Yesterday, I brought everyone back in time to the ABC sketch comedy series Fridays, which aired from 1980 to 1982 after the 11pm news. In my previous blog post, I showed some clips of the show’s sketch comedy routines. In this post, you get to crank up your speakers, because here are some clips of the performances by the show’s musical guests. And what a lineup of musical guests!
THE CARS
Touch and Go
Yes, The Cars had more depth than songs like “Just What I Needed” and “Drive.” Check out this fantastic clip.
THE PRETENDERS
Message of Love
With intro by Andy Kaufman! How swank is that?
THE STRAY CATS
Rock This Town
Although the Stray Cats had hits in England, this performance aired before the trio even had a record contract in the States.
THE PLASMATICS
Living Dead
That’s right. A national television network aired a live musical performance by Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics.
THE CLASH
London Calling / Train In Vain
I believe this was the first American television appearance by The Clash.
ROCKPILE
Teacher Teacher
That’s Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds, for the uninitiated.
QUARTERFLASH
Harden My Heart
With one of the best saxophone riffs ever in a pop music song.
GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS
Can’t Stop Lovin’
George Thorogood tears up the Fridays set with this performance.
DEVO
Girl U Want / Gates of Steel
Devo appeared on Fridays many times, this was one of their best performances.
How’s that for a musical flashback?
Chuck The Writer 
The music was better than the comedy for the most part… but from the list above the comedy’d have to be pretty darn spectacular to outshine Setzer, Chrissie, Strummer, Edmunds+Lowe et al!
But how could you leave out KISS? (yes, there’s always a militantly obsessive & loyal one of us out there ready to pounce.)
It was the harrrible “Music From The Elder” last-gasp-era KISS but we KISS kids never got to see our heroes on tv (but for the blessed Paul Lynde special & KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park) back in the good old days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smZYALK393k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH0Q84Fx6-Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOUGwFD-iEg
Thanks for the great posts re: Fridays!
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I remember seeing Pat Benatar and the Split Endz on “Fridays” as well, it was a good show, thanks for the trip down memory lane.
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This is brilliant. I remember this show so well and I still remember the very first Fridays episode with their first musical guest, Devo. What I forgot about this show was just how awesome and different the musical acts were from SNL. And just how much longer they were allowed to perform. Plasmatics at almost 10 minutes? WoW!
BTW, Touch and Go is one of my favorite Cars songs, and probably the only really worthwhile song off Panorama.
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Serious scary flashback! Thanks, Chuck!
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