WHET to Chris Isaak?

Then and now

You might find this thread of interest.

He doesn't look bad, but damn did his ears keep growing!

He had a cute nose.

He seems to be great on the concert circuit and has longevity.

I will take that any day over a massive star who needs desperately to keep topping their last big thing. That gets so dull after decades.

He's the rockabilly version of Tom Petty--just keeps on going until the reaper puts his bony foot down.

He was kind of a one trick pony. Saw him play in some straight club in SF in The Haight in the 80's when he was a surfer living out in The Sunset and dating Margaret Cho. He practically lived at that club, doing his rockabilly surfer sound. Maybe it was Rock N' Bowl. That didn't work out... then he became famous overnight and was big for a few years. This all was going down when AIDS was raging in SF and the straights were moving in to gentrify and fill the void.

"Wicked Game" is one of the most beautiful songs I've enjoyed, but he didn't move much beyond that as far as I can tell.

In the 1990's, or early 2000's, my partner and I were returning to SFO and standing on a moving sidewalk through the middle of the terminal to get to baggage. As we passed, there he was, Chris Issac sitting there taking up a whole bench that faced the people mover rather than towards the gates, enormously tall and lanky, with his hair gelled high in the air, jeans, leather jacket and T-shirt, manspreading his legs -- looking like -- well, very Chris Issac, and looking at each passerby as if begging to be recognized.

His face was noticeably pockmarked despite that he was wearing heavy foundation. I just wanted to yell "Blend, Chris Issac, blend! And add a little bronzing powder!". It looked like he was on a delayed flight to Burbank or something, but wasn't the type to read a book or newspaper; he just wanted to be noticed. And was impossible not to be noticed. To those unfamiliar with him, he might have looked like a human giraffe selling Mark Kay products. He noticed that we noticed him as we were swept by on the conveyor belt. Partner said, "Well, obviously there's Chris Issac...kinda douchey, kinda sad...".

I remember that he was from the San Joaquin Valley, Stockton or Modesto maybe. Glad he got out.

Hey R6 was it Night Break (small bar/club) or the I Beam (bigger)? They are practically across the street from each other a block or so away from Rock N Bowl (which I still miss).

Yesterday was my 35 year anniversary of moving to SF... I remember the late 80s/early 90s push to make Chis Isaak a thing. The local paper tried and tried, he had that one song on MTV with the models in it...and it just never happened the way they wanted.

My old BF was in bands at the time and they played a gig with CI, my ex said he walked into the dressing room and CI was up on a countertop practicing poses with his guitar in a mirror. I totally believe/d this.

People who keep mentioning Wicked Game make me curious as to whether they have any full albums of his stuff. That song is so overplayed, the two times annually I take out my Chris Isaak albums (he has a season in his music, and it's never winter), whatever partner I am with forces me to skip over that song, so tired of it they all became.

Oh, and somewhere in another thread, a person purporting to be from Texas was making fun of Californians that "pretend" to have a Southern accent.

Chris is a California boy, and he has the California version of the "southern" accent that can be heard throughout the state. He may well play it up for his image, but I think it comes naturally.

Isn't he kind of a right winger? if so, PASS!

A lot of his songs are fantastic. Nothing's Changed. Saw him in concert once and he was very good.

He did Friends. You don't get bigger than that.

I've seen him in concert many times, and afterwards when he was signing T shirts. He doesn't have pock-marked skin and was hot AF.

It's probably been 10 years, but he was always nice and put on a great show.

The old guitar player he had (who did Wicked Game) was really great. Isaak had a good sound, but one-trick, yes. He needed better producers or something.

Well, he's managed a 30 plus year career and not playing dumps. Not everyone can be a superstar.

He's at the Greek next month with Lyle Lovett.

A strong follow-up single after Wicked Game would have been nice....

He never did as great a song as Wicked Game. He had a great voice, great looks and charisma but his songwriting is bland and mediocre. Even Wicked Game owes some of its success to James Calvin Wolsey’s distinctive guitar work.

r7, it was Night Break.

I sure had a lot of fun nights at the I-Beam in the early and mid-1980's!

Can't believe he fucked Margaret Cho, isn't she gay? Whatever she is, she's a hot mess. Guess lots of straight men are attracted to crazy!

btw, Chris' semi-autobiographical cable comedy show was good.

"btw, Chris' semi-autobiographical cable comedy show was good."

It wasn't good, it was great!

There's a hotness to him in person (or at least there was) that photos don't show. And he's supposed to be alarmingly well-hung.

Kudos to him for not getting blepharoplasty on those eyelids and looking like he's been attacked by a melon baller.

Margaret must be bi, cause she's been dating a guy for a few years now. Finally cleaned herself up- she was in rehab for over 2 years.

I got a ticket for one of his shows with Lyle Lovett, a month out and it’s almost sold out. I think he’s doing ok,

I think he was very loyal to his band, his drummer got cancer and then they didn't tour for years. Not sure what the situation is now.

I saw a youtube video of him singing live. not great.

I have his CDs. I think it was heart shaped world or something. whole album is so sad. good songs but very sad and depressing.

He wrote many good songs. Baby did a bad, bad thing, wicked game...

he's talented.

He's into Asian women.

He can suck his own cock.

Did he ever write his autobio? i think it would be very interesting. he was dirt poor, went to Japan to box, became a singer, actor etc.

I'm sure he has very interesting stories...