 In the course of Chris Isaak's career, he has released nine
extraordinary albums, twelve singles, been nominated for two Grammy awards,
acted in several motion pictures and starred in his own critically acclaimed TV
series. His legendary shows with his longtime band Silvertone have entertained
tens of thousands of people for over two decades. Even his hair has its own fan
club. And yet, this highly praised herald platinum-selling artist has never
released a greatest hits album.
Hard to believe, no? Well, unlike some artists who roll out a greatest hits
package after, say, their second album, Isaak waited until he actually had
enough hits to legitimately describe the collection as such.
"Shouldn't a greatest hits collection after two records be called 'Greatest
Hit'?" Isaak asks. "I guess I've just always been too busy making records. Plus,
it takes a while before you really want to compile everything. But after going
through all the songs to make the Best Of, I feel like we have good stuff."
Good stuff. That's typical Isaak self-deprecation- it's much more than good
stuff. Best Of Chris Isaak-the CD and accompanying DVD, which features 18 video
clips by such esteemed directors as Gus Van Sant, Bruce Weber, Herb Ritts, Mary
Lambert and Jean-Baptiste Mondino-take listeners on a gratifying musical journey
through the Stockton, Calif., native's two-decade career, showcasing his stellar
songwriting; smooth, dusky baritone (and tender falsetto that will alert your
dog); and effortless brand of stylish retro-cool.
The album displays Isaak's many different musical personas: the rockabilly rebel
("Dancin'," "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing," "Speak Of The Devil"), the
brokenhearted crooner ("Wicked Game," "Somebody's Crying"), and the breezy
acoustic storyteller ("San Francisco Days," "Two Hearts"). It includes two brand
new songs, the elegant "King Without A Castle" and the break-up exhortation
"Let's Have A Party," as well as two covers: Cheap Trick's power-pop anthem "I
Want You To Want Me," a live favorite previously unavailable on any of his CDs
("It's kind of fun to do something a little different for me," Isaak says), an
inspired version of his hero Roy Orbison's classic lovelorn ballad "Only The
Lonely," and a stirring never before heard acoustic version of "Forever Blue."
"What a sweet guy Roy was," Isaak says. "We opened for him one time and after
the show I said to him, 'I don't know if I write hits or not,' and he said, 'You
write hits, you just don't know it.' It was exactly what I needed to hear at the
time to keep me going for another year."
That was before noted director David Lynch used "Wicked Game," a spare, moody
ballad from Isaak's third album, Heart-Shaped World, in the film Wild At Heart.
The song went Top Ten in 1991, and the video, a steamy Herb Ritts-directed clip
featuring the singer rolling around on the beach with a topless Helena
Christensen, made Isaak a star. "'Wicked Game' really put us out there," he
says. "We were on the road at the time, and got to ditch our van and get into a
bus. For the first time in years, we got some sleep!"
Another significant hit included on Best Of is the south-of-the-border-flavored
ballad "Somebody's Crying" from 1995's Forever Blue (both the single and album
were nominated for Grammy awards in 1996). "I wrote that song in a closet,"
Isaak says. "I had just broken up with someone and hadn't been out of the house
much. A friend of mine was having a party and as soon as I arrived I realized I
didn't want to be there. The house had this big walk-in closet in the hallway,
so I went in, shut the door, and sat down underneath the coats. There was a
guitar leaning against the wall in the back. I started tuning it up and wrote
'Somebody's Crying.'"
Then there's the swaggering, bluesy rocker "Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing" (also
from Forever Blue), which can be heard in Stanley Kubrick's 1999 film Eyes Wide
Shut starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The director asked Kidman what music
she wanted to rehearse the movie's striptease scene to. "Nicole had been
listening to the track and brought it in to run through for her rehearsal,"
Isaak recalls. "Stanley said, 'I love it,' and put it in the film. I owe Nicole
Kidman a full body massage."
So what were Isaak's criteria for a song's inclusion on the album? "I wanted it
to be a record that people want to listen to over and over," Isaak says. "I
tried to pick songs that people request most when we play live, and then make
sure it was balanced between slow and fast tunes."
While reviewing tracks, some going back to the mid-'80s, Isaak says what struck
him most was how lucky he has been to have the people he works with around him,
such as producer Erik Jacobsen ("who taught me everything I know about making
records, but not everything he knows"), longtime engineer Mark Needham, and his
Silvertone bandmates, drummer Kenney Dale Johnson, bassist Rowland Salley, and
guitarist Hershel Yatovitz, who have been with Isaak for years. "People see my
picture on the album covers and think, 'Chris goes into a room and he makes an
album.' But I go into a room and make it with these guys, who've been
supportive, and have good ideas and good energy."
And to what does he attribute the longevity of his career? "You know, I've never
tried to jump on a trend, and I've never had to jump off of one," he says. "I
try to do what feels right for each song. So I never have to go, 'Well, no more
disco for me.'"
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Chris Isaak honored in New YorkNewsNet5.comVeteran rocker CHRIS ISAAK has been honored as the Artist of the Year by a New York radio station. The Wicked Game hitmaker was the toast of the WFUV Spring Gala on Thursday (10May12) and he was humbled to follow in the footsteps of the award's ...and more » |
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Chris Isaak, Bob Costas and More Set for WFUV Spring GalaBroadway WorldSinger-songwriter Chris Isaak, ABC News Global Affairs Anchor Christiane Amanpour, NBC Sports Broadcaster Al Michaels and City Winery founder Michael Dorf will be honored on Thursday, May 10th at the Fifth Annual WFUV Spring Gala, taking place at New ... |
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Chris Isaak Plays Live at Webster's Indian Ranch, 5/30Broadway WorldChris Isaak will take the stage at Indian Ranch, the popular Webster, Mass., venue on Saturday, June 30, 2012. Chris Isaak put out his first album, Silvertone, in 1985. He has released 14 records since then, including his breakthrough 1989 triple ...and more » |
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