Fred Armisen on Punk, Prince, Paul McCartney and More

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Fred Armisen plays an instrument on Saturday Night Live, he’s ACTUALLY playing the instrument? Playing all right notes on guitar and actually keeping the beat on drums?

That’s because, as some folks may know, he started his career as a musician. He played in punk bands and he celebrates the genre as “a very positive, happy celebratory type of music” –unlike the angry movement some make it out to be — in his Guest DJ Project set. He also calls Prince the “Steve Jobs of making music.

Fred Armisen on KCRW’s Guest DJ Project by KCRW

The Portlandia star has some interesting reflections on why The Clash breaking up was a good thing and Devo was the ultimate band forrebelling against the rebels”.

Check out his full DJ set in the archives here.

Fred Armisen Guest DJ Project Set List
1.) Ram on- Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney
2.) Girl U Want- Devo
3.) Love Song- The Damned
4.) E=MC2- Big Audio Dynamite
5.) Pop Life- Prince & The Revolution

(Editor’s Note: If you have not yet seen Portlandia, please do. It’s as good as everyone says it is.)