If you were a music fan in the U.S. during the 70s, chances are you caught an episode or two of The Midnight Special. Created by television and film producer Burt Sugarman, The Midnight Special premiered on August 19, 1972 and ran through May 1, 1981. It used to follow The Tonight Show on Friday nights, from 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM. Sugarman, who lived next door to Johnny Carson, pitched the idea of a show featuring rock and pop artists of the day, filling in a time previously relegated to test patterns. I recall spending many Friday nights, watching the show and seeing some of my favorite artists. Along with Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, which came along in 1973, The Midnight Special was key to bringing the best of 70s pop rock to people’s living rooms. Today, you can relive the experience on a variety of The Midnight Special DVD packages.
There are 11 and 20 DVD Collector’s Editions you can pick up at Midnight Special DVDs. We got a hold of a six-disc set, with 21 episodes and bonus clips featuring spots from Hall & Oates, Todd Rundgren, America, Bees Gees, Eddie Money, Ted Nugent, AC/DC and the Kinks. The show’s pilot episode from August 19, 1972 with John Denver, Linda Ronstadt, Argent, Cass Elliot and Harry Chapin starts things off; the discs do not follow any chronological order, with most episodes coming from the early to late 70s. Three months after the show’s demise, MTV arrived and changed the role music played on television forever. The baton had been passed.
But you’re not going to find too many other shows that feature both Aerosmith and Helen Reddy, who hosted the show for three years. The Midnight Special was noted for capturing unique live performances, such as when Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin duet on “Takes Two To Tango,” with a follow-up of Gladys Knights and B.B. King coming together on “The Thrill Is Gone.” In some cases, however, especially during the show’s later days, many performances were lip synced, like the obvious butcher job in the clip for Golden Earring’s “Radar Love.” Some are not as easy to figure out; the numbers from Electric Light Orchestra are tough to peg. Seeing the Edgar Winter Group tear up ‘Frankenstein” and AC/DC with Bon Scott plow through ‘Sin City” before a sedate, somewhat confused audience make the whole trip worthwhile.
Along with the various episodes and bonus performances are the added featurettes that include recent interviews with Peter Frampton, Alice Cooper, Loggins & Messina, tributes to show hosts Wolfman Jack and Helen Reddy, and commentary from various artists about being on the show. Remember “Brother Louie” by Stories? It’s here, along with “Drift Away” by Dobie Gray, “I Got A Name” by Jim Croce and dozens more artists you probably haven’t heard or seen in a while. And there are those clips of those who still around; Fleetwood Mac, the Doobie Brothers, Blondie and Sammy Hagar, for example. The years have been good to many, while others came and went. For almost nine years, you could see them all, fresh-faced and ready to rock or funk or boogie or soothe your soul. Love it or leave it, The Midnight Special – Collector’s Edition brings it all back to life.
~ Shawn Perry
