The story of Chris Isaak is reminiscent of a Hollywood movie. Boy grows up listening to blues records, boy teaches himself guitar, boy starts as solo act and catches eye of producer, boy makes it big. The movie-like quality of Chris Isaak’s life shouldn’t come as a surprise considering his relation to the film world; Isaak has acted in several movies and many of his songs were made famous by movies.
Well known for his song “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,” featured in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, Chris Isaak has been performing almost his entire life, putting out albums since his first in 1984. His latest album, Beyond the Sun, is his 13th album but most certainly won’t be his last.
Isaak’s sound is reminiscent of the albums he listened to as a boy: Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and any artist that came out of Sun Studio. After teaching himself to play on his brother’s guitar, Isaak took a brief musical hiatus, attending college at University of the Pacific in Stockton. After spending some time in Japan, he first started to consider a career in music.
Isaak soon moved to San Francisco, starting as a solo act but soon moving on to form a rockabilly-influenced group called Silvertone (also to be the name of his debut album). While the band played small venues around San Francisco, producer Erik Jacobsen (who had worked with groups like Lovin’ Spoonful and Norman Greenbaum) took an interest and helped Isaak get a recording contract with Warner Bros Records.
Since making his first album, Isaak has had many musical successes; his second album, the self-titled Chris Isaak, was certified gold in the U.S., he met legendary Roy Orbison and was asked to open for his tour, and many of his songs have been used in iconic films, helping drive his success even further.
After so many years in the music business, one might think that Isaak would be winding down. But on the contrary, Isaak shows no signs of slowing down, continuing a legendary career that has touched millions.
SVPN: How do you think your early musical influences have come into your own music?
Chris Isaak: That music defined what I love about music. It was lonely, wild, happy, pretty, and you could hear the singer. I think I still go back to that basic sound even when I’m writing new songs or making a new album. If you have a good story and you tell it well you don’t need much more.
SVPN: Your first album came out in 1984. How do you think your music has evolved since then?
CI: I have been writing songs since I was about thirteen. I remember I bought a tape recorder and all my friends were shocked because they thought I was getting a football. I came out of the store and showed them the recorder and they were sitting on their bikes and they just went “Why did you get that!?” and I explained, “Now I can write songs!”
SVPN: After so many years in the music industry, what advice would you give to up-and-coming musicians?
CI: Don’t drink and do drugs to get on stage. Play in front of a crowd, any crowd. Work at what you do and show up on time. If you do these things you will be surprised how many talented people you can out-do! It’s a fun job and a great life, but you have to respect the audience and your work. I haven’t missed a show in 35 years of touring. I LOVE what I do!
SVPN: What have been some defining moments for you in your evolution as a musician?
CI: I think finding a copy of a Sun Session recording of Elvis while I was in Japan boxing. I was homesick and when I bought that record it showed me what I wanted to do. I started growing my hair longer and I was playing guitar until the neighbors knew the songs as well as I did.
SVPN: Tell me about your new album, Beyond the Sun.
CI: This is me singing the songs I grew up listening to. I heard this music as a kid and loved it and didn’t know where it came from, only that it was so different and that I loved it. Then it just kept popping up in my life, the record that I found in Japan and wore out (I still have it!) and then later on I kept meeting these musical idols of mine: Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash. I finally got to go into that sacred little room called Sun Studio and make a record of my own, and it was the most fun I ever had in the studio. We just played until three in the morning and everything we cut, we cut live like they used to, all at once with no overdub or computer tricks!
SVPN: You’re also an actor. How did you segue into the film world after being a musician first and foremost?
CI: I show up on time, I don’t complain, I know my lines, and I don’t argue with the director. Most of my life, my penmanship and my punctuality are what I got by on.
SVPN: What do you do to stay grounded or inspired when you’re on tour traveling so much?
CI: I have had the same band for thirty years. They tell me off if I get out of line. And they always inspire me!
SVPN: What was the best decision you almost never made?
CI: I remember talking to my mom and saying I was thinking about going back to Japan because I had a chance to get a job. And she just looked at me and said “What do you want to do?” and just asking me that was enough. I knew I wanted to make music but I felt responsible to try and make some money too. My family was pretty broke right about then. But she really gave me a lot of freedom that day, basically just saying, “Don’t worry about the rest, just follow your heart.” So I did and I have to say I’m so glad I had parents who never laughed at my crazy ideas, they just helped me out and backed me up. And I am proud to say my mom is driving a Cadillac now. God bless rock-and-roll!
Fill in the Blank:
I never go on tour without…
My pens and a drawing book. I love to cartoon and sketch. It keeps me out of poolhalls and such.
My favorite song is…
“I Forgot to Remember to Forget” (by Elvis). It always moves me, makes me think of my first love.
Without music, I would…
Still be putting tar on roofs or working back at the Port of Stockton.
My guilty pleasure is…
Old movies. I could watch old movies until it’s daylight, then eat a bowl of Cap’n Crunch and start playing guitar. Life is grand!
