Playlist

Clifton Collins Jr.

Thu, 14 May 2009 09:09:34

Star Trek star Clifton Collins Jr. shares his playlist with ARTISTdirect.com in this exclusive feature…

Playlist: Clifton Collins Jr.

Clifton Collins Jr. has got rhythm—for a Romulan.

In Star Trek, Clifton gives his character Ayel an entrancing darkness through a calculated and tense portrayal. In some ways, Clifton’s musical sensibility comes through in the rhythmic nature of the performance. Watching him onscreen, it’s no surprise that Clifton is also an accomplished music video director and true tune aficionado.

Clifton’s got a lot on the horizon—Extract, Brothers, The Perfect Game, Boondock Saints 2—but he’s always down to talk music. The Capote and Trek star sat down with ARTISTdirect.com and opened up his playlist for us in this exclusive feature.

Check out Clifton’s playlist below and don’t miss Star Trek!

Clifton Collins Jr.’s Playlist:

1. Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is a staple of my playlist! My production company is even called “Stone Free.” I’ve played so many different roles, and I pride myself on the diversity of the different things I do. Even though Hollywood tries to get you to do something over and over again, Jimi says, “A woman here, a woman there—if I stay too long with people they try to hold me down.” That means if I keep doing the same role people will try to hold me in that position. I think it’s a perfect model. I’m always in awe of Hendrix!

2. The Zach Brown Band

I listen to The Zach Brown Band a lot. I just got nominated for two CMT awards for directing their video for “Chicken Fried.” Zach is an incredibly talented artist, and we’ve collaborated in so many different ways. This band’s honesty really resonates with me. They’re rock stars, but they’re so humble. Zach started playing guitar when he was six, and he started playing classical guitar when he was eight. He grew up with a lot of the demons that great artists have, and that makes this music really honest and special.

3. The Soul of John Black

This is always on my playlist. He’s a left-handed blues guy, much like Hendrix was. Miles Davis mentored him, and he even wrote a couple songs for Miles. He’s played for Fishbone, and he plays for Nikka Costa. This guy is just really passionate about his music. I’m wrapping a new video for him. It’s dope when you get you get your finger on the pulse before everybody hears about something. I hate being the last guy to get an album after everyone’s had it for a year [Laughs]. It’s so easy to get lost in the stories on a great album. It’s like when you watch a movie for the second or third time and you pick up different details. It’s not something you simply listen to; you feel it. It’s like Star Trek. You get lost in the excitement and the fun of it.

4. Jason Mraz

I just started to listen to Jason Mraz. There’s something really cool about his melodies, harmonies and acoustics. His songs are like those songs you used to hear when you were a kid that you want to hear over and over again. It’s funny to be my age now, and say, “You know what? I want to hear this again” [Laughs].

5. Hank Williams Sr.

He’s also a good staple. I like him for the … READ MORE