On a rainy day in Santa Barbara, Jeff Bridges sits in his garage, searching for his favorite spectacles. We are in the midst of a winding conversation on a video call, touching on topics from Bob Dylan to the anthropomorphism of bees, weaving through discussions on Crazy Heart, Cutter’s Way, and The Big Lebowski. There are tangents and digressions, with an unseen assistant continuously offering Bridges pairs of glasses that he rejects. Dressed in a soft brown cardigan, Bridges inspects each pair, pondering his thoughts. “Where was I?” he asks.
The garage serves as Bridges’ creative space, with drums for his grandson and a picture of Captain Beefheart on the wall. Since the cancellation of his FX series The Old Man in December, the 75-year-old actor has been spending more time here. “Now I’ve got some time for letting some other things bubble up and I’m really happy about that,” he shares. “A lot of music, some more art stuff.”
Bridges remains optimistic, even in the face of adversity. Despite the loss of his Malibu home in the Los Angeles fires and his health struggles, he focuses on the positive. His recent diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma has inspired him to release more music, embracing the opportunity to share his creativity. “Hey, if you’ve got some stuff that you want to share, now’s the time, man!” he exclaims.
The main topic of our conversation is Slow Magic, a collection of Bridges‘ songs that were lost for nearly 50 years and are now set to be released on Record Store Day. The story behind the release involves a series of serendipitous events and connections, reflecting Bridges’ life journey of cosmic alignment.
Bridges, born into a Hollywood family, was encouraged by his father to pursue acting, despite his early interests in art and music. Surrounded by music from a young age, Bridges recalls fond memories of singing show tunes with his family. Growing up in the 1960s, he witnessed the evolution of music with the emergence of bands like the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones.
High school was a creative time for Bridges, filled with jam sessions and experimentation with his friends. The Wednesday Night Jams became a tradition, blending music and friendship. In 1977, Bridges recorded some of his songs with his friends, resulting in an album.
Despite his success in acting, music remained a passion for Bridges. He sold songs to Quincy Jones and continued to explore his musical talents alongside his acting career. After the movie The Last American Hero, Bridges experienced a shift in his perspective.
„I really enjoyed creating it, but usually after a movie, your pretend muscles get tired,“ Bridges explains. „You no longer want to pretend, you just want to be yourself and not stay in character.“
Soon after filming ended, director John Frankenheimer approached Bridges‘ agent about a role in his adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh. Despite the impressive cast, including Frederic March, Robert Ryan, and Lee Marvin, Bridges was hesitant. He initially turned down the role but changed his mind after a conversation with director Lamont Johnson. This decision marked a turning point for Bridges, leading him to fully commit to his acting career.
Bridges reflects on his tendency to resist new challenges, describing it as a fundamental part of himself. He has recently been exploring his resistance to cold temperatures, realizing that it is just a feeling that can be overcome. Despite his evolving relationship with resistance, Bridges believes that he has remained fundamentally the same since childhood.
When asked about the difference between his relationship with music and acting, Bridges emphasizes the importance of letting creativity flow through him. He sees music as a unifying force that brings people together, much like acting. Bridges often creates playlists for the characters he plays, using music to help transition into his roles on set.
Throughout his career, music has played a significant role in Bridges‘ life, connecting him to others and serving as a source of inspiration. He continues to write and record music, sharing his songs with his band the Abiders and through his website Emergent Behaviour.
Bridges fondly recalls musical moments on set, such as jam sessions during breaks in filming. He values the collaborative aspect of music-making, where artists come together to create something beautiful and authentic.
Reflecting on his experiences working with legendary musicians like Bob Dylan, Bridges appreciates the opportunity to collaborate creatively and learn from others. He continues to explore his musical talents, sharing his songs with the world and supporting charitable causes through his music. „“Lass uns zusammen schön erschaffen,” schlägt die Website vor.
“Ich habe kürzlich ein Lied über meinen alten Kumpel John Goodwin geschrieben,” erzählt Bridges mir. Er und Goodwin sind im selben Viertel aufgewachsen, und Goodwin wurde ein professioneller Songschreiber – er lieferte Material für den Soundtrack von Crazy Heart, der einen Oscar und zwei Grammys gewann, und für Bridges‘ selbstbetiteltes Album von 2011, das nach dem Erfolg des Films aufgenommen wurde.
Die Kunst für Slow Magic, 1977-1978.
Bridges hat sein Goodwin-Tributlied We Know That One genannt. “Ich weiß nicht, in welchem Stil man es nennen würde. Es ist irgendwie mein eigener Stil. Lass mich sehen, ob ich es finden kann…” Er nimmt ein Tablet auf, starrt auf den Bildschirm. “Also gut. Mal sehen. Scrollen, scrollen, Musik, Texte, meine Texte, mein Refrain, Texte…”
In der Stille seiner Garage lehnt Bridges sich weit zurück in seinem Stuhl, Hände hinter dem Kopf, und fängt an zu singen. Seine Stimme ist dunkel und warm und freundlich, und während er singt, scheint etwas an ihm zu leuchten. Die Musik hat ihn im Griff, und es ist echte Magie; die Magie von Bäumen und Blumen.
“Von oben sieht es tief aus, von unten sieht es hoch aus,
Tauche in den See ein durch die Spiegelung des Himmels.
Kein Grund, sich einsam zu fühlen, Johnny, auf dieser Straße nach Hause,
Wir alle gehen in diese Richtung, niemand ist wirklich allein.
Kannst du uns nicht lachen hören, während wir unser Gold mit der Asche bedecken,
Unsere Freiheit, ja, wir verlassen unsere Seelen.
Johnny, kannst du sehen, dass wir Heiterkeit benutzen, um zu betäuben.
Ich denke, wir sind einfach zu verdammt sensibel, Johnny, wir könnten nicht so dumm sein.
Brauchen wir irgendeine Art von Reibung? Brauchen wir irgendeine Art von Bremsen?
Etwas, das im Dreck schleift, ist das, was es braucht, um uns nach Hause zu bringen, Johnny, uns sicher nach Hause zu bringen?
In dem Fall ist es vielleicht gar nicht so schlecht, während wir warten zu lachen.
Ich kann meine Seele vor mir warten fühlen, wie sie mit dem Fuß wippt, sie hat alle Wetten abgeschlossen.
Sie wartet mit deiner, Johnny, sie spielen in der Sonne,
Hör den Tune, den sie spielen, wir kennen den…”
Slow Magic, 1977-78 wird am 12. April auf Light in the Attic veröffentlicht
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