The Roots For Jimmy Fallon?

The Roots have been hired to be Jimmy Fallon’s new talk show house band. That is very bittersweet for me because I’m a fan of The Roots, and now they’ve just become a house band? I suppose it’s a steady gig, and they’ll still get to perform together for 15 seconds at a time as they play to bring on guests, but I feel like they’ve completely sold out.

To me, The Roots have always had the “real factor” going for them, and they’ve just mainstreamed themselves. My friends and I had a debate about this very situation last night and they’re comparing The Roots’ “houseband” situation to Max Weinbergs..but I think they have it all wrong. Max Weinberg hasn’t sold out because he’s simply playing a gig…you don’t see the whole E-street band as Conan’s house band (although that wouldn’t be such a bad idea). The Roots have simply given up in my eyes but at least I can say “I used to listen to them when…”