Buffy Offical Magazines [UK] artical
about Stars of Buffy And Angel Singing(June 2001)

Music of the night

For some Buffy and Angel stars, the performing doesn’t endwhen the cameras stop rolling, as Matt Springer discovers

I imagine that the next time Giles pops intothe Espresso Pump for a solo acoustic set,Spike shows up with his own axe for a mean, mellow duet of the Sex Pistols’ ‘God Save rhe Queen.” Or when Lindsey McDonald is srressing over [he pressures of
life at Wolfram & Hart, he hits the stage to blow off steam with some dirry country rock. It’s unlikely that any of rhe above would happen in the Buffyverse, but in our world, it’s a different story. James Marsters, Christian Kane and Anthony Stewart Head each pursue musical interests outside of their work on Buffy and Angel. In
music, they find a completely different form of artistic expression.

“I feel much more vunruable when I’m singing in front of a
group than [when I’m] acting,” Marsters says. “Acting. I can do
anything. I’m not embarrassed. I can drop my pants for a nickel.
But singing gives me hives. I fear it. which is why I do it.’
Marsters has played semi-regular gigs at such clubs as 14 Below in Santa Monica and the Gig for the past year. even appearing in full vamp make-up for a special Halloween show His sets feature a mix of originals and covers. ranging from Tom Waits and Bob Dylan songs to such Springsteen obscurities as Wild Billy’s Circus Story.”
“I want fire.” Marsters says of the tunes he chooses to cover. “I guess I tend to sing songs
about people who are gonna go to jail. who’ve just killed someone, who just had their heart broken, who just got screwed over by the Establishment, who just lost their house. I was singing songs for Joss [Whedon], and he’s like,
‘Do you have any happy songs for us today, James?’ I guess Im self-pitying enough that the sad stuff hits me the most.”

Though he’s a one-man acoustical jam onstage, his influences lean heavily towards classic punk. “Early Rarnones. early Pistols, early Clash
— before anybody had any investment in the name punk rock,’’ Marsters explains. “I went through a very quick period of James Taylor, but
grew out of that quickly. Nothing against lames, but you’re not gonna score with the "girls singing Fire and Rain"

Christian Kane’s favourite performers range from Prince to Elton John and Alice in Chains, but when he’s performing with his band, Kane, it’s all about walking in the country rock bootsteps of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the
Eagles. Kane — the band — was born two years ago through some unlikely connections within his management agency.

“I used to deliver stuff for my manager, and when I got my start on Fame LA, they had to hire somebody else to deliver the packages,” Kane recalls.
“The kid coming up behind me was a guitarist, and we hit it off. We started hanging
out, and a lot of good songs came out.

Kane features a semi-rotating membership, but currently comprises
Steve Carton, Craig Eastman (who also works with composer Hans Zirnmer) and
Mike Eaton. In their early days, they made history as the first and only band
ever to play live at Hollywood’s famous Formosa Cafe — the
club packed in Kane fans every Thursday until the band grew too big for the space. Since Kane — the actor — landed his role on Angel, the band has had to work around his schedule, but typically manages at least two live gigs a month
at such clubs as the Viper Room, the Mint and the Gig. Seeing the band live is the best way to experience it.

“To a girl. I would say, ‘Bring your cut-off Harley Davidson shirt and a smile:” Kane suggests. “To a guy. I would say. Definitely don’t bring your girlfriend, and grab a beer. We get it on. It’s unbelievable. We’ve got a great group of fans.”

Those interested in following the latest band news should definitely check out
KarteMusic.Com, which features info on live performances and sound clips of the band’s thirteen-song CD, which is curnently being shopped around to labels. The disc has already earned the group some fans among
the Angel cast and crew.

“David Greenwalt’s heard the music, and he loves it" Kane says. “Tim Minear has heard it. and I gave Boreanaz a CD for Christmas. He digs it. David [Greenwalt]
invited me over for Thanksgiving, and he said, Kane. you’re in charge of writing the Thanksgiving prayer,’ so I wrote a song called ‘What Do We Got.’ I played it at the dinner and David was very appredative. It went over well.” When he contemplates achoice between acting or muisc as the future of his performing career, Kane cant choose — for him, the two are inseparable. “I’d rather do any- thing that lets me have fun,” Kane explains. ‘It used to be bad — you could only do one or the
other. Nowadays. the rules have been let go. It used to be that you couldn’t do TV and movies. It used to be that you couldn’t do music, and
[now] look at Will Smith. As long as you make the right choices, there are no rules.”

Anthony Stewart Head’s musical roots reach back the furthest — not only is his brother Murray responsible for the disco hit “One Night in Bangkok.” but Head played in a band of his own, eventually releasing a single here in the UK. He
frequently attends jam sessions at Joss Whedon’s house featuring Marsters and other cast and crew, and he’s currently working with George Sarah on
an electronic music album that’s tentatively slated for release this year. With a bit more experience than Kane and Marsters. Head tries to keepperspective on a career in acting versus music.

“I never wanted to make it a choice: I wanted to be able to do both, Head recalls. “There are people who’ve managed to skate between the
two. but ultimately, you just have to commit. I think I chose the career with more longevity.
People do last in rock n roll, but they also come and go.”

Marsters simply looks to his predecessors in the singing actor genre when contemplating his musical future. Whose footsteps am I gonna follow?” he asks. “William Shatner? There’s so much egg-on-the-face possible. When I go into a
club, I don’t fool myself. The reason I’m there is because I’m on a really good TV show. There’s probably some other guy who didn’t get that slot
because of me. im aware that people will book me into clubs even if I’m no good, so I just by really hard not to suck.”

When it comes in music, Kane is full of ambiton, Head takes a more rational approach, and Marsters tries hard not to suck. Come to think of it. they may have more in common with their on-air counterparts than they realise. +