Ear on TV: Week of 05.10.10: Exile on Main St Week

When one of rock and roll's greatest albums also ranks as the most decadent, it deserves its own week. To that end, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is hosting a week long tribute to the Rolling Stones' 1972 release Exile on Main St, which celebrates a special reissue this week. The week features artists performing songs from the album and culminates on Friday with an hour-long making of documentary, Stones in Exile (scroll down for trailer).

Headlining as music guests for the week are Green Day (Monday,) Sheryl Crow (Tuesday), Keith Urban and Phish (Thursday). But the real treat here are the artists who will be sitting in with The Roots, playing Stones songs throughout each broadcast. Taj Mahal, Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, Stones' longtime keyboardist Chuck Leavell, and New Orleans legend Doctor John. Getting the premiere of the documentary Stones in Exile (on Friday) is a bit unconventional for a late night talk show, but Late Night has always forged ahead, and since Jimmy Fallon and The Roots have taken it over, it's been one musical coup after another for the little talk show that could,


The director of the Stones documentary, Stephen Kijak, got the gig thanks to his amazing work on the rock documentary ScottWalker: 30 Century Man, which, fittingly enough, gets its television debut this week as well, on the Sundance Channel Monday night (8 PM, EST). The film follows the fascinating career of Ohio born Scott Engels (aka Scott Walker), who conquered the UK in the 60s as part of The Walker Brothers and at the height of his fame, had his own TV show and rivaled The Beatles in popularity. He went from crooner to mind-bending solo artist, and to this day, Engels/Walker remains a towering influence over modern rock, as testified by the parade of artists interviewed for the film (David Bowie, Radiohead, Brian Eno, etc.). All the while remaining mostly unknown here in his home country. The film does the enigmatic artist incredible justice, even if it's reluctant star would be just as content to remain unknown to the world of American Idol.


Elsewhere, The National promotes their latest release, the gorgeous and melancholy High Violet (out this week), with a performance on Letterman Thursday. The Hold Steady drop by The Colbert Report on Thursday, highlighted by a sit down between Colbert and Craig Finn. And last, but not least, MGMT takes their crazy to Letterman on Tuesday night.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, May 10
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Crash Kings
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Wilco
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Dr. Dog
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Green Day, Taj Mahal sits in with The Roots
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Wild Light (REPEAT)
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Tom Petty
SUNDANCE: Scott Walker: 30 Century Man: Scott Walker, David Bowie, Brian Eno, Radiohead, Jarvis Cocker
Tuesday, May 11
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: MGMT
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Jonsi
ESPN: Straight Outta L.A.: Ice Cube (direction and score), Snoop Dogg
FUSE: Nirvana Live at Reading: Nirvana
IFC: Dinner With the Band: Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Keith Urban, Pearl Jam's Mike McCready sits in with The Roots
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Ozomatli (REPEAT)
Wednesday, May 12
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: B.o.B.
FUEL: The Daily Habit: We Were Promised Jetpacks
HBO: Music by Prudence: Prudence Mabhena
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Macy Gray
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Sheryl Crow, The Rolling Stones' longtime keyboardist Chuck Leavell sits in with The Roots
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Court Yard Hounds
TBS: Lopez Tonight: Slash (REPEAT)
Thursday, May 13
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Dirty Heads
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The National
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Colbert Report: The Hold Steady
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Jakob Dylan
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Phish, Doctor John sits in with The Roots
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Common
Friday, May 14
FUEL: The Daily Habit: A Day to Remember
NBC: Today: Sting
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Stones in Exile (documentary on The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street)
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Temper Trap, Little Boots, Michael Buble
Saturday, May 15
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
PBS: Austin City Limits: Manu Chao (REPEAT) [check local listings]
Sunday, May 16
HBO: The Wire: Various artists from New Orleans