Conan Insisted On “We’re Going To Be Friends” For His Theme Song | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

before I let you go I have to uh there. are many things that I adore about you. but one is your guitar playing I think. it's such a hard instrument to. make yourself identifiable on because. some there's so many guitarists in the. world I always know it's you playing no. matter what effect you've done I always. know it's you and you've got that very. cool sort of staccato style that you. play that just always speaks to me like. oh I know exactly who this is. um that's so great to hear that it's.

it's why because I grew up being a. drummer and and I didn't. I avoided the guitar because I thought. everybody plays guitar and just like you. said it's it'd be so hard to be unique. and I think that kind of turned me off. when I first sort of went to New York. and La when I was a teenager I thought. oh wow this is like ever it doesn't feel. special feels like everybody's doing. what you're doing right there's a 7 000. oh you're a drummer big deal there's. seven thousand drummers here you know or. whatever so I thought well I should. avoid that as much as possible but then. I realized it was.

kind of the only way to really really. connect. um all the pieces together and present. it to other human beings in a way I mean. if you do poetry yeah you will find a a. certain amount of people who will listen. and pay attention and get something from. it but you'll find a lot more if you put. that to a Melody you know and if you're. a drummer you could connect to some. people but not really unless you sing. something along with it or play you know. say so really the way to to sort of. connect with others with art I mean and.

music would is you have to sort of play. that instrument whether you're like a. not I think guitar or piano and. um so I sort of picked guitar from kind. of basically just teaching myself over. the years when I was a kid to. slightly how to play it you know I think. maybe that has something to do with it. if you're finding it unique. when you hear it it's probably because. of uh. my disbelief that I could be unique with. it right uh and sort of giving up on.

that you know almost like oh whatever. you know I I maybe this will just get. tossed on the pile with all the other. guitar players so I might as well not. even try to be as good as them or try to. be as interesting as what they're doing. I'll just use it as my form of. expression and really I want to get to. the story and the the whole point of the. song is what I'm trying to get at this. is just kind of a McGuffin so maybe. that's has something to do with it being. I still don't know if I agree with you. that that it is that unique but if if. you're seeing that maybe maybe it has. something to do with those kind of ideas. well it is I do think it's your the way.

you came at it is very different and I. don't not the only person that says this. but you're playing when you take a solo. and and eating your Rhythm Parts it's. very I just know it's you and I think so. many people uh when they approach guitar. what they really want to do is have a. Les Paul and be able to play very. smoothly and get this kind of they want. to sound like they're Heroes and I. always think it's our failure to be our.

heroes I mean the people I grew up. idolizing no that's exactly what I was. just saying you you encompassed it that. way yeah we'll edit it so you said it um. when I hear you I don't hear a guy who. was working necessarily on I want to. sound just like Jimmy Page or I want to. sound just like this person or that. person and have this really smooth great. you you figured it out you said you're. miserably failing is what you're saying. to me yeah you're listening to the sound. of failure.

you fail consistently and I just wanted. it but by the way why don't we get more. people coming into the interview this is. the last one we had left and so now. we're done yeah we've alienated everyone. now this is what I say to everyone here. it's your failure over and over again. Perpetual failure that's uh that's. brought you to me hey what is your. guitar why is it engraved Connie Stevens. because you know what it costs have your. own name put in there too many letters. yeah under the Connie opponents at the.

Connie Stevens estate sale again. listen uh I want to let you go I want. you to have a great day rest up I'm. going to come see you uh tomorrow. um and uh I'm just it's it's a joy to. know you it's a joy to know you man. likewise it really is it really is it's. great I was thinking earlier when you. said that you know I think that you were. the first. uh well-known person or celebrity that I. ever saw in public and went up and said. hello to I don't know if you ever know. it was a bowling alley in Detroit and I.

was there shooting a remote and. afterwards the time the writer Tommy. blotch and I went to this bowling alley. and I was bowling in Detroit bowling. alley that had like a bar next to it and. the next thing I know these like cool. young kids it was you yeah was Meg there. yeah Meg was in the Next Room with a. bunch of the garage rockers were there. yeah and for about a week I kind of kept. kicking myself like wow I don't know why. I did it why did I go up to him while I. was sitting at a dinner table and said. hi to him I mean that I shouldn't have. done that but it was so nice because we.

we got along we hung out yeah we chatted. and then cut to like I want to say two. years later. um I see that you and mega playing SNL. and I go up and I don't remember you. from the bowling sure of course because. you were a kid yeah yeah and um. and I remember telling you it's your. failure oh God. that will be your success and that's. going to make you a success and you were.

really bummed no but I came up to you at. SNL and I watched you guys rehearse yeah. yeah and um then you came over and you. went it's good to see you again and I. was like again I've not met Jack White. before anyone yeah we met in in Detroit. so you reminded me that we had met each. other and. um you were wearing a monocle I think. and. um very good this is all very good no. but it was one of the nice you just. didn't don't keep bringing it up Monaco.

over you you were saying bring this up. as many times as you possibly can that. wasn't the challenge. it says monocle times seven. monocle. um I'm gonna have a corn cob monocle. made for you and I'll send it to your. wacky House of Horrors in Nashville. um Jack uh yeah that was a lovely. accident that we met each other all.

those years ago and um and we've kept it. going and then you were kind enough. um when we came up with this podcast. there was one song I wanted we were. gonna be friends and you were like sure. you incredible price we had to pay every. time and place. um you're living solely off those. royalties now you haven't recorded. anything since. we haven't made a dime on this show yeah. we're in the hole we lose 600 000 a.

month on this show but because but I. insisted on that song.