Val Kilmer still has that sly smile and a voice that is instantly recognizable.
We were all pretty excited that the Iceman would be visiting our studios to talk music for the Guest DJ Project, but little did we know he also had one of the best Bob Dylan stories of all time.
Val said when he was asked to choose five songs that inspired him, he went straight back to his youth, eventually picking classic artists who awakened his “artistic expression” with their work.
He praises the “attack” of The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” and digs into Elton John’s “Levon”, saying the Bernie Taupin-penned track “is great because it sort of proves that rock n’ roll is like pure emotion because it doesn’t make that much sense.”
As a huge fan of “True Romance”, I was a little disappointed there wasn’t an Elvis pick on the list (and an impression to go along with it), but he made up for it with a great Bob Dylan story. The elusive singer is a huge fan of the movie “Tombstone” and his hilarious story captures their first meeting.
Val seems to relish taking on iconic characters like Jim Morrison and Doc Holliday and he will inhabit the spirit of another legendary figure, Mark Twain, in his solo show Citizen Twain, opening at the Kirk Douglas Theatre here in LA on June 28.
Val Kilmer Guest DJ Project Set list
1. Eleanor Rigby- The Beatles
2. Levon- Elton John
3. It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)- Bob Dylan
4. Manic Depression- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
5. Stairway To Heaven- Led Zeppelin