Natural Sibling, Adopted Blues Brother

It must be nice to be a Hollywood Personality.

If you’re a Hollywood Personality, you can present yourself as a Pop Star without the benefit of any musical experience, qualification, knowledge or even discernible talent, and people will come see you anyway. Witness Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Harry Dean Stanton, Don Johnson, Cybill Shepherd, etc.

Witness Jim Belushi.

Belushi--who will perform tonight at the Coach House with the House of Blues house band, the Sacred Hearts--is learning on the job.

At 41, he will be stepping into the shoes of his late brother, John, this year when filming begins on “Blues Brothers 2000,” a sequel to the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers,” in which John starred with Dan Aykroyd.

But unlike his brother, who was a big R&B; fan and who showed a natural affinity for blue-eyed soul, Jim Belushi seems to be entering a world about which he admittedly knows little.

“The blues is really new to me. I got turned on to the blues, like most normal Americans, by the ‘Blues Brothers,’ ” he said, apparently oblivious to the millions of “normal Americans” who came to the music right through the front door.

“I listened to the Doors, Eric Clapton, Paul Revere and the Raiders and stuff like that when I was growing up. Then I took acid and got into Jimi Hendrix and went off in that direction. In college, I got more into classical and jazz.”

*

Perhaps it’s a fear of the unknown, or of negative comparisons, that was behind Belushi’s profound sensitivity when the subject of his brother came up: He refused to discuss John and flew into a pique when asked anything about him.

“I’m trying to develop a style,” is all he would say. “It all started about a year ago when [the Sacred Hearts] asked me to sing a song with them. Then they taught me another song, and then another. Then we started getting gigs. We played for the president in September. I knew Clinton from before the elections. Then when they were doing a benefit for him at the House of Blues, he asked for my band to play. So we sang for the president, and now we’re considered the president’s band.

“It’s a full sound, a lot of excitement, good music, a lot of R&B.; We do a couple Buddy Guy songs; we do a couple Big Joe Turner songs; we do ‘Viva Las Vegas!’; we do ‘Sweet Home Chicago’; we do ‘Hard to Handle,’ we do a lot of rockin’ stuff.”

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He sounded equally enthusiastic about the new “Blues Brothers” movie, which also will feature Aykroyd, John Goodman and the original Blues Brothers band.

“I’m thrilled. It’s a very funny script. I play the blood brother of Jake Blues [John’s character]. Jake’s mother had an indiscretion, and that was me. Aykroyd hooks up with me, and then he finds John Goodman [a third brother].

“There’s going to be a lot of surprise guests and a big battle of the bands at the end of it. I’m sure there will be an album that we’ll release with the movie, and we’ll tour and do appearances and the whole thing.”

Yes, it must be very nice indeed.

* Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts perform today at the Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano, with Heads of State and the Cat Reed All-Stars. 8 p.m. $15.50. (714) 496-8930.