Name a song you’ve listened to in the past 24 hours.
I just did a full road trip around Hawaii — man, I listened to everything. “The High Road” by Broken Bells. I’m not sure how I got put on to those guys. Living in Austin, which is the self-proclaimed “live music capital of the world,” you hear about some new indie band every time you’re out and about, although I know they’re a lot bigger than the standard indie band.
What was the last concert you attended? .
Bruce Springsteen. That was legit. I saw him at South by Southwest in March. You go in with such high expectations, and he just killed it. He was up there for three hours, crowd-surfing and drinking beers. I didn’t know the new album [Wrecking Ball], but I liked “Jack of All Trades.” And “I’m on Fire” is pretty deadly to me.
Who on the set of Friday Night Lights had the best taste in music?
Me. I’m known for blaring music at base camp. I’ve gone through three or four sets of speakers in my trailers. To play Chon in Savages, I listened to a lot of Metallica and Tupac. For John Carter, it was AC/DC. There’s also a lot of emotion in John Carter, so when it was that kind of scene, I’d kick it with David Gray. If you were to play a musician in a biopic, who would it be? .
Stevie Ray Vaughan. I’d like to do that down the road. I love those soulful guys. That’s why I do what I do. I can’t sing, but I’d love to think that some of my work can take you in the same way a song can.
Growing up, was there anything your parents objected to you listening to?
My mom raised me and she had, like, 25 jobs, so I was on my own quite a bit. But she was pretty chill. I just remember putting the Beach Boys on the record player and listening to Pet Sounds for hours.
What was the first concert you attended?
When I was ten, my dad took me to see the Righteous Brothers. I didn’t want to go, because my brothers didn’t want to go. But my dad forced us. I only know their music because we were playing it the whole way there.
Is there a song that you associate with your first kiss?
No offense, but I don’t really look back on it like a girl, where it’s like, “Oh man, I remember that kiss,” if a song comes on. Her name was Kristy, and we were having a beach picnic on a lake in British Columbia.
What song do you want played at your funeral?
My motto is “no regrets,” so I might say “No Regrets” by Tom Cochrane. But I think I could do better than that. Maybe Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How It Feels.” That’s kind of funny.
If you were to curate a festival, who would headline?
Fuck, that’s tough. Garth Brooks, AC/DC. I’m good mates with the drummer of Kings of Leon, so I’ll throw him one. Jesse Plemons, who played Landry [on FNL], is an awesome musician.
Name a playlist on your iPod.
I work out quite a bit. I go super-intense when we’re boxing. I have “Fade Into Darkness” by Avicii, “Collide” by Leona Lewis, “ Till I Collapse” and “Cinderella Man” by Eminem. Some old-school 50 Cent. Is there anyone you were a fan of that you’re embarrassed to admit now?
You’ll like this one: Annie Lennox. And I still like Michael Jackson. I have a boat in Austin, and I like to wakeboard to “Thriller.”
