Hey, remember way back when the primary that was going to decide the Democratic nominee was the one in Pennsylvania, and The Colbert Report was in Philly, and The Roots were on? And remember how they played “The Star Spangled Banner” and destroyed their instruments?
Well, drummer ?uestlove chatted with MP3.com about a number of things earlier today, and his comments on that rendition of the National Anthem made me chuckle.
From MP3.com:
The Roots: Bad Moon Rising
By Jim Welte
Conducted April 30, 2008, 09:00 PMIn a wide-ranging interview, drummer ?uestlove discusses the 2008 election, hip-hop’s lack of 3-D characters, and the new Al Green record he produced.
. . .
So, I wanted to ask about the [Roots' performance of the] “Star Spangled Banner” on The Colbert Report. Had you guys done the instrument-thrashing thing before, or was that the first time?
Yeah, that was obviously the first time. I won a lot of money that day, because I’m looking at those instruments, and I’m looking at their bodies, and I’m like, “Have you guys smashed a guitar before?”
That’s what I was going to ask, whether you gave [bassist] Owen [Biddle] any heat, because I don’t think he had any success at all on smashing that bass. [Laughs]
[Laughs] Yeah, we were laughing to death. I told Kirk that it would take him five attempts.
Is that what it took him? [Laughs]
He claims that it was four, but I looked at the playback and he stopped at six. So, right now, the $100 is sort of based on, “Did you say when I would stop smashing the guitar, or when it would break?”
[Laughs] Right.
So, right now, we’re at a standoff.
They could have gone the Hulk Hogan route where you wear a T-shirt that’s already ripped so that it’s an easier play.
Right. Exactly. Of course, then he had to play it, so, you know.
Exactly. You can’t play the broken instrument …
I must admit, I was laughing, too, when the bass just would not break that night. Man, those were some good shows we got from Philly!
Ahhh, Philly. What a wonderful week of shows that was…
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They were great shows, indeed. :-)
I was laughing, too, when I saw the The Roots’ instrument smash-up, but mostly wincing…
That guy had a much better chance of busting OTHER things UP with his bass, if he put his mind to it. Unless you have something light and modern like a Danelectro or a vintage Hofner (sacrilege to smash, IMO), most basses are as heavy and solid as clubs. I play bass professionally and have been fortunate enough not to have ever had to wield mine as a weapon in a brawl.
Still, even if the bassist had managed it to bust it up, I agree with John Hiatt when it comes to musicians smashing their instruments. ;-p
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I concur, “get some soul”
maybe I’ve had my guitars too long, but I could never do that.
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My dad’s in a band, so we have several instruments in various rooms in our house, and a bass isn’t easy to smash. As it’s been said- they’re pretty solid. You’d be more likely to take someone’s head off with one than smash it.
I wonder if it still worked after his attempt to smash it. I didn’t look like it did too much damage, but you never know.
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Haha, that was really funny. I wish more people would have talked about this performance, I thought it was amazing!
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Wasn’t there an article somewhere saying that the lead guitarist was given a hollow instrument to use (and smash) that night by a manufacturer – that’s why his went so quickly…. I’ll try to find where I read that.
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You’re probably thinking of this one, which was obviously the source for my stolen photo.
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