Movies

The Dude really rocks: Jeff Bridges leans into raw truth of his music on the old/new songs of ‘Slow Magic’

BBG News

It’s not unexpected that Jeff Bridges, with his exceptional acting talents, made “the Dude” as iconic as renowned rock stars. Yet, many fans of “The Big Lebowski” might be unaware that Bridges is a musician in his own right, possessing singing and songwriting skills, and adept at playing both guitar and piano. Going beyond his critically acclaimed roles in films such as “Starman” and “The Last Picture Show,” and cult favorites like “The Fisher King” and his memorable portrayal in “Crazy Heart,” the esteemed actor boasts a music career that matches many professional musicians’.

As a passionate movie critic, I’ve always been fascinated by the musical journey of Jeff Bridges. In 2000, he stepped into the realm of music with his debut album, “Be Here Soon,” which he co-produced with Chris Pelonis and Michael McDonald, a member of the legendary Doobie Brothers, who lent their vocal talents, along with David Crosby. Fast forward to 2011, his self-titled album, produced by T Bone Burnett, created quite a stir, securing a spot on the Billboard 200, as well as country, folk, and rock charts.

Before the album’s release, Bridges graced the stage at the iconic Troubadour. Quincy Jones, himself a star-studded figure (Jackson Browne was among the crowd), introduced him, declaring that music is Bridges’ “true calling.” Interestingly, Bridges has even earned signature models for his unique style with Breedlove guitars.

Currently, Bridges is set to unveil “Slow Magic, 1977-1978,” his latest album since his 2015 release of the spoken-word/ambient album titled “Sleeping Tapes.” This 10-year hiatus between albums might appear lengthy, but these songs were essentially waiting close to half a century for their premiere. During a recent Zoom conversation, Bridges, now 75 years old, expressed his astonishment over the fact that they recorded these tracks nearly five decades ago. Dressed in a warm brown cable-knit sweater, with reading glasses on his nose and a full, white beard, he mused, “Time is such an oddity. I can hardly believe we recorded this half a century ago.

In his garage-cum-ceramics studio and jam space, nestled in his Santa Barbara home, adorned with pictures, artwork, and keepsakes like a “The Big Lebowski” bandanna, Bridges appears equally surprised that his album “Slow Magic” is finally seeing the light of day. He attributes this unexpected release to Keefus Ciancia, his collaborator on “Sleeping Tapes”. Ciancia, unbeknownst to Bridges, shared an old cassette of Bridges’ songs with Matt Sullivan, founder of indie label Light in the Attic, who was eager to distribute it. Bridges was taken aback but thrilled by this turn of events.

Lovers of Jeff Bridges’ movies will appreciate “Slow Magic” as an uncommon treasure, revealing a more intimate aspect of his life that was previously concealed from the public. During his 20s, with two Oscar nominations for “The Last Picture Show” and “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot” already to his credit, Bridges would gather with a group of his high school friends weekly for informal jam sessions at night. They kept the atmosphere casual and impromptu, drinking whiskey and creating instrumental improvisations. As Bridges reminisces, “Sometimes we’d utter words. Those who didn’t play an instrument were encouraged to try their hand at it.

Indeed, they were quite intoxicated, as Bridges humorously recalls nights filled with marijuana, quaaludes, cocaine, and psychedelics. Given the era, it’s no surprise – the ’70s were known for their spirit of exploration.

Drawing motivation from these gatherings, Bridges often composed and recorded his own songs during film breaks. To collaborate on these tracks, he brought in Ken Lauber, who had previously arranged and composed music for the 1975 movie “Hearts of the West,” where Bridges played a leading role. There are whispers that Lauber, who had also worked with Bob Dylan and The Band, considered inviting them to back Bridges on these recordings, but ultimately preferred Bridges’ jamming group due to their exceptional, one-of-a-kind synergy.

In around 40 minutes, “Slow Magic” delivers an intriguing journey, showcasing Bridges’ wide range of inspirations. This extends from Captain Beefheart and Motown, all the way to the Beatles, Moondog, the Rolling Stones, and Dylan. The first single, the self-mocking “Obnoxious,” dropped in February, sees Bridges humorously singing about indulgence, overeating, drinking too much, and taking pills. The album also includes two instrumental pieces, “Space 1” and “Space 2,” which were jointly penned by the band members.

Notable tracks on the album encompass the soulfully saxophone-influenced opener “Slow Magic”; the tune reminiscent of The Band, titled “This Is the One”; a heartfelt love ballad penned by Bridges for his spouse, Susan; and the lively, radio-appealing “You Could Be Ready.

The eight-minute “Kong” concludes the album, which Charles Bridges penned after his idea for an alternative ending to the 1976 “King Kong” remake was denied by director John Guillermin. In Bridges’ vision, the titular colossal ape is actually a machine. The track includes the catchy disco chorus “Do the King Kong, baby,” and Burgess Meredith mimics the historic Hindenburg disaster radio broadcast as he recounts the monstrous machine-ape’s dramatic crash to Earth, engulfed in flames.

In 1977, an article titled “What Is Jeff Bridges Afraid of?” was published in Rolling Stone magazine, featuring Jeff Bridges on its cover as a promotion for his sci-fi fantasy blockbuster. This piece delved into Bridges’ persistent self-doubt and anxiety that he admits continues to haunt him even today.

It’s strange how this confession appears to contradict his casual personality, yet he explains, “Perhaps what you observe now is a more polished version of me. All those fears are still present, but I hide them more effectively.” Bridges adds, “I don’t believe I’ve changed significantly. I feel much the same.

Although he admits to having a “fairly popular image as being well-regarded,” he confesses, “What I need to improve upon is not just being liked by others, but also learning to like myself, developing understanding, affection, and empathy towards myself.

Additionally, he admits to being trapped by his relentless pursuit of perfection as an actor, which he terms “a self-inflicted torment.” He expresses that creativity thrives when one steps aside and allows things to flow through, but his anxiety arises from the fear of not getting it right. He questions whether he has the necessary skills to meet this expectation, and this is what he grapples with.

To support his argument, he quotes from “The Big Lebowski” by saying, “Sometimes it’s the situation that consumes you, and other times you consume the situation.” He delivers this well-known line humorously, mimicking actor Sam Elliott’s voice from the movie, changing “bear” to “bar” with his distinct Southern accent.

He finds that humor eases his worries, acknowledging his own silliness in the situation. Moreover, Bridges appreciates his wife’s constant reminders to relax and enjoy life more. As he puts it, “Suddenly, I remember – joy! It’s always there, happening all around me.

It’s astonishing how Bridges has managed to survive, considering that in 2020 he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and also contracted COVID-19, an experience he describes as almost taking him to the brink of death. Remarkably, since 2021, he’s been cancer-free. Now, adding a layer of poignancy to his story, Bridges is learning to play Leonard Cohen’s “Waiting for the Miracle” on guitar, which seems fitting given his current circumstances.

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At age 14, Bridges took up an instrument without formal lessons, quickly moving on to pen songs. When Bridges was just 20 years old, Quincy Jones incorporated his song “Lost in Space” into the movie “John and Mary,” featuring Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow from 1969.

Bridge finds the moment “extremely exciting,” yet admits he never dreamt of being a professional musician. Instead, his passions lie in ceramics, painting, photography, and music. He confesses he’s not someone who is overly career-oriented, stating, “I’ve never been a particularly ambitious person. I didn’t have that strong drive.

Stepping into the limelight wasn’t originally on Beau Bridges’ agenda; he confesses that the prospect of living up to the legacy of his renowned father, Lloyd, who was a household name for his role in “Sea Hunt,” filled him with apprehension. “I yearned to contribute what I had, but I didn’t want to be categorized as… let me think, what’s the term? Ah yes, ‘nepotism offspring’,” Beau explains. “I could comprehend why people might harbor resentment towards such a label, and I didn’t wish to be resented.

Despite initial concerns, his father motivated him to delve into acting, explaining how it could connect all his diverse passions, potentially enabling him to portray a musician in a movie one day.

In 1989, Jeff Bridges and his older brother Beau starred in the highly praised movie “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” They portrayed a pair of piano-playing siblings who were part of a struggling lounge act. To boost their flagging career, they hired a gifted and attractive singer, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, to join them on stage. The phrase “Truer words were never spoken” could be rephrased as “No truer words have ever been said,” emphasizing the accuracy of the statement.

Following the triumph of “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” Bridges switched gears significantly in 2005 by adopting a more somber persona for his next musician character. This transformation was evident in “Tideland,” where he played an eccentric, drug-dependent former rock star carrying an electric guitar in Terry Gilliam’s offbeat narrative.

However, it was his compelling performance as the chain-smoking, troubled country singer Otis “Bad” Blake in the emotionally moving and redemptive film “Crazy Heart,” which he portrayed several years later, that won him an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Independent Spirit Award.

Interestingly, Bridges initially declined the role as it seemed overly daring to embody something so close to him. He admits that on some level, he was avoiding it because delving into music and aspects of himself that were deeply personal felt safer in a dream-like state. However, when reality sets in, one becomes aware of the potential for failure, and with that awareness, all dreams could potentially crumble.

The pivotal moment arrived when Bridges encountered Burnett, who was responsible for the film’s music, and convinced him to accept the role. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is such an exciting offer!'” Bridges recalls. “So, I decided, ‘Why not? I’ll go for it.’

The “Crazy Heart” director, Scott Cooper, was overjoyed when Jeff Bridges agreed to star in the movie. As he told The Times, “Jeff’s acceptance of my screenplay transformed my life.” Cooper, who made his directorial debut with this film, was approached by many other talented actors to play the role, but none could capture a deeply flawed character, make us relate to that character, and ultimately inspire us like Jeff Bridges could.

In various films, even when not portraying a musician on screen, Tom Cruise’s storylines frequently involve music. For instance, his rendition of “Ring of Fire” with Kim Carnes can be heard during the opening sequence of “The Contender,” and he starred alongside his longtime musical idol Bob Dylan in the 2003 film “Masked and Anonymous,” where Dylan also co-wrote the movie’s script.

One time, Bridges remembers a rather unusual incident when the renowned musician unexpectedly knocked on his trailer door, carrying a guitar. This led to an unplanned jam session right then and there. At first, he admits feeling quite anxious, but as they played music together, he grew more comfortable. To his surprise, Dylan turned out to be surprisingly ordinary and easy-going.

He remarks, “It’s truly fortunate to be living alongside him,” referring to the fact that it feels as if I’m living in the era of Shakespeare.

On several occasions, Bridges’ career and that of Dylan have intersected. Notably, Dylan’s song “The Man in Me” is featured in both the opening credits and a subsequent scene of “The Big Lebowski.

In the near future, Bridges plans to organize a sequence of “The Big Lebowski” film screenings on the West Coast. He shared that after the movie, he will deliver a discussion and display his photos taken while working on the production.

While pondering his plans following the termination of his TV show “The Old Man,” Bridges expresses that the band “Slow Magic” has sparked a renewed passion for music within him. He’s considering reaching out to “Kenny Lauber and some old friends” to reform the group once more. According to Bridges, performing with a band lets him live out his enduring “Beatles dream,” and it remains one of his most fulfilling roles.

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2025-04-09 22:01

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