RIP Dick Clark. 10 Unusual Musical Guests on American Bandstand
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 4:32PM
Before there was Seacrest, before there was Stern, before there was a Rick Dees, before--well, just about anyone who's still alive, there was Dick Clark.
I'm old enough to remember watching American Bandstand Saturday mornings on a fuzzy over-the-air channel that beamed into Manitoba from a small station just over the border in North Dakota. Who were these bands? What were these songs? And where did these dancing kids come from?
Forget the game shows. Forget the stupid New Year's Eve countdowns. Forget the TV empire he built. For me, Dick Clark will forever be associated with that show featuring all the singing and dancing.
Bandstand was known mostly for its Top 40 artists: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Kenny Rogers, Wham, the Supremes, Cher, Glen Campbell--that kind of thing. But occasionally, someone from left field would be booked: the Psychedelic Furs, Madness, Bow Wow Wow, Level 42. How that happened I'll never know.
Here are my picks for some of the more unusual Bandstand guests. And yes, all of them have a good beat and you can dance to them.
1. Beastie Boys
2. Public Image Ltd.
3. KISS
KISS - Rock And Roll All Nite (American Bandstand)
| Myspace Video
4. Adam and the Ants
5. Pink Floyd
6. Talking Heads
7. Simple Minds
8. Wall of Voodoo
9. The Romantics
10. Romeo Void
Reader Comments (3)
via Erin Amar
But occasionally, someone from left field would be booked: the Psychedelic Furs, Madness, Bow Wow Wow, Level 42. How that happened I'll never know.
Alan, Dick really cared about people, especially unknown musicians. He made a point of introducing the "sidemen". Only from a viewer's perspective might he seem "fake", in real life he was anything but.
To answer your question : during this particular era, Dick had a director/factotum on board called Larry Klein who did a lot of the heavy lifting and who made it his business to be clued in. Dick knew rock 'n roll needed new blood to thrive and that today's left field act might be mainstream tomorrow.
Syd Barrett looks a bit worse for wear
Lydon looks absolutely at home in that PIL segment. Perhaps the strangest piece of television I've ever seen.