A Taste:

Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Journey

“I’m never going to stop rocking,” laughs Mike White.

The Gentlemen Broncos star has no reason to ever stop, especially now that he’s played the film’s wild-maned Dusty. With long flowing locks and a skill with oversized spitball straws, Dusty is quite “rock n’ roll.” He’s the kind of guy you’d see outside of an Iron Maiden show double-fisting two Pabst Blue Ribbons and throwing up the horns, yet Mike imbues a strange calm into the character. It’s that zen which allows for the biggest laughs.

However, Mike wasn’t the only rocker on set. Filmmaker Jared Hess [Napoleon Dynamite] also has a soft spot for some good ole fashion distortion. Mike and Jared sat down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for this exclusive interview about what’s on their playlists. It gets you closer to Gentlemen Broncos, and it gets loud!

Check out their playlists below and in the video, and don’t miss Gentlemen Broncos in theaters now!

Mike White’s Playlist:

1. Genesis

Mike White: The ’80s hair band music that Jared has peppered throughout this soundtrack has now become my iPod playlist. I’m having a Genesis season [Laughs].

2. Journey

3. Whitesnake

Mike White: There are so many good ones! I was in L.A. during the ’80s, and it was never better than that. That was the heyday on the sunset strip.Jared Hess’s Playlist:

1. Scorpions

2. Black Sabbath

3. Ozzy Osbourne

Jared Hess: I like old stuff—Scorpions, Black Sabbath, and all the goodies. You’ve got to get a little Ozzy in there, man. The film is an eclectic hot mess of lots of stuff. The characters are so different it warrants a lot of different genres of music.

Watch video here!

—Rick Florino
10.30.09

Check out Rick Florino’s new novel Dolor available now for FREE here…

A Taste:

Abba, Journey, Marvin Gaye

Music is crucial to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Linkin Park and Green Day pipe through some of the film’s most bombastic action sequences, and each note elevates the action on screen.

Director Michael Bay understands the importance of music in film. He even sometimes cranks tunes on set to get the vibe right. Bay explains, “Sometimes we do play music on the set. As for the trailer, I don’t know what they listen to [Laughs].”

So, we found out what’s spinning in some trailers! Check it out below and catch Transformers this Wednesday!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Playlist:

What do you listen to in your trailer?

Josh Duhamel: Mostly ABBA

Kevin Dunn: Journey

Ramon Rodriguez: The Carpenters

Tyrese Gibson: Marvin Gaye

—Rick Florino
06.22.09

A Taste:

Journey, India.Arie, Missy Elliott, Styx

“Lyrics grab me first and foremost,” says Stephanie J. Block with a smile.

Listening to Stephanie’s brand new album, This Place I Know, there’s the perfect balance between lyrical depth and epic vocal delivery. Stephanie’s a Broadway veteran having starred in productions ranging from The Boy from Oz and Wicked to 9 to 5: The Musical. The “show” element also remains important to her on Place. She elaborates, “I want people to stop and have a cinematic visual of what the song is saying.”

Stephanie’s playlist is quite surprising. She’s more likely to be cranking Journey than Cats, and that’s part of what makes her such a vibrant performer.

She laughs, “My playlist is so wild. Very rarely will I listen to musical theater, there are a few soundtracks that really touch me, but my playlist is kind of crazy.”

Check out Stephanie’s playlist below and pick up This Place I Know.

Stephanie J. Block’s Playlist:

1. Journey

I love Journey! I think they’re genius. Steve Perry’s voice knocks me out. Every time I listen to their albums, I notice something new—whether it’s the bass line or a really cool guitar solo. It all goes back to Journey for me. As a kid, I had a babysitter named Michelle and I thought she was the ultimate in cool. She had tight jeans and long-feathered hair. She was awesome! She wore white lightning nail polish, and I will never forget her. She always would play Journey. When you’re that age, I thought I was being babysat by the coolest girl in the world. She couldn’t be more glamorous popular and hip, so that music she listened to always sticks with me. It was always Journey and Styx. 25 years later, it’s still the greatest music!

2. Styx

Certain music takes me to a real place in my past. Bands like Styx were my gateway into music and I have some of the coolest memories are attached to those bands.

3. Annie — Soundtrack

When I turned 11, I really discovered musical theater and I picked up every album I could—from Annie to The Sound of Music and The King and I. That really resonated with me. As a musical theater artist, I very rarely will put on a Sondheim or Gershwin album. I think a lot of musical theater people tend to go for that. I love to perform and live that music, but when it comes time for me to listen to something else. I really go to different genres.

4. James Taylor

5. India.Arie

I dig India.Arie. I think she’s really wonderful. She draws from her family, personal experiences and what she’s been through. Her music truly takes me to a place where I’m like, “I can do that!” It’s genius, but it’s accessible. That’s something I could really do—sit on the subway transit, notice people and jot things down. I realize I could create a great song just by being aware of what’s going on around me. India Arie does that. She’s really special. I feel like society could learn so much from what this woman has to say and I wish she could be on every radio station and playing everywhere.

6. Missy Elliott

If it’s time to get up, my playlist immediately goes to Missy Elliott or something that’s going to get the blood pumping and flowing and get me rallying for the day.

7. Pink

She’s a great storyteller. All of her music is very personal; she’s trying to tell the listener something and I really respect her for that. I’m all over the board when it comes to music!

—Rick Florino
06.21.09