| 
Interview: Jack Foley
THERE'S good reason why the US is currently embracing an exciting
new talent called Johnathan Rice.
Not only is his debut album, Trouble Is Real, gaining
him widespread critical acclaim and had TV musical directors falling
over themselves to get in on the act, he’s earned supports
slots from as eclectic a selection of artists as you would expect,
and he has caught the eye of the casting directors for the much
anticipated Johnny Cash biopic, Walk The Line,
starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
In the second part of an IndieLondon exclusive, Johnathan talks
about the film and his plans for the future...
Q. Looking forward, you’re playing Roy Orbison
in the upcoming biopic of Johnny Cash, aren’t you? How did
you come to get involved with that?
A. The Cash movie was a lot of fun. I always loved watching
movies, and all of a sudden I was in one.
Not only that, but I was in a movie being made in the American
Deep South, one of the most mysterious and magical places in the
world.
Q. Have you developed a taste for acting as well –
and are there plans to continue in the future, or concentrate
on the music?
A. I don't fancy myself as some movie actor and I have
no designs on that for the future.
I did it because the music is very important to me. Sun Records
and the artists they housed put out the most quintessentially
American music since the birth of the Blues.
I grew up on Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash and always
fantasized about being just like them, and then I got to play
one of them in the movies.
Not too fucking shabby.
|
 |
Q. How was working with the
likes of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, as well as Waylon
Payne or Tyler Hilton, who all perform musically in the film?
A. It was an honor to be able to watch Joaquin playing
Johnny, he brought a dignity and danger to his performance that
totally shocked me. My role in the film was more musical than
anything else.
Q. What was it like recording with the film’s musical
supervisor, T Bone Burnett, on a rendition of the Cash-penned
You’re My Baby?
A. I recorded with T. Bone Burnett and some of the guys
from Dylan's band and that was just incredible.
I think T. Bone is the coolest and it was just another one of
those things where I just smiled to myself nd sang the best I
could.
Q. And how does it feel to have been recognised by The
Songwriters Hall Of Fame so early into your career?
A. As for that Songwriters' Hall of Fame thing, I wish
they would send me my goddamn plaque so I can put it on the wall.
All my friends have Grammy's and gold records on their wall and
all I have is a picture of my friend, Farmer Dave. Some award.
Q. Finally, what’s next for Johnathan Rice in the
coming months? How do you top this year? And what are the touring
plans for the rest of the year?
A. I'm gonna tour this record for a long time. I don't
really see an end in sight at this point. I'm gonna go out solo
with my all time hero, Jeff Tweedy's band Wilco in a few days
over in Germany and Holland, and then I'll rehearse my band Death
Valley for a big rock and roll tour of the UK in October.
We'll keep going in the USA after that, and at some point I'll
record my new record which is called California Negra.
I intend on staying very busy while I'm able.
Walk The Line preview
Return to the start
of Johnathan Rice interview
Trouble Is Real
review
|
