Chris Isaak

US Magazine
November 1996
by David Wild

"I'll have whatever Ricardo Montalban has," Chris Isaak suavely tells our waiter at Talesai, a popular Thai joint in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, our server is unaware of Montalban's favorites, or even that the Fantasy Islander's endorsement is on the menu along with those of Brooke Shields, Warren Beatty, Cheryl Ladd and Barry Manilow. "So we're just going to have to come back until we figure it out," Isaak says.

The 40 year old musician has been too busy to do too many lunches. He's been beating the drum for his latest album, Baja Sessions, a mellow, stripped-down beach party of tasty new songs, reworked favorites and vintage tropical delights. The result is not quite unplugged. "It's unprofessional," Isaak offers.

In truth, the Bay Area native is in fine professional form. And one expects nothing less from this gifted rocker, who's still pissed that Connie Francis and Pat Boone aren't in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. During our meal, which includes the house speciality Hor-Mok Seafood (a k a Hidden Treasures) - "Hey, these look like tiny breasts!" Isaak says upon their arrival - he sings a little Everly Brothers, then re-creates his hero Dean Martin's flipping the bird to an audience member while singing "Everybody Loves Somebody."

DW: You're last album, 'Forever Blue,' was all about heartbreak, how autobiographical was it?

CI: Completely. If you just broke up with somebody, it was a great record to listen to. If somebody's been treating you wrong, leaves you and starts going out with your brother, that's your record.

DW: I think people perceive you as more heartbreaker than heartbroken.

CI: My view of relationships isn't too optimistic. I look back a lot and think about the perfection of that date in high school with your 15-year-old girlfriend and think, "Why can't I hold on to that forever?"

DW: Because it's illegal to hold on to 15 year olds.

CI: OK, make a joke out of it, but I think that's the whole idea of art - you try to freeze moments. And for a copy of this sentiment, send $2 to Who Cares?, Box 4140.

DW: 'Baja Sessions' has a decidedly different tone.

CI:This is a making-up album. I always wanted to do a very pretty record. The album was sort of conceived in Baja [Mexico]. You go to sit under a palm tree and you do things that fit under a palm tree.

DW: Was guesting on 'Friends' a day at the beach?

CI: Actually, I'd like to come clean about something - I'm the guy who stole the magnet off the refrigerator on the set of Friends.

DW: Any more movies for you?

CI: I did a piece in Grace of My Heart [directed by Allison Anders] and in Tom Hanks' film That Thing You Do!

DW: How was Hanks?

CI: He was sickening. I came expecting to see an attitude and I was devastated. He was incredibly nice, normal and talented. Success didn't just land on Tom Hanks.

DW: Being single, what do you look for in a woman?

CI:Number one, I like people who are smart and happy. Not being that intelligent or that happy myself, I'm looking for a woman to help me out. And they should have something that they're interested in that has nothing to do with me. You want to be able to ask, "Honey, how was neurosurgery today?"

DW: So neurosurgery is as good as modeling?

CI: That's the one thing I've never done - gone out with fashion models.

DW: Based on videos like "Wicked Game," do people think you're always on a beach wrestling models?

CI: All of the time I've spent with models has been in front of a camera. You've seen it all, folks. That's the only model wrestlin' this kid has ever done!

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