A precious few indie bands are as unashamed of onstage theatrics as Guided byVoices. The reunited Ohio rockers brought out all their rambunctious glory last night on theLate Show With David Letterman. Playing “The Unsinkable Fats Domino,” thetriumphant first single from 2012’s Let’s Go Eat the Factory,the supernaturally white-haired Bob Pollard belted out playfully laconic tributes to a ’50srock icon, and guitarist-singer Tobin Sprout pointed toward the rafters. Bassist-attorneyGreg Demos, in his signature striped pants, fell down and rolled around enough to give Letterman legalqualms: “Don’t call OSHA,” the gap-toothed host snickered. Not to worry, Dave — thesekids are all right.
For a blast from the past, check out GBV’s national TV debut, playing a handful ofsongs from landmark album Alien Lanes on MTV’s short-lived The Jon StewartShow, way back on March 31, 1995. The hair looks a little different; the stage tricksbasically don’t. As for the jangly yet rough-edged indie rock sound … wait, is that Yuck? (#sonictruth)
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Another influential ’90s act also popped up on late-night TV last night. Black Star,the Brooklyn hip-hop duo of Yasiin Bey (the rapper formerly known as Mos Def) and TalibKweli, followed a recent appearance on The Colbert Report with a stint on LateNight With Jimmy Fallon. Only this time, they benefited from the Roots’ accomplishedbacking. The dapper duo gave an on-air performance of soulful strutter “You Already Knew,”from an upcoming mixtape ode to Aretha Franklin, along with a web exclusive take on JDilla-produced 1999 The Hurricane soundtrack cut “Little Brother.”
