Probably the most vital unsung heroes within the historical past of The Blues Brothers is Paul Shaffer, whom some trendy audiences could acknowledge finest as David Letterman’s band chief. Nonetheless, earlier than then, he performed keyboard for the unique line-up of Saturday Evening Dwell’s home band, turned a part of the SNL solid for one season within the Nineteen Seventies, and was a founding member of The Blues Brothers Band and toured with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
So, why is it that the completed musician (portrayed by Paul Rust within the 2024 biopic Saturday Evening) is nowhere to be seen within the beloved 1980 musical movie based mostly on the SNL characters? The reason behind Shaffer’s absence in one of many funniest and easily finest motion pictures of the ‘80s makes for a reasonably fascinating story from behind the scenes of The Blues Brothers, and in addition a heartbreaking one.
Paul Shaffer Was Compelled To Drop Out Of The Blues Brothers Film
In December 2024, Paul Shaffer appeared on comic Paul Ollinger’s podcast, Fairly Completely happy. Within the episode, he discusses how the extraordinary line-up of The Blues Brothers Band got here collectively earlier than the host brings up how the musician was confronted with a tricky selection involving the film, The Blues Brothers.
Shaffer describes it as one of many “worst skilled conditions” of his life earlier than explaining that SNL creator Lorne Michaels requested him and Blues Brothers album producer Bob Tischler to assist Gilda Radner make the 1980 live performance documentary, Gilda Dwell. Out of loyalty to his previous good friend, the late Radner (who made a huge effect on SNL as a founding Not Prepared For Primetime Participant), Shaffer pulled out of The Blues Brothers, paving the best way for Murphy Dunne to take his place. Nonetheless, this was a lot to the chagrin of one other SNL icon.
John Belushi Did Not Take The Information Properly
John Belushi had beforehand suggested Shaffer to not do Radner’s movie so he may put together for his or her film, which was to be directed by John Landis. So, upon studying that the keyboardist wouldn’t be concerned, he issued a “press launch” among the many fellow members of The Blues Brothers Band to specific his emotions.
The comic (recognized for having a little bit of a mood, as Matt Wooden’s portrayal in Saturday Evening displays), primarily, kicked Shaffer out of the group that he helped begin, claiming that he would “by no means be a Blues Brother,” because the musician remembers to Ollinger. This totally devastated Shaffer however, fortunately, the fallout was solely short-term.
Shaffer Would Reconcile With Belushi And Seem In Blues Brothers 2000
Shaffer remembers that he and Belushi managed to place their dangerous blood behind them earlier than The Blues Brothers Band was scheduled to go on tour. Much more fortunately, Shaffer was capable of reconcile with the musically gifted SNL star earlier than his premature loss of life in 1981.
Years later, Shaffer signed on to supply the music for Blues Brothers 2000 and even appeared in a small position because the servant to Queen Mousette (Erykah Badu). Most followers take into account this to be a sequel that by no means ought to have occurred, particularly with out Belushi capable of return as Joliet Jake, however it’s nonetheless nice to see Shaffer concerned in its in any other case stellar soundtrack.
With all due respect to Murphy Dunne – and, in fact, to Gilda Radner – I now can’t assist however surprise if The Blues Brothers may have been even higher if Paul Shaffer was within the solid. He very effectively may have made among the finest Blues Brothers quotes – resembling Dunne’s “I knew a hooker named Minnie Mazolla” – even funnier. Perhaps I’ll rewatch the movie, which is at present the most effective motion pictures on Amazon Prime, with that in thoughts and see how I really feel.