Music Playlist

1) "Star Me Kitten [Featuring W.S. Burroughs]" • R.E.M. • In Time—The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003

“I love William S. Burroughs. Obviously he defined part of a generation, but he influenced at least two generations after him. And it's also about having sex.”

2) "Old Five and Dimers Like Me" • Emmylou Harris • All I Intended to Be

“Emmy—she's an angel. I've had a crush on her since she was in the Fallen Angels with Gram Parsons. I've had the pleasure of getting to know her over the years. Lyrically this is just a great song once you get to a certain age philosophically. To hear her sing it is just perfect.”

3) "Stay Positive" • The Hold Steady • Stay Positive

“The Hold Steady at their best remind me of what I grew up with—the jangly Brit pop kind of thing—although they have a modern sensibility. I was huge Clash fan, but I was also a Jam fan.”

4) "Octopus's Garden" • The Beatles • Abbey Road

“First of all, I'm a bit of a Beatles freak. My son and I make video films, and we used this for a film we made on the California beach. And it's Ringo.”

5) "Blackbird" • Brad Mehldau • The Art of the Trio, Vol. 1

“It's just a really cool version of ‘Blackbird,’ and I've been collecting great versions of Beatles songs. I have RIOT doing ‘Here Comes the Sun,’ John Doe doing ‘Baby's in Black.’ “