The process is underway, next meeting on 20 May. Dennis Hopper, that absolute legend – to me, one of the most fascinating actors of all time. If I could have chosen any film figure to be the subject of a one-hour concept album, it would have been Hopper. The Waterboys, the rock band led by Scottish frontman Mike Scott, have now made that wish come true: Life, Death and Dennis Hopper transforms Hopper’s turbulent life into a musical biopic without ever slipping into awkwardness. After the very first listen, you want to learn everything about him. And even if you tried – no actor could ever truly portray him.
Life, Death and Dennis Hopper is a classic concept album: Scott often sings from Hopper’s perspective. At the beginning, a train pulls away – the start of a journey – and different genres stand in for different places. Country music becomes Kansas; swing and jazz embody 1950s Hollywood; later, a sitar signals the psychedelic 1960s. The album tells a story but never gets trapped in its own concept, staying playful, open and free. Naturally, Hopper’s most iconic roles appear: Easy Rider, of course, but also Frank Booth from Blue Velvet. There are guest appearances too, from Bruce Springsteen – my personal hero – followed by Fiona Apple, who simply steals the show.
