Sutherland rocks a new role
Kiefer Sutherland never meant to start a side hustle as a rock star. But with the release of his debut album, “Down in a Hole,” the 50-year-old star of ABC’s “Designated Survivor” finds himself playing for bigger audiences every year. This summer, Sutherl
Q: You were originally going to give the songs on your album to someone else. How much convincing did it take for you to do them? A: I am really aware of the negative stigma attached to actors doing music. I never wanted to partake in it. One of my dearest friends, Jude Cole, and I recorded a couple of songs, more or less as demos to see if anyone would be interested in a publishing deal. But after Jude listened to them he said, “These songs are clearly yours. You should do them.” I said, “Absolutely not.” Q: What made you come around? A: We finished recording and went out to dinner. A couple drinks in, it sounded like a good idea. Really, it was two things: I really loved the way he produced the songs. I also really liked playing those songs live. Q: Do you have to fight the acting urge when you’re onstage? A: As an actor, I felt playing live I would have an edge because I had done so much stage work. I was completely wrong about that. It was almost the opposite. When I was up onstage and I would explain where I was and why I wrote a certain song and I quickly realized how personal it was. As an actor, I had characters to hide behind. At a certain point, you just give in and realize you’re going to open up in a way you never have before. Q: You have a nice little lateperiod Bob Dylan thing happening with your voice. Where did that come from? A: It’s a really interesting question. It’s the voice I’ve got. Out of all the things I was least comfortable with was my voice. Do I have the greatest range? No. But I’m going to take advantage of the 12 notes I got. Q: You’re playing a couple of music festivals this year. For someone who usually gets top billing, is it weird seeing your name in the smallest font size on the poster? A: If it’s even on the poster! To have been invited to some of places we have been, I’m really humbled by that. I’m not trying to sell a billion records. I’m not trying to play stadiums. I like that after the show whatever preconceived notions you may have had fall by the wayside. On a creative level, this has made me more satisfied than I have felt in a long time.