James Franco truly is a modern renaissance man, a jack of all trades. Is there nothing he can’t do? In addition to his acting work, writing, and visual art, he’s now a singer-songwriter and he’s releasing an album inspired by The Smiths (and an accompanying film, as well). Joy!
From Pitchfork:
James Franco has a band with Tim O’Keefe, his former art school classmate. They’re called Daddy, and they’ve just announced Let Me Get What I Want, an album/film inspired by the Smiths.
It is not, however, a straight-up cover of the Smiths classic. In Franco’s newest book of poetry, Directing Herbert White: Poems, there are two sections titled “Poems Inspired by Smiths’ Songs”. (Which is exactly what you think it is.) Franco and O’Keefe decided to write songs around those poems, using Franco’s words as the lyrics. So: “This Charming Man” is a song based on a poem based on a song, as are all of the songs on Let Me Get What I Want. Make sense?
Most amazingly, they got former Smiths bassist Andy Rourke to play on every song.
The album will be out in 2015, and every song will be accompanied by a video that, when watched in sequence, adds up to a single story. Each song is also accompanied by a painting by Franco.
Huh. I feel like James Franco has too much time on his hands and I don’t really know what’s up with him.
Anyway, here’s the video for ‘This Charming Man’:
Inspired by The Smiths means this is a happy upbeat work amirite?? :))
Oh great. The Christmas gift for someone you hate.
So now I know! If I get this for Christmas, it’s actually an act of aggression