Ear on TV: Week of 01.10.11: Tom Tom Club

Tom Tom Club perform Tuesday on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Has it really been 30 years since Tom Tom Club's club hit "Genius of Love" first asked the question "What you gonna do when you get out of jail?" Starting out as just a fun ("natural fun!") side project for Talking Heads' members Chris Frantz (drums) and Tina Weymouth (bass), Tom Tom Club have found its place in rock history thanks to this often sampled song. While "Genius of Love" peaked at #31 on the Billboard charts back in 1981, the song has lived on thanks to the 22 or more songs that have sampled it over the years.

Weymouth and Frantz recently revived TTC and have released a live double album (Genius of Love) and are celebrating the 30th anniversary of "Genius of Love" by playing Irving Plaza on Wednesday (Talking Heads were the first rock band to play there back in 1978). Before that, though, they take to the airwaves Tuesday night on the show of choice for momentous music occasions, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Expect Questlove to help on drums for "Genius of Love" and perhaps we'll also get a web-only performance of "Wordy Rappinghood."

Elsewhere, Kentucky's Cage the Elephant release their second album this week and are returning to the scene of their network television debut, The Late Show with David Letterman, to promote Thank You, Happy Birthday with a performance of either the raucous "2024" or the more subdued lead single "Shake Me Down." You can't go wrong, either way.

And finally, those 15 year veterans Cake make their return after nearly seven years with the album Showroom of Compassion. Not only have they found independence from major labels with this release, but they've also recorded the album in their own solar-powered studio, making it the recording fossil fuel independent as well. Cake make several appearances this week in the tube, hitting Fallon on Wednesday, and the FUEL series The Daily Habit both Thursday and Friday.

Picks for the week
Monday, January 10
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Wombats
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: The Black Keys
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Dawes
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Okkervil River
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Fitz & the Tantrums (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Guster
Tuesday, January 11
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: A Day to Remember
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Cage the Elephant
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Escape the Fate
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: The Delta Spirit
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Tom Tom Club
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: A Perfect Circle (REPEAT)
TBS: Conan: Steel Train
Wednesday, January 12
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Fitz & the Tantrums
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Duke Spirit
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Bettye Lavette
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Cake
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Morning Benders (REPEAT)
TBS: Lopez Tonight: El Debarge (featuring Faith Evans, Michael Bearden & The Ese Vatos
Thursday, January 13
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: The Damned Things
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Greg Allman
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Cake
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: 30 Seconds to Mars
NBC: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Neon Trees
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Delta Spirit (REPEAT)
SYNDICATION: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Stevie Nicks
TBS: Conan: Cheap Trick
Friday, January 14
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Wintersleep
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Cake
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Two Door Cinema (REPEAT)
Saturday, January 15
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Cee-Lo Green
PBS: Austin City Limits: The National, Band of Horses