Chris Isaak

Christopher Joseph “Chris” Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American rock musician and occasional actor. He is best known for his hit “Wicked Game”, as well as the popular hit songs “Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing” and “Somebody’s Crying”. He is renowned for his signature 1950s rock & roll style and crooner sound, as well as his soaring falsetto and reverb-laden music. He is closely associated with film director David Lynch, who has used his music in numerous films and gave him a large role in the film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. His songs generally focus on the themes of love, loss and heartbreak. With a career spanning four decades, he has amassed a total of twelve studio albums, and has accumulated numerous award nominations and tours.
Isaak signed a contract to Warner Bros. Records, and released his first album in 1985, Silvertone. The name was taken from the band he formed after graduating college. The album’s sound was raw and diverse, mingling country blues with conventional folk ballads Although the album was a critical success, it failed to sell respectably.The track “Dancin” was the first music video that featured on MTV. Two other tracks from the album, “Gone Ridin'” and “Livin' for Your Lover”, featured in David Lynch’s cult classic Blue Velvet. Isaak’s self-titled follow-up album was released in 1986, and managed to scrape into the Billboard Top 200. The album saw Isaak hone his style to sophisticated R&B. The artwork for Chris Isaak, was photographed by fashion photographer Bruce Weber. Isaak’s contract was renewed in 1988 when Warner Bros. moved him to their Reprise Records label. “Suspicion of Love” appears in the 1988 hit movie Married to the Mob starring Matthew Modine, Michelle Pfeiffer and Dean Stockwell.

Isaak’s best known song is “Wicked Game”.Though released on the 1989 album Heart Shaped World, an instrumental version of the song was later featured in the 1990 David Lynch film Wild at Heart.Lee Chesnut, an Atlanta radio station music director who was obsessed with Lynch films, played the vocal version and it became the station’s most-requested song. Chesnut spread the word to other radio stations and the single became a national Top 10 hit in February 1991. It also reached No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart. The music video for the song was directed by Herb Ritts and was a MTV and VH1 hit; shot in black and white, it featured Isaak and supermodel Helena Christensen in a sensual encounter on the beach, caressing each other and whispering erotically in each other’s ears. Another less-seen version of “Wicked Game” is directed by David Lynch and comprises scenes from the film Wild at Heart. “Wicked Game” featured as the backing music in the 2001 TV advertisement for the Jaguar X-Type in the UK. In 1995, Isaak split with longtime guitarist James Calvin Wilsey. That year’s Forever Blue album and the accompanying tour featured Hershel Yatovitz on guitar.

In an interview with Mark Needham, an engineer who worked with Isaak on “Wicked Game”, Needham claimed that it took several years to put the track together.

In 1999, Isaak’s “Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing” was featured in Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut. The song is on his 1995 Forever Blue album. The music video for the song is directed by Herb Ritts, it was shot in color and featured Isaak and French supermodel Laetitia Casta in a motel room. This was Isaak’s second collaboration with Ritts.

Isaak composed a theme song for U.S. late-night television variety/talk show, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. In 2001, Isaak starred in his own television show, The Chris Isaak Show. It aired from March 2001 to March 2004 in the United States on the cable television network Showtime. This adult comedy show featured Isaak and his band playing themselves and the episode plots were based on fictional accounts of the backstage world of Isaak—the rock star next door. In 2004, his track “Life Will Go On” was featured on Chasing Liberty’s soundtrack, which starred Mandy Moore and Matthew Goode. His track “Two Hearts” was featured in the closing credits of the 1993 film True Romance, directed by Tony Scott, written by Quentin Tarantino, and starring Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette.

Isaak’s producer, Erik Jacobsen, was instrumental in his sound for 15 years. Jacobsen is known for his production work with The Lovin' Spoonful, and solo albums from Spoonful’s John Sebastian and Jerry Yester. Isaak ceased working with Jacobsen on his 2002 album, Always Got Tonight. In 2007 Isaak opened for Stevie Nicks on her Crystal Visions Tour during the first leg of the tour.

In 2006, he was guested by Johnny Hallyday to cover Fats Domino’s hit Blueberry Hill. The duet was recorded and issued on Johnny Hallyday’s live album La Cigale (2007, Warner Music). At the end of this record you can hear Isaak thanking the French Rock'n'Roll star as “The King”.

Isaak collaborated with John Shanks for his 2009 album Mr. Lucky.

He contributed a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” for a tribute album, Listen to Me: Buddy Holly, released in September 2011.

Isaak released an album called Beyond the Sun, which was recorded in Memphis, Tennessee at the Sun Records studio.