Directors Turned Musicians
We love to poke fun of actors who attempt to start bands, but there are also a number of film directors who have made the leap to music.
DAVID LYNCH
Surreal, atmospheric and twisted perversion of 1950s American traditions — a fitting description for Lynch’s film work, but that also describes the pair of spooky blues albums he released a few years back.
JOHN CARPENTER
Having composed his own beloved soundtracks for decades, the horror hero has finally embraced his music career. In the past couple of years, he’s released albums of Lost Themes and gone on tour for the first time.
ROBERT RODRIGUEZ
His 1992 feature film debut was called El Mariachi, so it’s fitting that he also makes mariachi-influenced rock as a guitarist in the band Chingon. Their name comes from the Mexican slang term for “awesome.”
CLINT EASTWOOD
Best known as an actor and director, he is also a pianist, singer and soundtrack composer. He sang an album of classic Western tunes in the ’60s and in 1997 released a Live at Carnegie Hall jazz record.
JIM JARMUSCH
He played in ’80s no wave outfit the Del-Byzanteens and is currently in doom-rock trio SQÜRL. In 2012, he concocted waves of ambient guitar noise for two truly bizarre collaboration albums with lutist Jozef van Wissem.