The late night television war between Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon is as heated as it’s ever been, and regardless of which host you most identify with, there’s no denying that both shows have the services of some fantastic musicians. Just as The Roots are indispensable to Fallon’s program, so too is Jon Batiste and Stay Human to Colbert’s. Bastiste’s band got some beefing up last night, though, when they were joined by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the preeminent big band jazz group playing today.
That already-great pairing was enhanced even further when Dave Grohl hopped on a minimalist drum set and joined both groups for a rousing rendition of “Santiago,” which you can check out below.
What’s also fun is the reason why Grohl was around: He and his mother Virginia were actually panel guests there to promote her new book, From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars, and they had a good time. They looked at Grohl’s less-than-excellent sixth grade report card, and he shared stories about being a rebellious teenager, sneaking out at night and borrowing his mother’s car as quietly as possible.
They also got more serious for a second while discussing the death of Kurt Cobain, and the more maternal of the Grohls said that it really changed their relationship:
“It was such a dark, sad time. David came home after that so we all sort of had to regroup. We talked a lot… We’ve always been able to say everything to each other. But that was a particularly sort of incredible time. It’s hard to express.”
It’s nice to see the love and camaraderie Grohl and his mother have for each other, so check out their interview below, and let us know in the comments if you plan on checking out her book, which we’re sure is going to be fascinating.
Featured image: The Late Show With Stephen Colbert/YouTube
