While his friends explored the world of goth and post-punk, young Lewis spent hours perfecting Presley’s accompaniment and developed a lifelong love of ’50s music. Fast forward to today and his acting career couldn’t have been more different from his hero than the failure of a role in a King of Rock and Roll movie, and Lewis’ streak in film and on stage. I can only say that the work is brilliant.
Following his breakthrough as Major Richard Winters, brothers band He has morphed through different characters. hometown Nicholas Brody as the delightfully evil Henry VIII Wolf Hallbrought an old-fashioned charisma to each part and came full circle in his interpretation of Tarantino’s Steve McQueen Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
But music has always competed with Lewis’ artistic calling. He’s also an accomplished footballer, regularly appearing at England’s football aid and famously nailing Zinedine Zidane in 2010. And now, he’s finally ready to release his songs on his debut album. mission creep.
It doesn’t always work for artists to step out of their natural surroundings – if you haven’t seen the 1970 version of Mick Jagger, Ned Kelly Don’t worry, you’re not alone, even the Jaguar couldn’t stand it – but mission creep It’s not a dilettante’s business. Lewis’ songs are beautifully written and performed, combining the story of his career busking in Europe in his early twenties with the story of his life thereafter.
When we meet, Luis is surprisingly talkative and completely relaxed. Perhaps despite the grief of losing his wife, the incomparable Helen McCrory, in 2021.. Lewis wrote a beautiful eulogy about her, including McRory’s wishes for the family’s future. She said, “I want my daddy to have lots of girlfriends, I want her to love them all again, love isn’t possessiveness, but Damien, at least make it through the funeral without hurting anyone.” Do your best.”
Lewis has been busy since then, gearing up for performances at the Black Deer Festival and London’s Union Chapel, followed by a tour in September. “It’s really fun to make a collection of songs and put them on record,” he tells me. “I never thought I had a special talent for writing songs, but suddenly I found it easy and fun. The form of singing as a means of communication.”
I asked him how it was different from acting and suggested that songwriting, performing in theater and film were essentially different ways of being a storyteller. “It’s very easy for me to be on stage, I feel comfortable when I’m there, and it’s great to be in front of an audience. But you’re right, it’s a story, except you’re telling it as yourself, which is basically saying, ‘I’m going to write a poem, put music to it, and I’m going to tell you.’ It’s like being
How is acting different in terms of telling a story? and I interpret it by sublimating myself into the world of the play and descending the rabbit hole. It’s very different from saying, “Listen to the song.”
It’s been so much fun talking to Lewis about some of the most important songs in his life. His analysis and love of music resemble a conversation with a music nerd rather than the handsome devil of a Hollywood star. When asked about the decision-making process behind choosing Nine Songs, Lewis brought up his appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2014, something he still remembers almost a decade later.
“I still wake up in a cold sweat looking at Desert Island Disc, but it was terrible. It was a disaster, I thought too much. ’ because you can make a story out of these things.”
Of the artists Lewis chose that day, only one was chosen this time — his beloved Elvis, of course — but he took a similar approach to our conversation. “This was a bit of a challenge to Desert Island Discs, and I don’t know why I tried to do it again. There is no right way to do this, and there are only nine songs. I wonder, ‘Is it a song?’ or ‘Is there an important story involved in that song?'”
Like the songwriting, Lewis’ choices are autobiographical in nature, incorporating songs deeply connected to his mother’s death, cover versions he sent to McCrory, and lullabies he sang to his children.. “Some of them have stories that happened several times in my life, some of which I like for different reasons. Anyway, here are my nine songs. I’m excited. I’m ready.”
When I finished it, I couldn’t help but think, “How did it compare to Deserted Island Disc?” “Yes.
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