We pulled this together just in time for your lunch break. Make it a long one. In memory of Tom Snyder, who passed yesterday at the age of 71.
From 1973-1982, the coveted post-Carson slot on NBC belonged to the legendary Snyder and his The Tomorrow Show, an off-kilter interview program featuring Tom’s awesome eyebrows and some hard-hitting, confrontational Q&A. He also had a knack for booking rock icons in their heyday — and for some reason, things tended to get loopy. (Probably ’cause he was booking rock icons. In their heyday.) Take this 1980 interview with Public Image Ltd.’s John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten) and Keith Levene, in which Tom and John engage in a battle of contempt and pave the way for Smoosh, the lovable band from Mr. Show‘s VTV sketch.
Doo-dah. After the jump, Part Two of this interview (just as contentious, we promise) and other magical moments in Snyder history, including KISS with a drunk Ace Frehley and a Spacebear, a bug-eyed Iggy Pop, the Clash, an an “explosive” performance from Wendy O. and Plasmatics.
So much more Tom for you to procrastinate to, so here’s a handy link guide to the YouTubes:
Check Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics doing “Pig Is Pig” and the following interview … head here for Tom and a hopped-up Iggy Pop … or a trio of The Clash clips (“Magnificent Seven,” Q&A, “This Is Radio Clash“) … and finally, lots of drunkenness with KISS (Parts One, Two, Three, and Four).
We’ve also dug up a clip of U2′s stint on the Snyder show, their very first American TV appearance (“I Will Follow“) — but what we couldn’t find was John Lennon’s final televised interview, which took place with Tom in April 1975. Who’s got link?
Regardless … don’t plan on getting anything done this afternoon. Enjoy. R.I.P. Tom.
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rotten is about as friendly as a sack of foreskins.
i suppose that is his image though.
fuck lydon. fucking humorless prick.
Rotten can be really rotten lol; he acts like a 13 year old spoiled girl! If i met him face to face i’d beat the shit out of him if he’d pull that ingrate shit on me .
Tom Snyder kicked ass. RIP, man.
The Lydon/Levene interview is great, even though a lot of people thought Lydon was a prick. I get what he was doing.
Lydon is also responsible for one of the best American Bandstand performances ever. Too bad Dick Clark is on the death watch short list.
RIP Tom Snyder. Lydon is cringeworthy in this clip.. it’s like the sullen 14-year old brought into the principal’s office.
Yes, we’re all very impressed, Johnny. You so crazy.
Levene was obviously along for the ride and realized quickly he didn’t have the same quick resort to image as Lydon. “What DO you like?” “I’d have to think about that one… perhaps for a very long time.” Duhhh.
Neither side won any resounding points, though the station won thanks to the ratings boost at the time, I’m sure.
I’m not sure the Post-Carson slot was so coveted then, but Snyder was cool in his completely uncool way. We should all raise a colortini in his honor.
hell yeah…..snyder was a cool mutha, shut your mouth……love the cigarette smoking……damn, the good ole days! “we’re not a rock band….we’re a company” HOW TRUE FOR MANY OF TODAY’S BANDS!!!!
christ, some of you really don’t “get” lydon at all. this interview is comedy gold. i completely disagree w/ the opinion that he’s humorless; quite the contrary, he’s full of zingers. snyder did a good job keeping up w/ him (the two were like a married couple). i mean, honestly, how can you not laugh at this infanticide of an interview? and poor keith, high out of his mind, comes off looking like a right dullard (as the british would say).
but as maya said, public image ltd. presaged many bands/performers/musicians of today w/ their insistence on being a company, an image, a brand. may have been weird at the time, but is completely commonplace now.
feels creamy
It’s weird but I thought Tom Snyder had already died….I wonder why…
1) RIP, Tom. I doubt 98% of Stereogum readership knows who you are, but thanks for the mems, bro.
2) Anyone who calls Lydon a prick should read Rotten: No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs, one of the best autobiographies ever, first.
3) Nice Mr. Show ref, Mike.
It’s like Spinal Tap – but completely for real. The funniest video I have ever seen.
A little context for the Lydon interview… he was the second guest on the show, following Hollywood producer Allan Carr, who was there to promote his hot upcoming movie, Can’t Stop the Music starring the Village People. You’d be pissy too.
lydon rules
Johnny is a snot nosed little girl… Rest in Peace you crazy fuck….
Thanks for rounding all that fun stuff up. I loved the Kiss interview. All of it!!! Really great. And thank you Tom Snyder.
Great clips. Calling Lydon “unfriendly” is missing the point; that was his job. The Snyder segment shows why Johnny was one of the great comedians of the late twentieth century. Doo-dah.
For more ruminations on the great moments from the Tomorrow Show, covering the Clash’s treatment of teddy bears, Iggy Pop as an art historian, and the secret connection between Wendy O. Williams and Martha Stewart, I invite you to check out the new piece at Stuck Between Stations, “Tom Snyder in Tomorrowland.”
http://stuckbetweenstations.org/2007/07/31/tom-snyder-in-tomorrowland/