While the third disc also contains some excellent music performances, it stands out largely for a November 1971 interview with George Harrison. Other than a video clip of Harrison performing "Bangladesh" at the Concert for Bangladesh about four earlier, Harrison performs only as a slide guitarist for Gary Wright and Wonderwheel, whose album Harrison had produced. The bulk of the episode consists of the interview, in which Harrison comes across as forthcoming and open. Moreover, in addition to letting Harrison talk about the plans to release an LP and film of the fundraising concert, Cavett covers topics with Harrison ranging from the Beatles to Harrison's relationship with John Lennon and Yoko Ono to whether Harrison and the other Beatles should feel some responsibility because their use of drugs may have led many others to use them. While the latter question brings scattered boos from the audience, Harrison defends Cavett's right to raise the issue.
Harrison's appearance is sandwiched by a then-20-year-old Stevie Wonder's appearance in 1970 performing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" and "I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer" and a lengthier appearance by Paul Simon in 1974. The latter is interesting not only because of the performances, both solo ("America Tune") and with the Jessy Dixon Singers ("Loves Me Like A Rock: and "Bridge Over Troubled Water"), but Simon's discussion with Cavett of the process of songwriting.
All told, the entire collection clocks in at about nine hours. That is due to the fact that, with the exception of the Bowie episode (of which significant portions of the original tapes were lost or erased), these are complete episodes. Thus, in addition to the music performances, each episode contains Cavett's monologues and interviews with other guests, such as Debbie Reynolds, Pancho Gonzales, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Chet Huntley, to name a few. The Woodstock, Bowie and Harrison episodes are the only ones limited to the musicians and the Bowie one apparently only because of the loss of the original tapes.
Joplin leads off each of the programs she is on and stays till the end of each. It is interesting to see her interact with people like Gloria Swanson and Raquel Welch (honestly telling Welch she found Myra Breckenridge, the movie Welch was promoting, "too choppy"). Whether that is sufficient reason to include the entire episode is, however, another question. The justification is even more suspect with the Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon episodes as the musicians do not take part in the program after their performances and interviews.
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...