SNLaysis

October 2002

If there is one venue where there seems to be no discrimination, it may be at SNL’s musical stage. Everyone from uber-punks Fear to neo-soul queen India.Arie, have appeared at NYC’s other musical institution (Carnegie Hall? C’mon I’m talking CBGBs). The comedy has been and always will be the focus of the show, but it’s impossible to imagine SNL without the music.
The inaugural show featured Billy Preston and Janis Ian as the first musical performers (in separate segments), however the opening show revealed the musical soul of SNL as cult legend Andy Kaufman lip-synched the Mighty Mouse theme. SNL has been incredibly daring at times with musical guest selections at times(Morrissey, Squeeze), and honestly sometimes they can be incredibly wrong (1991/92 featured some misfires as Color Me Badd, Skid Row, C+C Music Factory).
Musicians have hosted the show. The alumni includes big names such as Ray Charles, Paul Simon, and Jennifer Lopez (for Ms. J Lo we’ll use “musician”). Nothing outlaws the musical guest from appearing from sketches, with a recent and brilliant example being Jimmy Fallon as Mick Jagger giving advice to Mick Jagger as Mick Jagger. Although sometimes the musical guest will appear as the star of the show, and it’ll certainly be a bad thing. If you flip to page 42 of the Career Suicide Handbook, you’ll see a Ms. Sinead O’Connor tearing up a picture of the Pope, that segment has never re-aired and Sinead O’Connor career melted down faster than Martha Stewart on The Today Show.
SNL castmembers have often been knocked for rock star style behavior, but many players seem to have a passion for rock n’roll itself. In the 70s, The Blues Brothers took the globe by a black sunglasses tinted storm, and is often considered one of SNL’s greatest spinoffs. Castmembers Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, and Jimmy Fallon have all released albums, and have shown their skills on air. In fact, Weekend Update has become the showcase for musical expression. Adam Sandler often put his love for everything from his mother to a sweatshirt into song, and Jimmy Fallon has in an homage like way had his own guitar segments on update. Maybe the most original would Chris Parnell who rapped about a potential date with Britney Spears on the show. Aside from WU, there have been numerous music related sketches. Who could forget John Belushi “dueting” with Joe Cocker for Feelin Alright? A Horatio Sanz led quartet singing about Christmas.
Certainly SNL has quite a dynamic musical tie, from the theme song to its guests, SNL has etched themselves into music history. This is the point of my column where I must indulge myself. I’m ecstatic that The White Stripes are the musical guest on October 19th. In a world of disgusting neo-grunge, nu-metal, and the hellish world of radio, this Michigan duo is the antidote (terrible bands add a DJ, and the White Stripes exist sans bass player).