Last night, The Colbert Report introduced a new segment, Who?s Riding My Coattails Now? This week’s culptrits?

“Indie rock outfit The Decemberists, who have shot a performance against a green screen and asked their fans to finish the video. Green screen? Hmmmmm … where have I heard that before? Does THIS look familiar to anyone in the indie rock scene? Nation, we cannot take this lying down. So tonight, I’m announcing Stephen Colbert’s Second Green Screen Challenge: to edit me into The Decemberists’ Green Screen Challenge! Yeah, it’s go time. You can find their footage at mtvu.com/reanimatethedecemberists and my clip, the original green screen footage, at colbertnation.com. Let’s see how well they perform their trademark brand of hyper-literate prog rock when I’m slicing off their legs at the knee. [Pulls out light saber.] Oh yes. They will feel the pain.”

And oh yes, we transcribed that for you. When our favorite hyperliterate prog rock band meets our second favorite late-night political comedy show, there is no waiting for YouTube!

Mr. Meloy, you’re on notice.

UPDATE: Here’s the clip…

Comments (30)
  1. dannygutters  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    steven’s is my first favorite late-night political comedy show, not second.

  2. Mando  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    Is it possible for anyone who writes about The Decemberists to NOT use the adjective “hyper-literate” to describe the band? That is SO not punk rock.

    Well it could be worse, at least they’re not that illiterate slut Lindsay Lohan.

  3. i almost died when i saw this last night. i’m going to see colbert on dec. 13th!!! maybe he’ll have some submissions by then to show off!

  4. steve perry  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    i prefer thesaurus-rock, personally.
    thanks for notifying us of this, stereogum!
    i will be looking for the rerun today at lunch.

  5. i almost died when i saw this last night. i love that colbert is talking about some indie rock, following suit with jon stewart’s indie rock show at irving plaza with superchunk. i’m going to see colbert report on dec. 13th so maybe he’ll have some submissions to show us by then!

  6. matt  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    I’m with dannygutters– Stephen is consistently more funny and seems to enjoy his job much more than Jon Stewart.

  7. steve perry  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    i prefer thesaurus-rock, personally.
    thanks for notifying us of this, stereogum!
    i will be looking for the rerun today at lunch.

  8. me  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    When are you guys going to realize The Decemberists are just an okay band and nothing worth your time?

  9. I agree TDS has been losing its edge over the past few months, with the change-up in correspondents. But I still rank it above the spin-off.

  10. Rich  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    I dunno “me”, perhaps about the same time you yank your head out of your ass? I probably don’t like your favorite band either. So be it.

    Saw this last night too. Can’t wait to see the submissions. Enjoyed the Colbert County nonsense too.

  11. obviously colbert ftw.

    and come on dude, nobody seriously likes this band, right? i thought people just pretended to like it on some of that ironic-hipster-’i like shitty music cause its so shitty its good’ nonsense.

  12. totally dude, nobody, cuz like its so shitty, and shit

  13. Josh  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    The Decemberists were better when they were called Neutral Milk Hotel.

  14. marc  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    The Decemberists have got a problem. Colbert has already destroyed the wiki on Elephants, almost had a bridge named after him (had they not changed the rules), and a few other major internet mobilizations… I have a feeling the Decemberists will be inundated with colbert-related submissions- some of which will be so good, I hope they use it.

  15. Josh Josh Josh,
    If I was Neutral Milk Hotel I’d hunt you down and neck-punch you for that.

  16. AC  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    “Why couldn’t they be like every other indie band and just copy the Pixies?”

    haha

  17. El Payo  |   Posted on Nov 30th, 2006 0

    AC singled out the funniest line of the nite. Kudos.

  18. This is insanely hilarious. I can’t wait to see these clips. I’ll definitely be keeping up with this “story” at Mirr World (http://mirrworld.blogspot.com).

    Someone should edit Colbert throwing a bottle at Colin Meloy ala Panic! at the Disco.

  19. Julie  |   Posted on Dec 1st, 2006 0

    Wow, so Stephen is taking a laugh at the Decemberists? Who are his next victims?

  20. pat  |   Posted on Dec 1st, 2006 0

    stephens lightsaber dance seem very familiar…star wars kid familiar!

  21. Stack aTTACK  |   Posted on Dec 5th, 2006 0

    the DECEMBERISSTS IS GOOD BAND, THEY HAVE GOOD INSTRUMENTATION AND CATCHY UNIQUE LYRICS,

    GO LISTEN TO BLOC PARTY AND JERK OFF

  22. how does this work  |   Posted on Dec 5th, 2006 0

    Hi, is this php? I want to do it too on my site…

  23. Yes, the record company executive is right.
    Except for the catchy unique lyrics part.
    Oh wait, that makes his statement completely wrong.
    Never Mind!

    They do rip off the wrong people when it comes to promotional ideas.

  24. cris  |   Posted on Dec 9th, 2006 0

    Who cares! This is free publicity for The Decemberists! I don’t know but this seems like a marketing strategy if I’ve every seen one. I say good for them on getting their name out into the mainstream. Good publicity or bad publicity; it’s still publicity.

    And I happen to LOVE The Decemberists!

  25. cris  |   Posted on Dec 9th, 2006 0

    Who cares! This is free publicity for The Decemberists! I don’t know but this seems like a marketing strategy if I’ve every seen one. I say good for them on getting their name out into the mainstream. Good publicity or bad publicity; it’s still publicity.

    And I happen to LOVE The Decemberists!

  26. Rachel  |   Posted on Dec 9th, 2006 0

    I completely agree with cris, it is getting them free publicity, and I too, happen to absolutely be in LOVE with The Decemberists. It’s hard to find bands like them out there, but Stephen Colbert is also pretty amazing, so this will be a good show down! Good Luck Demcemberists!

  27. Rachel  |   Posted on Dec 9th, 2006 0

    I completely agree with cris, it is getting them free publicity, and I too, happen to absolutely be in LOVE with The Decemberists. It’s hard to find bands like them out there, but Stephen Colbert is also pretty amazing, so this will be a good show down! Good Luck Demcemberists!

  28. I completely agree with cris, it is getting them free publicity, and I too, happen to absolutely be in LOVE with The Decemberists. It’s hard to find bands like them out there, but Stephen Colbert is also pretty amazing, so this will be a good show down! Good Luck Demcemberists!

  29. iHuman  |   Posted on Dec 13th, 2006 0

    The Decemberists are a truly great band and I am a HUGE Stephen Colbert fan so I am thrilled to see what they come up with. Really really looking forward to the Dec. 20 show.

  30. The Decemberists are alright.
    I don’t love them and I don’t hate them.
    I’ve been to a concert and I must admit, they play pretty well live.

    What I don’t understand is this; why do you have to hate something (be it a band or an entire genre) and want it dead if you don’t particularly like it?

    Seems like a complete waste of effort to me.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post, reply to, or rate a comment.

%s1 / %s2