When CONAN O’BRIEN got shafted by Jay Leno and NBC over his hosting duties for THE TONIGHT SHOW, he found himself at the end of a 22-year career with the network – and unable to appear on television per the terms of his exit. Rather than sit back and do nothing, O’Brien packed up and took his show on the road with the ”Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour.” With a familiar band alongside him, O’Brien used the tour as an opportunity to sharpen up and put on display his impressive guitar chops that in the past had only been hinted at during his time at NBC.
Documented for the recently-released CONAN O’BRIEN CAN’T STOP (out on DVD & Blu-Ray via Magnolia Pictures), the tour was a success, and as of this week it has a soundtrack.
Released digitally through Lakeshore Records (physical release coming in January 2012),CONAN O’BRIEN CAN’T STOP – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK features Conan and The Legally Prohibited Band rocking stages with a collection of rockabilly covers, along with songs made famous by THE WHITE STRIPES & WILLIE NELSON, in addition to an ode to Diff’rent Strokes’ Phillip Drummond, Conrad Bain – in a song calledConrad Bane (sic).
Performed in a loose manner along with personal anecdotes embedded within, the band in many ways resembles another troupe born of NBC DNA – THE BLUES BROTHERS’ Show Band. O’Brien does a great job of leading the band through the dozen-song set, including a brassed-up version of Seven Nation Armyperformed with Jack White in attendance – shortly following a performance of Eddie Cochran’s 20 Flight Blueson which White joined in.
The entire band gets their places to shine, and the track-by-track liner notes by O’Brien are a welcome surprise.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
