An Insider’s View of the L.A. Music Scene

As the former co-leader of the seminal ‘80s L.A. band X, John Doe is something of an icon in the music world. Though the alternative rock group has long since disbanded, Doe still performs in clubs around the country with a group he calls the John Doe Thing.

But in the last 10 years, he’s also made a name for himself as an actor in such films as “Salvador,” “Forces of Nature’ and “Touch.”

His latest film is “Sugar Town,” Allison Anders and Kurt Voss’ indie satire about the current L.A. music scene, which opens today. Doe plays Carl, a struggling musician living in Topanga Canyon with his pregnant wife and three young daughters; Carl faces a crisis when he joins a seductive singer’s road tour. Made in just three weeks last summer, “Sugar Town” also stars Ally Sheedy, Rosanna Arquette and her brother Richmond, and musicians John Taylor, Michael Des Barres and Martin Kemp.

The ensemble work explores the hustling, treachery and ruthlessness of wannabe singers, has-beens and never-weres. There’s an ambitious aspiring singer (Jade Gordon) who quite literally walks over a dead body to get a gig. Three once-popular British rockers (Taylor, Des Barres and Kemp) find themselves without a record contract and way behind the times. In the film, Doe’s Carl finds himself dealing with his recovering junkie brother (Arquette) and trying not be tempted by a former flame (Lumi Cavazos).

Besides “Sugar Town,” Doe is a recurring regular on the new WB sci-fi series “Roswell,” which begins next month, and will be performing at Cafe Largo on Oct. 2. Before flying off to San Francisco for a concert, Doe talked about his life as an actor and musician.

Question: Do you think “Sugar Town” offers a realistic view of what life is like for a musician?

Answer: Yes. But my experience has been that the movie industry is a little more cutthroat than the music industry. Music is just as cutthroat, but it is not as blatant, not as upfront.

Q: Was the role of Carl written for you?

A: I think so. Allison and Kurt kind of called all of their friends and said, “What are you doing in August?” You hang around the show-business world long enough then you’ll have a lot of people you can put in movies. Ally Sheedy was in between stuff, and the same with me. They developed it as it went along.

Q: So was there a set script, or was there a lot of improv involved?

A: There was a set script. I am not a big fan of improv, because you have too many things to think about! But I must say Kurt and Allison were always very open to any kind of changes to make things more comfortable or more natural.

Q: What was it like having two directors?

A: They have a lot of unspoken communications. There wasn’t a moment I experienced where there was disagreement or conflict. It was very distracting that they played rock-paper-scissors before each take to figure out who called “Action!” You’d be ready to start a scene, and then you’d hear a male voice say “Action!” and you’d say, “Oh, Kurt just won.” Then people started betting on it.

Q: Did you win any money?

A: No, I don’t do pools. I’ll only do pools on births.

Q: You have a long history with these directors.

A: Yes, I worked on their first movie called “Border Radio.” But I must say about their directing that Allison worked with the actors on emotional content primarily, and Kurt was more making things look beautiful and figuring out the way the camera was going to move. If Allison got to a point where she didn’t know what to say, then Kurt would come up with something totally obtuse to get you to stop thinking and just be. They were a real team.

Q: Do you prefer making films with friends versus doing a studio production?

A: It sure beats the hell out of auditioning. [With auditioning] you have to suck it up and go and then forget it immediately. But I enjoy the financial rewards of a studio film a whole lot more, although all the principal actors shared in the sale of this movie. It was great. Even my kids did. They had a share as one--the three of them.

Q: So those were your daughters who played your daughters?

A: Yes, that was the first time they had ever been on screen.

Q: Do you know musicians like Carl who live hand-to-mouth?

A: I don’t know if Carl is living hand-to-mouth so much as he has got to keep doing stuff. I am sort of like that. There is never a month where I can just decide I don’t want to work because I am tired. I think that’s sort of a lame excuse--a luxury people really shouldn’t be allowed, because then you become stale.

Q: How did the acting happen?

A: I was sort of enlisted. The first thing I did was a screen test for “Diner.” I guess [director] Barry Levinson had heard I was from Baltimore. It was for Kevin Bacon’s part--the smart guy who was a layabout. I didn’t get the part. The first real thing I did was a Doors video for “L.A. Woman.” My first real job [in a feature] was “Salvador,” and then it went on from there.

Q: Do most film producers and directors know of your history with X?

A: Yeah, but it is rewarding when someone knows you--if they are going to hire you as an actor--from being in other films rather than being a rock standard icon or whatever you want to call what X has become. Then there are other directors and producers who will call you specifically because they are a fan of X. That can be really disturbing when you are taking Polaroids with directors before you audition and you are thinking, “Why don’t you give me the job? You give me the job and then I’ll take the Polaroid.”

Q: Do you feel the legend of X has been blown out of proportion?

A: No, I don’t. I think X made a statement and was part of something that was original. We were definitely there and contributed to a musical movement.

Q: What’s the difference in terms of creative fulfillment between acting and being a musician?

A: I think acting is a more self-realized satisfaction. You, the director and the other people who are on the set, you know when it is good. You don’t have to have an audience to validate it.