It used to be impossible. Without the villain, you have no story. But theres something about music and music listeners that is sort of an escape from pragmatism. Find a way to collectively bargain. Last week, the Bay Area print edition of The Onion published my interview with Cake 's John McCrea, in advance of their big NYE show at the Warfield. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella. I feel pretty overwhelmed by all the stuff that Im trying to do. Tell me your origin story if you dont mind. We were able to release Sinking Ship rather quickly in that way. So, when something does become really popular and the people really like something, I think that there are people who sort of automatically turn off. If you cant make money doing something that you like, you might as well do some other job and then keep your music pure. But we have new gatekeepers: the giant multi-billion dollar companies that rule the internet. What part do those films play in your personal history? In a "Cruella" movie, he also sang the song "I Wanna Be Your Dog." He also appeared in the film "Everybody's Talking About Jamie" as Jamie. I have a better studio situation now, so its a lot easier for me to record. I really enjoy opera and I enjoy country western. Doctors Without Borders is just such an amazing organization, so much bravery. In a series of interviews and re-publications, we venture into the past to see where this exciting virtual reality ride began. The first issue features the terrifying tales Take One," by writer/artist Chris Burnham, colorist Adriano Lucas, and letterer Pat Brosseau, and "Shingo," from writers Paul Dini and Stephen Langford, artist John McCrea, colorist Mike Spicer, and Brosseau returning for lettering duties. Oh, that was my favorite thing to do by far. To combat this, he was sent to acting school. He had some great stories in between takes. Unfortunately, the Internet hasnt lived up to its promise. There are some people that think its terribly hippy just to be concerned about toxins in your drinking water. I think that it has worked for us because I still find it interesting and exciting sometimes. Artie is very much a part of Cruella's life now. Is that actually your voice that we're hearing doing that? "Shingo" is the standout story of the first issue as it chills the blood and turns the stomach, with the spooky premise of a peculiar birthday performer named Shingo who doesn't demand payment, only lunch. And we posted that article and a lot of Republicans got really furious with that while a lot of people said thank you for posting that, it was interesting. But for most people, I guess it didnt really look good to be bringing back the Styrofoam cup. We just kind of showed up, there were a lot of people, and they all knew the words. I dont know if theres shared values because there are people all over the map. sort by * Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. I lived in Koreatown for a little bit. But then, a couple of weeks after, you'll just be walking down the street or making a cup of tea and you'll be like, "Wait a minute. He really joins that group of misfits. A noted pathologist and army physician, Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae was also a poet; he wrote "In Flanders Fields" one of the most famous poems of the First World War. Did he teach you anything about yourself as a performer? I had a lot of freedom, but I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised with how this is done. Conspiracy theories that the whole thing is rigged - they really run rampant. It must keep you going as a musician to have these kinds of interactions with fans and being creative in this way. Cheap rent. Right? John A. Lomax: Where that salt come from? Should I fail, I was to 'go out and get a job.'. I tend to stay away from the horror genre. In a certain respect, would you consider yourselves an anomaly? HeadCount does not endorse, support or coordinate with any political party or candidates for elected office, or take positions on any ballot initiatives.Privacy Policy, Registration Deadlines And Election Dates. He had a sister, Geills, and a brother, Tom. I think we need to be just straight-out blunt about whats happening. Don't forget to subscribe and thanks for watching Do Cake fans kind of fit into what youre describing, or do you think its a different sort of community? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Its good that we have a lot of different ideas. Disney's Cruella brings some new characters into the 101 Dalmatians world, one of whom is Artie, played by John McCrea. I dont listen to a lot of rock, I guess. Estella begins working at the store at the bottom, and she appears to be going nowhere until a happy accident leads Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson) to offer her a job as a fashion designer. Then the next day you show up instead you will be in that tiny tiny shop surrounded by beautiful clothes. I think it's the closest I'll ever come to feeling like a rock god. I'd love them to make a remake of "The Lost Boys," for sure. The gatekeepers of the label, we can go around them now. He has also sung a song in a 'Cruella' movie named 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'. I like old hard rock, Brazilian Bossa Nova, Mexican Ranchero music. The popular alt-rock group combines caustic lyrics with pulsing guitar music and is influenced by. When we are touring, yeah, it is kind of like that now. We were still there. We are the Dead. But its interesting hearing passionate hostile voices right now. MCCREA: You know, holy shit. I think thats amazing. It was odd to pickup the character after a year. But its scary for us when people threaten to take away our livelihood not that its enough people to actually close us down. He's one of Britain's finest actors, for sure. I think those people mentioned are more idealistic. Its a high-stakes adventure right now. We set up tables at the concerts to register voters and bring some information and socially conscious conversation to the shows. We never have been part of a big movement, cultural phenomenon, or explosion. Once the video was done, we were able to just pop it up. The actor, who plays Artie in the hotly-anticipated Disney film, made the revelation in an interview with Attitude. And she is just multitasking away like nobody's business. I mean, what a great line. I need to think of a tag line, don't I? I think Nadia Stacey, the makeup designer, was obviously influenced. I think theres a sense at least of shared aesthetic. Well, we hadn't played Los Angeles for New Years. Writers have the same issues. Its more important to me than any of the other issues because you dont get to have any of the other issues if you dont have a working environment and ecosystems. Author: headcount.org Published Date: 08/05/2022 Review: 4.72 (231 vote) Summary: You'll also find it on the Web, where the band constantly engages its fans with advice, links to news stories, and sometimes heated discussion. How do you deal with that? He has written reviews, lists, and features for the likes of CBR, Screen Rant, IGN, Looper, Ranker, Grunge, SYFY Wire, Wrestling Inc., and Fortress of Solitude, while also hosting a podcast and scripting YouTube videos for a variety of highly acclaimed channels. It occurred to me that there are all these songs that we have that we should probably formalize in sound recording. Who knows what might happen next? McCrae began writing poetry when he was a student at the Guelph Collegiate Institute and also showed an early interest in joining the military. I remember the cartoon, but I remember the live-action movie a bit more. They varying scale of the movie is really quite something to behold because its massive and its loud, and its quiet., When it comes to Disneys Cruella, there is so much about it that begs to be seen on the big screen, which is something John agrees with. Writer Paul Dini and artist John McCrea chat about the excitement and challenges of short-form storytelling in Skybound's Creepshow #1. bigjeffoh said.. Its an altruistic and adult thing to do. It is one of those [moments that] when you're in it, you're not thinking about the fact that it's Emma Stone, because she really is so transformative as an actress. When asked how it feels to be a part of that, John says it feels wonderful, and then continues to explain that to be part of Disneys history in any way shape or form is amazing, but the fact that its about representation and its a positive thing, is even better. To hear that this movie is included in the conversations about representation, and with his character specifically, is like a cherry on an already perfectly baked cake.. Speaking of talking about something, the conversation of Everybody's Talking About Jamie arose as the film adaptation of the West End musical is coming to Amazon Prime in October. "Interview with Uncle Billy McCrea, Jasper, Texas, 1940 (Part 1 of . For Dini, though, it's something he embraces. STEREOGUM: Yeah, and Sinking Ship has a real evergreen quality, thematically speaking. Last updated: June 7, 2022 John McCrea stars as Artie in Disney's Cruella and in this interview we talk about the music, the sets, and the bonus scene he filmed. It was just looking around me and feeling like I [would] vomit a little bit. I felt like it was okay, because I dont have a big ideological thing about using music in movies and ads unless it fundamentally changes the meaning of the song. 1 on the Billboard charts, Cake and McCrea have found a new audience eager to participate or, at times, complain. Categories Disney Movies, Interviews, Movies, Luca: Capturing the Italian Riviera & Creating Sea Monsters, The Water Man Interview: Lonnie Chavis & Amiah Miller. It was crazy, really. McCrea is descended from a prominent British family. I think I was just amazed at how he interacts with the actors, which is wonderful. Yeah, I think there is a certain amount of self-loathing in our culture. I know bands that have lost interest because of feeling that many of those things have been taken away. Lomax, John Avery, et al. After all, David Bowie was so influential in the 1970s, so you have to believe that there's some sort of connection there. For nearly 20 years Cake have been making music that is distinctly their own. It was just that one audition. In the scenes with Estella in Artie's shop, how was it sharing space with Emma Stone? Skybound 's Creepshow takes all the fright from Shudder's hit anthology series and brings it to comic book readers who want to get the Halloween festivities started a little earlier this year. Maybe theres some innovation that can occur that can make that easier, especially if we used some of the tools of the internet and the kind of interconnectivity that could occur. [Ed. In a recent interview, lead singer John McCrea discusses the current state of music with the Internet, the benefit of a band to have cheap rent, and that the anomaly of Cake's continued survival is partially because they are outsiders. What you ??? Uncle Billy McCrea: When slavery was over, let me see if I can't tell you about that. We interview Cruella star John McCrea about what drew him to take a role in the film, working with director Craig Gillespie, and much more. And I was so lucky. They try to work it out into their early adulthood to find a more secure emotional space for themselves, but ultimately I think thats a fucking luxury right now. And I took care of it for a while, but then my life went on, and the band started touring a lot. MCCREA: Oh, yeah. MCCREA: I think you read these news stories once in a while, like, Oh, the Korean pop star had four billion plays of their song and got maybe a couple thousand dollars. Its like that. I keep thinking September for some reason. Register to vote, sign up for our issue eNewsletters, or take the Who are We? survey. "I got to recognize how the horrific conflict laid out, how the victim often found themselves in a life-or-death struggle and quite frequently how they would wind up meeting a gruesome end in an unexpected but surprisingly satisfying way," he said. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Theatre 4 Filmography 4.1 Film 4.2 Television 5 Awards and nominations 6 Personal life You'll find it in their live performances, defined by a unique brand of audience interaction. According to the most widely accepted account of her death, Jane was murdered by Wyandot scouts working with the British Army. It seems difficult to get music out there without, on some level, having to conform to somebody elses idea of what they want from you. In some way, I think it is kind of wasteful because I dont think that cultural criteria should be used to judge musical criteria. The band includes trumpeter Vincent DiFiore, bassist Gabriel Nelson, and guitarist Xan McCurdy. There were also then-contemporary horror comics like the Warren magazines Creepy, Eerie, and DC's House of Mystery and House of Secrets. I think having seen the film, the scene that is added is really necessary and it wraps up a lot of stuff for that character, so I am so glad they added it. Im thinking whats happening is were gonna be releasing singles. He dropped out in his last year to pursue music, playing solo acoustic shows. Cruella star John McCrea has confirmed that his character in the film is queer, saying he "lives by his own rules". Okay. Have you found a difference in the audiences throughout the rest of the world compared to U.S. audiences? The thing that maybe embodies everything were talking about is the tree giveaway and the tree gallery. When they initially broke out in the 90s with the sardonic Rock N Roll Lifestyle, the Sacramento-based band mainly sought to address things they regarded as inherently shallow and insincere, like, oh, the music industry itself (How much did you spend on your black leather jacket? lead singer John McCrea sniffed at the time). I'm a bit of a coward. That didnt answer your question. Some of the scenes in Cruella are huge and elaborate, while others are more on the petite side, like Arties shop. STEREOGUM: I think youre right. Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae and Bonneau. But what about Craig Gillespie? MCCREA: The elephant in the room is its nice to get paid for something that youve worked on for a year or two. You definitely feel that. It's under the wings of the '70s fashion icon that Estella learns of the Baroness' cold and calculating ways and worse yet, how she's involved in a dark secret involving her new boss. Ive since found that it comes up in conversations; it was just a factoid that once I knew it, it kept coming up. Featuring exclusive content and interviews for Game Of Thrones, Sherlock, Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Doctor Who and so much more. Red Carpet News brings you all the latest Film & Entertainment News. Well, it seems like you can handle the vampire stuff, though. In terms of the world we're in, obviously we never mentioned him, but I like to believe that maybe, on some level, if he didn't exist, Artie was on the same sort of spiritual journey. Today, we interview John McCrea who had the opportunity to try the . Yeah, it was not so much about hormonal rage or fighting the man so much as just being able, personally, to remain interested in what you are doing. On the heels of an iPod commercial featuring the seminal hit "Short Skirt/Long Jacket", and with their most recent album "Showroom of Compassion" debuting at No. MCCREA: Well, Sinking Ship is a song I worked on a long time ago. He is also the author of various short stories, the fantasy comedy novel The Not-So-Grim Reaper, and the co-screenwriter of the drama film, The Lifesaver. Wow. But a lot of people felt betrayed by us as well. John McCrea is an American singer and musician. Yeah. It seemed like the right thing to do. The musical, a sleeper hit at the Sheffield Crucible earlier . Are you a fan of the horror genre? But who doesn't love a villain, you know? John McCrae was born on November 30 th, 1872, in a small limestone cottage in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Make sure that your music is still something that you like. The David Bowie and Mark Bolan-inspired Artie marks a landmark moment for Disney, as he historically becomes the entertainment giant's first openly queer character in a live-action production . Im curious, how have you been spending your time in the last few years when you werent touring with CAKE? McCrea found immediate footing on "Shingo" after reading Dini and Langford's script, though, stating: "After reading the story, our titular chap seemed to me to be the bastard love child of Dr. Seuss, Sesame Street, and H. P. Yeah, totally, and not just from that core group of people, but from everybody. He is a scene stealer, and brought so much to the character, that the director Craig Gillespie asked him to come back and film a bonus scene about a year after filming in London. Well, maybe we can explore a little bit of more of that storyline in a sequel. I guess maybe for a film; weve put our music in film and things like that. This week on The Show On The Road, a rare career-spanning interview with the ever-curious frontman, activist, and rock hitmaker John McCrea, who founded Cake, one of the most beloved and yet misunderstood bands of our time in Sacramento in 1992. Check out our other videos for more exclusive interviews and west end theatre coverage, thanks for watching and dont forget to subscribe. Father: Not Known Mother: Not Known Marital Status: Single John McCrea Favorites He rose to fame after playing a gay man in the Disney Live-Action film "Cruella," which will be released on May 28, 2021. shelved 4,789 times Showing 24 distinct works. In February of that year, he left the White House to become the first commanding officer of the USS Iowa, the country's newest and largest battleship. Im still playing music all the time, but Im not sure what it was were supposed to do. In February of 1989 Starrett was arrested for the murder of Jean Taylor McCrea. Did he make you more confident? If you look at our website or Facebook page, whether you agree with them or not, theyre really engaging. I think for musicians increasingly, it is a matter of getting to spend more hours doing the thing that you want to do which ostensibly is music and fewer hours having to wait tables, drive trucks, and/or whatever else you have to do to pay the rent. Like I said, one of my favorite things to do is go to the makeup truck in the morning and see Artie bare bones every day before we put some fabulous clothes on. That the people who I think should be the most concerned and aware in our society tend to be the ones who are just sort of tuning out. Theres a whole bunch of people that are threatening that if we bring up any subject thats not about music, that its over, were not gonna be able to put food on our table anymore. To add more books, click here . Im just saying. [Ed. I do think that that could be called community. And I am still waiting -- thank goodness!". Ive never felt so much positive possibility as I do now. You'll also find it on the Web, where the band constantly engages its fans with advice, links to news stories, and sometimes heated discussion. note: We spoke to McCrea one week prior to the midterm election.] Cruella, which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. I dont think whether people have clean air or clean water I dont see how thats a political issue. Just to have anybody remember you that long is pretty amazing. It just reminds you of how talented she is. STEREOGUM: Yeah, at what point did you start writing this collection of songs? He is an actor, known for Giri/Haji (2019), Cruella (2021) and Dracula (2020). "It was actually my academic teachers that suggested taking up some extracurricular activities," he recalls. You have Cruella's black-and-white hair, you have the dalmatians, and you have the fashion, but at the same time, you're responsible for defining your characters. What items have gotten the most reaction? Thats I guess really why I like that quote. Today, McCrea is far more interested in raising awareness about causes he cares about, like world poverty and global warming. Did that sort of vault you guys back into the public eye? His taste in music and his knowledge of music is palpable throughout the film. The other thing people get angry about, that I dont think should be a partisan issue, is when well post something about an environmental issue. I was lucky enough to have a music sensibility, an aesthetic that was palatable to enough other people to the point where I could make a living, at least fleetingly. Your home base is in Sacramento. "I love writing short-form comic stories, especially ones that pack a visceral punch in the style of Creepshow," Dini said before adding that they were an important part of his formative years. "So there was considerable pressure, and every time I sent in a design or a page of a story, I waited with creeping terror for the email that confirmed, yes, I did suck, and I was fired! Thats just a fact. Now, of course, there's Tony McNamara's script too. Yeah, I lived not too far from The Wiltern. And you get 15% of it if it comes through. Known for their hits, "The Distance," "Never There," and "Short Skirt/Long Jacket," Cake's 2011 self-release, Showroom of Compassion, hit #1 on the Billboard 200 album charts, proving not only the band's longevity, but also their cultural relevance as a pioneering and prodigious staple of contemporary music history.