I was halfway through this post last night when freezing rain managed to somehow knock out my internet access! Sigh.
The Wild Life – Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Cameron Crow followed up Fast Times At Ridgemont High with this flop of a movie that starred Chris Penn, Eric Stoltz, Lea Thompson and Rick Moranis. I’ve never seen the flick (it’s been out of print for years) but I haven’t heard many good things about it. Supposedly it’s utter failure is one the reasons that Cameron Crowe assumed more creative control and took the helm as director for his next movie – Say Anything. The soundtrack sure is an odd one though, with several well-known musicians contributing songs you can’t find anywhere else:
Edward Van Halen – Donut City
The score to The Wild Life was primarily done by Eddie but he only gets one song on the soundtrack. This rarity has never seen the light of day on CD and is a good example of pre-Haggar, pre-suck Eddie Van Halen.
Hanover Fist – Metal Of The Night
This Canadian metal band released one album and then vanished into oblivion.
Charlie Sexton with Ron Wood – It’s Not Easy
Most of you probably know Ron Wood, he’s been in The Rolling Stones, The Faces and The Jeff Beck Group. Charlie Sexton’s a dude that’s been around, most recently as Bob Dylan’s guitarist. He’s pretty damn good. This Stone cover turned up on a tribute album in the late nineties, strangely enough.
Andy Summers – Human Shout
You’re going to see a lot more of Andy this year, since he got back together with Sting and Stewart Copeland to go on tour as The Police for the first time in God knows how long. This track never appeared on any of his solo albums – it sounds like an above-average Police song minus The Sting.
Bananarama – Wild Life
The title track to the film and one of the only tracks that is easily available on CD – it appeared on Bananarama’s second album and several compilations by the band.
What Is This– Mind My Have Still I
This never-was band is assured a permanent footnote in rock history as it featured early Red Hot Chilli Peppers Hillel Slovak and Jack Iron, who also served as drummer for Pearl Jam for a time being.
Van Stephenson – Make It Glamorous
This dude was in a country group called Blackhawk – that’s about all I could find out about him. This song ain’t too hot either.
Peter Case – Who’s Gonna Break The Ice
If you know who this is then you must love 80s college-rock, as Case was a member of The Plimsouls, an overlooked band who recorded one of the greatest pop songs of the decade ‘A Million Miles Away’ (which was subsequently butchered by the Goo Goo Dolls several years later). While he’s recorded several solo records, this song hasn’t appeared on any of them. It’s a damn shame too because it’s pretty good.
The Three O’Clock – I Go Wild
According to Allmusic these guys are the ‘quintessential paisley underground band’. I have no idea what that means – the song sure is groovy though.
Louise Goffin with Charlotte Caffey – No Trespassing
Goffin is Carol King’s kid. She sings the theme song to Gilmour Girls with her. This song is not on any of her solo records. Charlotte Caffey was the guitarist for The Go-Gos and wrote “We Got The Beat.”
Peter Case’s first solo album is amazing. And the “Three O’Clock” had some nice songs. I saw them open for REM in DC
What Is This” was one of the most incredible bands I have ever heard. I liked them much more than the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Pearl Jam. I was so glad that I got to see them a bunch of times in LA. Wish I had live tapes.
The songs by The Three O’Clock and What Is This are not heard in the film. More than likely, they were just added as filler on the soundtrack album. The total music tracks for the movie comes to 21. I’ve updated the IMDb soundtrack list to show the correct order.