Musician Chris Isaak hit the music scene after being featured in David Lynch's film Blue Velvet. He hit it big with the single "Wicked Game;" it landed him on the Top 10 and was accompanied by an unforgettable Herb Ritts video.
Isaak followed this by creating another song with a video by Ritts, "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing," which was linked to another movie: Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. He then starred in his own Showtime television series, The Chris Isaak Show, for three seasons.
His newest album, Beyond the Sun, pays tribute to classic artists with covers of their legendary songs and was recorded in Memphis, Tenn., at Sun Records Studios. In an email interview, he discussed the new CD, Christmas songs and his reflective suit.
Windy City Times: Hi, Chris. What went into the decision making for your choices of covers on Beyond the Sun?
Chris Isaak: I confess, I didn't have any big plan. I just picked songs that I loved to sing. I have been singing some of these songs since I was a kid. My dad used to play a lot of this music around our house and when I finished the album I brought my folks the first copy. My dad doesn't ever say a lot but I saw him whisper something to my mom and later I asked my mom what he said. He told her, "That's the way I would have sung it."
WCT: I grew up in Tennessee. How was recording in Memphis?
CI: I love Memphis, a city with a lot soul. I don't think I could have made this record without going to Sun Studio. I fell in love with the Sun sound way back as a kid listening to my folks' records. Then later in my life I was boxing as a light-heavyweight in Japan and feeling homesick, and I happened upon on a copy of Elvis' Sun Recordings. It changed everything for me! So walking into the same little studio that Sam Phillips had recorded Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison [and] Jerry Lee Lewis ... was like coming home.
WCT: Have you seen the show Million Dollar Quartet, with many of them as characters in it?
CI: I felt like one of those Star Wars fanatics who points out details no one in the world cares about but other fanatics: "The walls of the studio are actually off-white caustic tile not red tuck and roll." But it doesn't matter if the acting and the story is good, and the show was a knockout! It's a great show and it's turning a lot of people on to some real music! And I love that they don't lip-sync; they play.
WCT: Is your song "Lovely Loretta" about Loretta Lynn?
CI: Well, she sure is lovely! I wrote that song but I ain't telling!
WCT: How do you decide what songs to play live?
CI: I try to play songs people came to hear. I could never understand artists getting so high and mighty that they stop playing the songs the audience came for. I'm happy playing "Wicked Game" or "Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing" or "Somebody's Crying." I love playing stuff off the latest record and mixing it up!
We kind of do a show within the show where we bring out a stand-up bass and an upright piano and kick into "Ring of Fire" and songs like "It's Now or Never." I love people to be entertained. We dress up in flashy suits, we talk with the crowd and we have fun. When we have a piano catch fire and smoke pours out during "Great Balls Of Fire," I'm having a ball! We have a 20-foot inflatable pin-up girl that blows up while we are playing "Oh, Pretty Woman." I would say we decide what to play by deciding what will be fun. We play ballads but we don't let it get sleepy.
WCT: Are you possibly going to play something from your Christmas album?
CI: Yes, I love Christmas songs and I wrote a bunch that I put on my Christmas album. I wanted it to be Christmas music that sounded good in the background while you open presents and have a meal. It's very pretty, but also enough up stuff so that when the relatives start fighting you can turn up the music!
WCT: I love "We Let Her Down." Is there any chance of playing that in Skokie?
CI: I wrote it so I know it, but I'm not sure if I'm going to get that and "Blue Christmas" in the same set!
WCT: You mentioned flashy suits. Are you going to wear your disco-reflective silver suit?
CI: Say ... who is running this show? Yeah. It weighs about 35 pounds and is covered in real mirrors but I will bring it out!
WCT: You usually meet fans after your show in the merchandise booth. Are you doing this after the show in Skokie?
CI: I love talking to the fans after, before and during shows! I don't know how far we drive after the show but even when we are in a rush we usually get to meet fans! I don't think the merchandise folks like us going into the booth because Kenney [Dale Johnson], my drummer, kept giving things away! He has a heart as big as a jail.
WCT: Your music is well-known for being romantic. Have you ever been asked or sang at a wedding before? You could sing at my future gay wedding!
CI: I sang at only one wedding: my brother's. Weddings scare the hell out of me!
WCT: How do you feel about the song that sounds just like "Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" as the theme song on HBO's True Blood?
CI: I haven't heard it. I need to watch more TV!
WCT: More acting in the future?
CI: I love acting. It's just a fun thing to get to do. You get to dress up; pretend to be somebody exciting or crazy or wonderful; and they feed you a giant free lunch and dinner. Who wouldn't like that? I have always been a huge fan of old movies so being part of that world is a treat for me. Even when I was boxing in Japan I was working as an extra in films and having a ball. I got to be in a film with [the late actor] Vic Morrow and because I was the only English-speaking guy on set, he would talk to me a lot. He always looked pissed off but was really nice.
WCT: Now David Lynch is making music. What do you think about that?
CI: Great! David is good at everything he puts his mind to. I don't think I have met anybody with more talent! He can direct, write, act, draw, make furniture, and now music! I have composed music for his film and talking with him it was obvious in a minute that he had great musical understanding and a great ear. I'm a big fan!
WCT: Thanks for taking my questions. I look forward to seeing you for the third time live in concert!
CI: Thanks for your time. If you make it to the show, say hello! Happy holidays to you and yours…
For more info on Isaak visit www.chrisisaak.com . Look for ticket information at www.northshorecenter.org for the Dec. 10 show at the North Shore Performing Arts Center, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie.
