This disc also includes a 1970 appearance by Sly and the Family Stone and a 1974 appearance by David Bowie. Sly and band perform "Thank You (Fallentinme Be Mice Elf Again)," followed by an interview with a seemingly chemically mind altered Sly that also reflects a a touch of the cultural or age gap between Cavett and such guests. The Bowie episode features performances of "1984" and "Young Americans." The extended interview reveals a nervous Bowie, whose band at the time included such future music notables as saxophonist David Sanborn up front and Luther Vandross amidst seven back-up singers.
The first disc is the only one containing bonus material. In addition to an interview with Cavett, there are excerpts from Cavett going to Madison Square Garden to interview Mick Jagger during the Rolling Stones 1972 tour. In addition to rare clips of performances at MSG, this feature is notable today because Cavett asks Jagger if he could see himself performing at age 60. Jagger says without hesitation, "Yeah, easily."
Despite all that Disc 1 offers, the highlight of the set may be Disc 2. It is devoted entirely to Janis Joplin's appearances on the show in July 1969, June 1970 and August 1970. Joplin opens each of the shows, performing two songs on each. In the first, she and the relatively short-lived Kozmic Blues Band perform "To Love Somebody" and "Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)." It also includes Joplin's insights into rock criticism during Cavett's interview with Michael Thomas, a rock music journalist of the time. On the latter two shows Joplin performs four songs with the Full Tilt Boogie Band that would appear on the posthumously released album, Pearl.
These straight-on, nothing fancy, performances are quintessential Joplin. The bands are tight and Joplin displays the full range of her talent, energy and soul. These moments serve as almost unequaled visual verification that she truly deserved her status as one of, if not the first, female rock superstars. In addition, Cavett's interviews with Joplin reveal a side the public did not often see. She and Cavett appear to develop a rapport over the course of the appearances. Joplin not only seems uncomfortable with the superstar designation, asking that she simply be called "a singer," but she becomes animated as she talks about her plans to return to her hometown for her 10-year high school reunion after being "laughed out of class, out of town and out of the state." The final episode is particularly bittersweet as we now know she would be dead just two months later.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Haven't seen this yet and only remember the show from many years ago. One thing I definitely recall is that Cavett had more musical guests (cool ones anyway) than other shows.
I do think that Cavett's "stiff mannerisms" were part of a put on. I think it was all part of the act, for him to be "establishment" but not be. Maybe I'm wrong; I was just a kid. Still, I loved seeing the musicians on there. And, if memory serves me, they were drinking booze and smoking cigarettes during the interviews. Let me know if I remember that right.
Great piece!
2 - SFC Ski
Way back when, Tom Snyder (sp?) had musical guests on, usually early Thursday morning, and would often interview after they played a short set. These Cavett shows sound interesting, I am holding out for all of Don Kirschner's Rock Concerts to be released in sets.
3 - emperor nobody
The Sly Stone episodes, one of which is included on this DVD, are memorable not just for the music but for the fact that you will never, ever see someone appear more wrecked on live TV than Sly was for those shows. The first one in particular, he is just out of his head on who knows what... there's even a reference to it in the interview:
Cavett: So how long did you study composition?
Sly: About 4 or 5 years.
Cavett: Someone in the audience snorted when I mentioned that you studied music formally.
Sly: They didn't snort, man.
Cavett: Well, someone SEEMED to snort...
Sly: I don't know them...