I chalk it up to the show wanting to involve the band that way, and also that the bands coming on the show generally don’t mind because the Late Show band is damned near legendary in stature. The original lineup, when the tradition began, was Paul Schaffer, Will Lee on Bass, Steve Jordan on drums, and Hiram Bullock on guitar.
Hiram Bullock played with Steely Dan, Billy Joel, Sting, Paul Simon, Miles Davis, and many, many others. He played on some of the biggest albums of the 1970’s and 80’s.
Steve Jordan was a member of Stevie Wonder’s band, and later played in the Saturday Night Live band and was one of the original members of the “Blues Brothers” band, which actually got him a lot of cred because that band was one of the best ensembles ever put together. Paul Schaffer was in it as well, and was also the music director.
Will Lee has played with pretty much everyone worth noting in music.
Paul Schaffer will probably be in the Rock n Roll hall of fame one day. Not necessarily for his keyboard skills (although he’s damned good), but because he has been involved with about a zillion big musical projects, such as being musical director for the Olympics one year, musical director for SNL, the Late Show, the Blues Brothers, and others. And by the way, the late show band is the official house band of the Hall of Fame, and backs up all the inductees when they sing at the ceremonies.
I think there are a lot of rock acts who consider it an honor to be able to play with these guys.
Wow this is an oldie. I was watching Gregg Allman on Letterman and it rekindled my curiosity about the house band always playing with the music guests. So, looking at the Pixies clip I noticed it was labeled as being recorded back in 1992, and I had a friend who toured with the pixies back then as either a guitar tech or audio engineer. Sent him a text and he confirmed that he was back stage talking to ‘Larry Bud Melman’ during that performance. Said “It’s in Paul’s contract, and the contract the bands sign to perform on Letterman. Even a superstar like Elton John is required by contract to have Paul play.”
Also of note, “Larry Bud Melman is a very smart, well educated conversationalist. Outside of his character. One of those 190 degree opposite things.”
I just did a little spot check. Soul Asylum, Weezer, and Green Day do not play with WMDB. it must have been kind of context sensitive. I think there must have been plenty of acts who didn’t have to. Maybe it was part of the alternative effect.
The Replacements never played Letterman, but when Westerberg did he did not.
There was one episode back in '87 where Allman was a guest early in the show, then he sat in with the band for the rest of the show. Towards the end, Peter Allen was also a guest, and the band (with Allman) played the opening bars of “Copacabana.” Allen actually kidded him about it–“Ooh, Mr. Outlaw Gregg Allman playing ‘Copacabana!’” Allman flashed him an “Eat shit” smile and didn’t say a word, and the interview went forward.
I gained a lot of respect for Allman and lost a bit for Allen.
I’ve got some old LSDLs copied off of tape. So I checked:
Wide Spread Panic, 2006. Just them.
Natalie Merchant, 1996. Her band.
Warren Zevon, 2003. Just the horn section of the WMDB.
Trisha Yearwood, 1994. Her band.
John Fogerty, 1997. His band.
Rod Stewart, 2002. His band.
John Michael Montgomery, 1997. His band.
Billy Bragg and Wilco, 2000. Just them.
Cast of Kiss Me Kate, 2000. Their orchestra.
Oasis, 2000. Just them.
Melissa Etheridge, 2005. Her band.
Yellowcard, 2006. Just them.
Bonnie Raitt, 2005. Her band.
The Raveonettes, 2003. Just them.
Edwin McCain and Darius Rucker, 1995. With the WMDB.
Darlene Love, 2006. The annual big production with the WMDB, lots of other musicians, extra backup singers and Carole King as a 2nd keyboardist.
So that’s 16 performances. 13 of which don’t involve the WMDB at all. One that uses just the horn section for a solo performer and one that uses the whole band for a duo. The Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) is a category unto itself.
No. Paul and the band don’t have to do the backup. No. They don’t do it most of the time.
I didn’t think I had a musical performance on the only LNDL (1991) at hand but double checking I see Buddy Guy in the middle of the show. With the WMDB and some backup singers. Again, basically a solo act. And Paul and the band are just fine for Mustang Sally.
But all of your selections are from the CBS run of the show, and most after 2000. I remember a Rolling Stone article from 1994 on the competition between Leno, Letterman, and Arsenio Hall for musical guests. It noted many acts were wary of going on Letterman because they were required/urged to used Paul’s band (I’ve forgot the exact wording, and the libraries are closed for the weekend).
You have to remember during the Johnny Carson era, there weren’t many options for rock bands. Carson rarely had rock acts on, and CBS and ABC had news/reruns for most of that era. So for many bands it was Letterman or else. You wonder if the competition for rock bands in the mid-90s forced Letterman to stop insisting using the backing band.
