Incongruous musical appearances

[Satchmo Distel]

Pere Ubu's appearance on Roland's Rat Race takes some beating.

Morrissey, Johnny Marr and Sandie Shaw on Charlie's Bus, 1984:

[Satchmo Distel]

Elvis Costello in Spice World and Austin Powers

[3 Colours Red]

Depeche Mode performing Master And Servant on the Wide Awake Club. You'd have thought that someone at TV-am would have noticed that a song about BDSM might not have been suitable for kiddiwinks eating their Rice Krispies but I think Bruce Gyngell was in charge by then... enough said.

[elguapo4]

I remember the Virgin Prunes on the late late show in '79 fair making my mother's hair stand up,my stepdad thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen

[Jah Womble]

Morrissey, Johnny Marr and Sandie Shaw on Charlie's Bus, 1984:

I remember watching that at the time - I was odd indeed, but The Smiths were, at least, singles-chart regulars by then. I doubt The Ubu ever placed anything higher than about #186, however they did also gain an indirect mention on Grange Hill, when Trisha Yates was trying to help a friend to read from the NME.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Please leave that typo in.

[WOM]

Heh...

That Sandy Shaw thing is so awful, but she (and they) clearly knew it was. "Look, it's Sandy Shaw" and "Oh, look. Johnny's brought his guitar...". They were clearly in pain having to do that schtick.

[Snake Plissken]

I don't know what is more incongruous, the Jesus and Mary Chain on the Letterman show or... well, you'll see.

[Jah Womble]

Please leave that typo in.

Ha - took me a couple of reads-back to spot that. Accurate, perhaps, without even requirement for the past tense.

Harking back to Herbie Flowers's input to Grandad upthread, it should also be noted that the song was co-written with Kenny Pickett - formerly of uber-cool psychedelicists, The Creation.

[treibeis]

Although The Wurzels have appeared on children's television about a million times, I've never been able to quite get my head round it. For every one kiddy-friendly song about blackbirds and tractors and potatoes, there are ten about getting pissed and shagging.

[Jah Womble]

Presumably those weren't the songs chosen in such circumstances? The same probably applies to acts like Black Lace who, despite appearing kid-friendly, were known for performing 'bawdy' club versions of their hits, as well as songs about gang-banging, etc.

Viz the Depeche Mode episode, Master and Servant was also shown on Saturday Superstore, so clearly the kids' TV big wigs were all missing its lyrical message.

[Lang Spoon]

I don't know what is more incongruous, the Jesus and Mary Chain on the Letterman show or... well, you'll see.

I’m guessing that was just the touring bass player while they were in the States. Fucking hell im amazed the Reids tolerated his trousers, let alone his Showbiz vamping.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I’m guessing that was just the touring bass player while they were in the States. Fucking hell im amazed the Reids tolerated his trousers, let alone his Showbiz vamping.

Is it not just the Letterman show house band?

[Jah Womble]

Yes, absolutely that's the house band. I'm amazed that the Reids went along with it, tbh...

...and I'm f***ing astonished that Jim and William didn't slug Dave L for calling them 'an English band'.

[Jon]

Absolutely love that JAMC clip. Brilliant from start to finish.

I think it must have been evilc who posted this Gary Numan appearance on the Leo Sayer show in 1984, quite a while ago now but I think it suits the purposes for this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdyq9VGh1x4

[Jah Womble]

Oh God, definitely. I remember a Numan-obsessive during my college days who decided that his soundalike synth band should also cover On Broadway on the back of said 'performance'.

Which struck me as missing whatever point there might have been to Sayer and Numan's rendition quite spectacularly.