RSS
Help
Cart
Cameron Crowe Biography
Academy award winner Cameron Crowe's well-known love of setting music to his movies (“Singles”, “Jerry Maguire”, “Almost Famous”) has resulted in a number of unforgettable modern marriages of film and song. In his new film, “Elizabethtown”, the music plays as important of a role as any of the characters.
You already know the work of the filmmaker, but ARTISTdirect’s exclusive interview is going to give you deep and profound insight into Cameron Crowe the human being. Cameron took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to answer those nagging questions we all have: What’s Mr. Soundtrack’s favorite soundtrack? Who’s his favorite Simpson sister? And what kind of M&Ms does he like?
“EITHER/OR” WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: Wine or Beer?
CC: Beer.
AD: Soup or Salad?
CC: Salad.
AD: Plain or Peanut?
CC: Plain.
AD: Capra or Sturges?
CC: Sturges.
AD: Beatles or Stones?
CC: Beatles.
AD: Lennon or McCartney?
CC: Lennon.
AD: Roth or Hagar?
CC: So Roth!
AD: Ashlee or Jessica?
CC: Oh...So Jessica. (Laughs)
AD: Biggie or 2Pac?
CC: 2Pac.
AD: Skynyrd or Neil Young?
CC: OH!... TIE! You tried to F**k with me! (laughs).
AD: Wilco or Son Volt?
CC: Wilco.
AD: Sunrise or Sunset?
CC: Sunset!
AD: Drive or Fly?
CC: C’mon... DRIVE!
AD: Big City or Small Town?
CC: Small Town.
AD: Writing or Directing?
CC: Writing.
AD: Music or Movies?
CC: Tie.
"WORD ASSOCIATION" WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: Brian Wilson
CC: Pet Sounds.
AD: Woody Allen
CC: "Crimes and Misdemeanors"
AD: Homer Simpson
CC: James L. Brooks
AD: Paul Westerberg
CC: Classic.
AD: Seattle
CC: Home.
AD: Los Angeles
CC: Not home. (Laughs) Not Seattle.
AD: Actor
CC: Writer.
AD: Musician
CC: Wife.
AD: Filmmaker
CC: Wilder.
CC: Do I get a score at the end of this?
AD: So far you’re at a 100%.
CC: Thanks man.
"THEME SONGS" WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: Lloyd Dobler ("Say Anything")
CC: “Bonin’ in the Boneyard” - Fishbone
AD: Jerry Maguire ("Jerry Maguire")
CC: “Magic Bus” – The Who
AD: William Miller ("Almost Famous")
CC: “Tangerine” - Led Zeppelin
AD: Drew Baylor ("Elizabethtown")
CC: “My Father's Gun” – Elton John
AD: CC “Bud” Baxter ("The Apartment")
CC: Whoa... Dave Brubeck - “Take Five”
AD: Billy Wilder.
CC: “Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Elvis Presley. His last favorite song.
AD: Tom Cruise
CC: “Rez” - Underworld
AD: Nancy Wilson
CC: "60B"
AD: Cameron Crowe
CC: My Morning Jacket - “I Will Be There When You Die”
"NORMAL" INTERVIEW QUESTIONS WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: If you weren’t Cameron Crowe the filmmaker, what would you be doing?
CC: Probably be a DJ. That’s what I always thought.
AD: What is the definitive road trip song?
CC: Probably... “Going Mobile” by The Who.
AD: What’s the worst trend in music right now?
CC: Pro Tools
AD: Are your kids going to be musicians or filmmakers?
CC: Filmmakers. (laughs)
AD: For your soundtracks, you like to unearth the hidden gem from rock icons. What’s the hidden gem from The Beatles?
CC: Wow...it’s a demo of the Paul McCartney song, “Goodbye,” which you can find on some bootlegs. It’s the song they gave to Mary Hopkin.
AD: Is there a reason you’ve never used any Beatles songs in your movies?
CC: No. We talked about using some stuff in "Vanilla Sky" but it seemed like a period where they weren’t going to approve anything. There was a few movies trying to get some Beatles songs. One of them was "I Am Sam", the other was the "The Royal Tenenbaums." We sorta turned back. I liked having McCartney be the final voice anyway.
AD:Is there a song that you try to work into every movie?
CC: Yes. Sometimes it makes it and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s “Chloe Dancer” by Mother Love Bone. We used it in “Say Anything” and “Singles” and then the streak broke. We almost worked it into this one.
AD: What is your favorite soundtrack that isn’t one of yours?
CC: Probably, Wattstax,, the soundtrack of the R&B festival...kinda like the black Woodstock.
AD: Has there ever been a song that you’ve used and regretted it?
CC: Uh.... No. Even the stuff in "Fast Times." Amy Heckerling and I collaborated on that. The first time she said she wanted to end the movie on “Goodbye, Goodbye” by Oingo Boingo, I didn’t get it. And now over time I know it’s the perfect way to end the movie.
AD: Can music affect you the same way it did when you were younger?
CC: Absolutely. If I don’t have it, I crave it and feel the loss. I think we all have our addictions and the things we need to survive. Addictions...not necessarily in a bad way. For me, it’s as important as food. You just kinda need it. It’s a constant inspiration for me...gets me writing, gets me going. There’s so much great new music out there. I love the idea that a movie can play some of that new music and expose it to people.
Check out Cameron Crowe’s new film, “Elizabethtown,” in theatres October 14th.
Check out the Trailer!
You already know the work of the filmmaker, but ARTISTdirect’s exclusive interview is going to give you deep and profound insight into Cameron Crowe the human being. Cameron took time out of his incredibly busy schedule to answer those nagging questions we all have: What’s Mr. Soundtrack’s favorite soundtrack? Who’s his favorite Simpson sister? And what kind of M&Ms does he like?
“EITHER/OR” WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: Wine or Beer?
CC: Beer.
AD: Soup or Salad?
CC: Salad.
AD: Plain or Peanut?
CC: Plain.
AD: Capra or Sturges?
CC: Sturges.
AD: Beatles or Stones?
CC: Beatles.
AD: Lennon or McCartney?
CC: Lennon.
AD: Roth or Hagar?
CC: So Roth!
AD: Ashlee or Jessica?
CC: Oh...So Jessica. (Laughs)
AD: Biggie or 2Pac?
CC: 2Pac.
AD: Skynyrd or Neil Young?
CC: OH!... TIE! You tried to F**k with me! (laughs).
AD: Wilco or Son Volt?
CC: Wilco.
AD: Sunrise or Sunset?
CC: Sunset!
AD: Drive or Fly?
CC: C’mon... DRIVE!
AD: Big City or Small Town?
CC: Small Town.
AD: Writing or Directing?
CC: Writing.
AD: Music or Movies?
CC: Tie.
"WORD ASSOCIATION" WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: Brian Wilson
CC: Pet Sounds.
AD: Woody Allen
CC: "Crimes and Misdemeanors"
AD: Homer Simpson
CC: James L. Brooks
AD: Paul Westerberg
CC: Classic.
AD: Seattle
CC: Home.
AD: Los Angeles
CC: Not home. (Laughs) Not Seattle.
AD: Actor
CC: Writer.
AD: Musician
CC: Wife.
AD: Filmmaker
CC: Wilder.
CC: Do I get a score at the end of this?
AD: So far you’re at a 100%.
CC: Thanks man.
"THEME SONGS" WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: Lloyd Dobler ("Say Anything")
CC: “Bonin’ in the Boneyard” - Fishbone
AD: Jerry Maguire ("Jerry Maguire")
CC: “Magic Bus” – The Who
AD: William Miller ("Almost Famous")
CC: “Tangerine” - Led Zeppelin
AD: Drew Baylor ("Elizabethtown")
CC: “My Father's Gun” – Elton John
AD: CC “Bud” Baxter ("The Apartment")
CC: Whoa... Dave Brubeck - “Take Five”
AD: Billy Wilder.
CC: “Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Elvis Presley. His last favorite song.
AD: Tom Cruise
CC: “Rez” - Underworld
AD: Nancy Wilson
CC: "60B"
AD: Cameron Crowe
CC: My Morning Jacket - “I Will Be There When You Die”
"NORMAL" INTERVIEW QUESTIONS WITH CAMERON CROWE:
AD: If you weren’t Cameron Crowe the filmmaker, what would you be doing?
CC: Probably be a DJ. That’s what I always thought.
AD: What is the definitive road trip song?
CC: Probably... “Going Mobile” by The Who.
AD: What’s the worst trend in music right now?
CC: Pro Tools
AD: Are your kids going to be musicians or filmmakers?
CC: Filmmakers. (laughs)
AD: For your soundtracks, you like to unearth the hidden gem from rock icons. What’s the hidden gem from The Beatles?
CC: Wow...it’s a demo of the Paul McCartney song, “Goodbye,” which you can find on some bootlegs. It’s the song they gave to Mary Hopkin.
AD: Is there a reason you’ve never used any Beatles songs in your movies?
CC: No. We talked about using some stuff in "Vanilla Sky" but it seemed like a period where they weren’t going to approve anything. There was a few movies trying to get some Beatles songs. One of them was "I Am Sam", the other was the "The Royal Tenenbaums." We sorta turned back. I liked having McCartney be the final voice anyway.
AD:Is there a song that you try to work into every movie?
CC: Yes. Sometimes it makes it and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s “Chloe Dancer” by Mother Love Bone. We used it in “Say Anything” and “Singles” and then the streak broke. We almost worked it into this one.
AD: What is your favorite soundtrack that isn’t one of yours?
CC: Probably, Wattstax,, the soundtrack of the R&B festival...kinda like the black Woodstock.
AD: Has there ever been a song that you’ve used and regretted it?
CC: Uh.... No. Even the stuff in "Fast Times." Amy Heckerling and I collaborated on that. The first time she said she wanted to end the movie on “Goodbye, Goodbye” by Oingo Boingo, I didn’t get it. And now over time I know it’s the perfect way to end the movie.
AD: Can music affect you the same way it did when you were younger?
CC: Absolutely. If I don’t have it, I crave it and feel the loss. I think we all have our addictions and the things we need to survive. Addictions...not necessarily in a bad way. For me, it’s as important as food. You just kinda need it. It’s a constant inspiration for me...gets me writing, gets me going. There’s so much great new music out there. I love the idea that a movie can play some of that new music and expose it to people.
Check out Cameron Crowe’s new film, “Elizabethtown,” in theatres October 14th.
Check out the Trailer!
Cameron Crowe All Music Guide Biography
Although Cameron Crowe is neither a musician nor an actor, his contributions to both music journalism and movie screenwriting/directing remain great. Born on July 13, 1957, in Palm Springs, California, Crowe was raised in San Diego, and became a major rock n' roll fan by his teenaged years. Instead of doing what many music-loving teenagers do - impersonate their idols in garage bands - Crowe turned to music journalism, landing writing jobs at the age of 15 with such renowned publications as Penthouse, Playboy, Creem, and the Los Angeles Times. A year later, Crowe began writing for Rolling Stone, where he eventually served as Contributing Editor and eventually, Associate Editor, as he interviewed/covered such '70s rock heavyweights as Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, David Bowie, Todd Rundgren, the Allman Brothers, Deep Purple, and countless others. 1976 also saw Crowe pen his first liner notes for Peter Frampton's monster smash, Frampton Comes Alive!, as he somehow also managed to attend and graduate from high school.
Having accomplished just about all there is to in music journalism, Crowe then turned his eye towards writing a movie screenplay. It was to document the trials and tribulations of modern day high school life, and in 1979, Crowe went undercover, returning back to a nearby high school and pretending to be a student. Despite the fact that he was 22 years old at the time, Crowe fit in with the teenagers, and soonafter, a cohesive screenplay began to take shape. The subsequent movie, 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High (directed by Amy Heckerling), went on to become possibly the best teen movie of all-time (and definitely most copied), as it also launched the careers of many renowned actors/actresses, including Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Anthony Edwards, and Eric Stoltz, among others. Up next for Crowe was another teen-based movie, 1984's The Wild Life, which proved to be not nearly as successful or special as its predecessor. Despite not being involved in any further movies for several years, Crowe's personal life was on the upswing, as he wed Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson in 1986.
Tired of having to hand the directorial reigns over to somebody else, Crowe signed on as director and writer for his next film (another teen comedy), Say Anything, which proved to be a return to form. Crowe continued to write and direct his own movies throughout the '90s, as he scored several hits at the box office. 1992's Singles, explored the dating scene in Seattle circa the 'grunge' movement (and featured cameos by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains), while 1996's Jerry Maguire starred Tom Cruise, and earned Crowe an Academy Award nomination for 'Best Writing/Screenplay.' For 2000's Almost Famous, Crowe decided to make an autobiographical movie about his experiences as a teenager trying to break into the music journalism biz back in the early '70s, which led to Crowe this time winning the Academy Award for 'Best Writing/Screenplay.'
Subsequently, nearly all of the movie soundtracks for Crowe's movies have become hits in their own right, as the writer/director often hand picks which songs and bands are to be included. Crowe has continued to pen liner notes for rock artists (Bob Dylan's Biograph, Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin [Box Set] and Complete Studio Recordings, Lynyrd Skynyrd's One More from the Road, etc.), and has directed music video clips for Tom Petty and Paul Westerberg, plus producing the Pearl Jam home video, Single Video Theory. Crowe has also authored a book, 2001's 'Conversations with Wilder,' which is a collection of interviews that Crowe conducted with renowned director Billy Wilder. ~ Greg Prato
, All Music Guide
Having accomplished just about all there is to in music journalism, Crowe then turned his eye towards writing a movie screenplay. It was to document the trials and tribulations of modern day high school life, and in 1979, Crowe went undercover, returning back to a nearby high school and pretending to be a student. Despite the fact that he was 22 years old at the time, Crowe fit in with the teenagers, and soonafter, a cohesive screenplay began to take shape. The subsequent movie, 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High (directed by Amy Heckerling), went on to become possibly the best teen movie of all-time (and definitely most copied), as it also launched the careers of many renowned actors/actresses, including Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Anthony Edwards, and Eric Stoltz, among others. Up next for Crowe was another teen-based movie, 1984's The Wild Life, which proved to be not nearly as successful or special as its predecessor. Despite not being involved in any further movies for several years, Crowe's personal life was on the upswing, as he wed Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson in 1986.
Tired of having to hand the directorial reigns over to somebody else, Crowe signed on as director and writer for his next film (another teen comedy), Say Anything, which proved to be a return to form. Crowe continued to write and direct his own movies throughout the '90s, as he scored several hits at the box office. 1992's Singles, explored the dating scene in Seattle circa the 'grunge' movement (and featured cameos by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains), while 1996's Jerry Maguire starred Tom Cruise, and earned Crowe an Academy Award nomination for 'Best Writing/Screenplay.' For 2000's Almost Famous, Crowe decided to make an autobiographical movie about his experiences as a teenager trying to break into the music journalism biz back in the early '70s, which led to Crowe this time winning the Academy Award for 'Best Writing/Screenplay.'
Subsequently, nearly all of the movie soundtracks for Crowe's movies have become hits in their own right, as the writer/director often hand picks which songs and bands are to be included. Crowe has continued to pen liner notes for rock artists (Bob Dylan's Biograph, Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin [Box Set] and Complete Studio Recordings, Lynyrd Skynyrd's One More from the Road, etc.), and has directed music video clips for Tom Petty and Paul Westerberg, plus producing the Pearl Jam home video, Single Video Theory. Crowe has also authored a book, 2001's 'Conversations with Wilder,' which is a collection of interviews that Crowe conducted with renowned director Billy Wilder. ~ Greg Prato
, All Music Guide
More Videos
Recent Album Reviews
-
(500) Days of Summer
07/14/2009
-
-
-
-
-
-
Buy
Log In