Kenna has been tipped as a star in the making in certain quarters for a few years now, but it's never really happened for him. Now he's got The Neptunes on his side he might have more of a chance. Here he is performing the rather funky "Say Goodbye To Love" with Chad and Pharrell (amongst others) on Letterman the other week.

[video: jochy19]

[via Arjan Writes]

It's Good To Talkshow: Yeah Yeah Yeahs order Letterman to get 'Down Boy'

Why should I put the Yeah Yeah Yeahs up on My Chemical Toilet? Well, really, there's no good reason not to. Karen O & Co are one of the few bands you can really put your trust in and this track, 'Down Boy', performed on The Late Show with Dave Letterman is as good a performance as you could hope for. If you haven't already, go and buy all of their LPs and the fantastic EP 'Is Is'.

[video:screechpowers]

It's Good To Talkshow: Foo Fighters belt out "Everlong" on Letterman

I was going to write "you're nobody unless you've been on Letterman playing your newest hit single", but in fairness, a cursory glance over the bands that have played on the show over the years shows that there have been loads of 'nobodies' on the show. Thankfully, the Foo Fighters aren't a buncha nobodies, and here they are with a song that I feel I should hate... but can't. It's "Everlong"!

[video: ariesproject]

It's good to talk awards show: Kanye West & Daft Punk at The Grammys

I REALLY want a pair of those lighty-uppy glasses Kanye wears in this performance of "Stronger" with Daft Punk from the Grammy Awards. Sure, I'd need to be in the dark to make sporting them worth it, but that would mean I could legitimately become one of those tools who wears shades in nightclubs.

Check them out for yourself below. Oh, and there's music to listen to as well. All in all it's a bit like Tron: The Musical.

[video: nextel669]

It's Bad To Talkshow: The Bee Gees storm / strop off Clive Anderson

It's nice plucking classic pop performances from chatshows, but sometimes things get a bit grizzled. One such case was an appearance by The Bee Gees on the Clive Anderson All Talk show. At the time, I thought "oooh... Clive... you're pushing it... oooh.. LOOK! They've stormed off!" Now, looking at it, the whole thing seems a bit tame and The Bee Gees are left looking a bit soft as they strop off (as opposed to the titillating 'storming off'). Still, it's good fun watching it again, and note how prickly Barry Gibb is throughout.

[video: tvinsider4]

It's Good To Talkshow - Davie Bowie and Moby cover Pixies on Leno

Every time David Bowie does something you really should prick your ears up, as he's not one for keeping still. He's gone through folk, glam, drum 'n' bass... and now, covers of Pixies songs. Yup. On Jay Leno, he teamed up with Moby (spit) and rocked "Cactus" which, judging from the amount of screaming and waving, went down quite well with the assembled crowd. Anyways, tune in and drop off... I mean out... drop out... dammit.

[video: suzukuro]

It's Good To Talkshow - Amy Winehouse does "Rehab"... on Letterman

How apt. Getting Amy Winehouse into rehab is more tricky than getting a cat in the bath. Apparently, after getting caught smoking (back to) crack she was going, but it turns out she was just visiting a doctor who she sees all the time (read all abaht it here). Anyway, with that, I'll give you Amy saying "nooo nooo no" to rehab on Letterman when she was looking a little perkier.

[video: rubyrecluse]

It's Good To Talkshow face-off: Kate Nash v. MGMT

There seem to be a lot of quality musical performances coming from the talkshows across the pond these days. A by-product of the writers' strike, perhaps?

Well anyway, I couldn't choose between these two, so I'm posting them both. Nash's "Foundations" seems a lot warmer when she performs it live, as you can see on The Late Late Show over the page - the sass is softened by the heart when she's sat there at her keyboard, I think. Her album has just gone Top 40 Stateside, which is no mean feat for an artist so heavy on Brit-slang.

Meanwhile NYC band MGMT made their debut on Letterman last week in a fetching collection of capes. But don't let that put you off - "Time To Pretend" is a laidback but uplifting psychedelic pop-rock number not a million miles from The Flaming Lips.

Watch both performances after the jump.

It's Good To Talkshow: Oliver Reed 'sings'

Mostly, in the section known as 'It's Good To Talkshow', we get to see wonderful performances from brilliant bands on TV chatterprogs, leaving us happy that there are good tunes and good telly out there in the world. But what happens when the world implodes and we get a drunk actor singing and a host wanting the Earth to open up?

Why, we get Oliver Reed's barnstorming performance, which lasts a hair-raising 30 seconds. As shambolic as this is, there's a brief moment where you think Ollie just may just have had a cracking punk voice in there...

[video: dohc123456789]

It's Good To Talkshow special: Conan O'Brien becomes his own musical guest

I'm sure you'll be very aware of the TV writers' strike across the pond. I certainly am. It's the reason I haven't been able to "acquire" new episodes of The US Office since mid-frickin' November. I MISS IT. Anyway, as TV Scoop have noted recently, the various late-night talk shows have been among the worst hit, depending as they do on funny writer folk to come up with, well, pretty much everything.

The result is that, returning to work in part to safeguard the non-writing jobs of their other staff, the presenters are needing to come up with a lot more of their own material than they've probably needed to since they last did stand-up.

It's Good To Talkshow - Tom Waits creeps out on Letterman

Did you know that The David Letterman Show has been on so long that Jesus Christ (of Nazareth) was a fan? I know! They didn't even have TVs then! Over the years, Dave has had just about every single person ever to cut a record on his show, including the mad, bad, brilliant, bonkers Tom Waits. Here he is, way way back, doing "Tango 'Til They're Sore". It's a creepy record that should give you nightmares. Also, you get to see the great man in an (incomplete) interview... and boy, he's a funny bugger.

[video: Zeemaarten]

For more Talkshow action, click here

It's Good To Talkshow - The Zimmers trash My Generation

The It's Good To Talkshow section on MyChemicalToilet is usually full of young spurts gettin' all cool on yaw ass... but knocking all the pretenders in to a cocked hat is the marvelous and joyous racket of The Zimmers. I wrote about these fantastic olds a while ago (click here to read it) who stormed the nation's minds with missing teeth and youthful vigour. Here they are rattling their brilliant bones through The Who's My Generation on the Graham Norton Show. [video: Taxiray]

It's Good To Talkshow - Pavement's Stephen Malkmus rocks David Letterman

Stephen Malkmus, of Pavement fame, is one of the most ludicrously talented songwriters on the planet. His first eponymous LP was a riotous success filled with wonky riffs and oddball yet typically brilliant lyrics. Here he is performing "Jenny and the Ess Dog" on David Letterman. Fantastic!

[video: asakawaz]

It's Good To Talkshow - Presidents of the United States of America chuck a Lump on Letterman

Letterman has been on TV so damned long, he's had just about everyone on his show to play live. So, of all the huge bands that have been featured, I thought I'd opt for two-hit wonders, Presidents of the United States of America (or PUSA if you prefer) with their fantastic bubblegum hit, "Lump". This song is not clever, groundbreaking or even cool, but it's great fun... and sometimes, that's all you can ask of a tune. Watch, enjoy and let it get stuck in your head all day.

[video tbrent]

It's Good To Talkshow - Nirvana go mental on Jonathan Ross

Over the years, there have been many great performances on chatshows all over the globe... however, one that really sticks out in my mind is the stupidly frenetic performance from Nirvana on Jonathan Ross' show on Channel 4 back in 1991. If memory serves, they were supposed to play their latest single, Come As You Are, but instead, fancied playing Territorial Pissing. Feedback, slight duffing up of the kit and slouching off slacker style, Nirvana came, saw, shouted, buggered off. Fantastic! Wossy, with alarmingly trim hair, was left ringing his ears... and the nation had a brand new love.

[video giankwithguitar]

It's Good To Talkshow - Talking Heads perform I Zimbra on Letterman in '83

With every two-bit indie band going all post-punk and digging the sounds of Joy Division and Gang of Four, it's worth looking at what was going on across the pond back then. Kings of the US post-punkers were the fabulous Talking Heads (although post-punk doesn't do them justice).

Here they are on the David Letterman show in 1983 (with everyone looking sprightly and very youthful) performing their bonkers I, Zimbra... The sound of Africa going head-to-head with disco and punk. Check out David Byrne's moves!

[video Stegor]

It's Good To Talkshow - The Stooges go mental on Jonathan Ross

Without question, 2007 has been the year of The Stooges. Iggy and Co went on a worldwide rampage of the festivals, causing havoc and mayhem wherever they went. Even in their vintage, they showed the young punks how to kick out the jams. Of course, their resurgence wouldn't have been complete without some TV spots... So here they are, bullying men in suits on The Jonathan Ross Show (who is clearly besotted with the kings of punk). Enjoy the madness.

[video provided by BigBossMan]

It's Good To Talkshow - Bright Eyes get political on Jay Leno

It's nice to see a band still getting all heated up and angry at politicians... and even nicer to see Jay Leno letting them vent their spleen on his show. Bright Eyes' performance of "When The President Talks To God" is electrifying, even for those (myself included) who can't claim to be fans of the group. More of the same please!

[video provided by narutothedobe]

It's Good To Talkshow - Wolfmother tear up Woman on Letterman

Most US talkshows feature new acts performing tracks, and mostly, they're dour faced serious types making 'crafted' pap. Now and again, someone comes along and rips their hearts out on the stage and leaves everyone wanting a full gig and less chat. One such occasion was the blistering prog of the superb Wolfmother. Their rendition of Mother on the David Letterman Show saw old hippies having nostalgic flashbacks and young hipsters wondering why every band on the planet didn't sound that good. Watch. Weep. Stamp your feet. Listen out for Letterman's joy as the band close.

Up-And-Coming-Acts: White Rabbits - "The Plot", performed on The Late Show with David Letterman

I AM BLOODY OBSESSED WITH THIS SONG.

[video provided by jibninjas]

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