Tom DiCillo is a celebrated figure in independent American cinema and has long been known for his innovative and personal storytelling. Having made his mark with films like Johnny Suede, starring a then-unknown Brad Pitt and the critically acclaimed Living In Oblivion, his unique vision has left a lasting and profound impression on the film industry.
His talent for crafting compelling stories with dark humour has earned him accolades at festivals like Locarno and Sundance. But while his cinematic talents are well-documented, Tom DiCillo has also quietly nurtured a parallel passion; music. In recent years, he’s stepped out from behind the camera to explore his musical instincts, penning songs with the same emotional intensity and sharp wit that define his films.
Born on a Marine Corps base in North Carolina, his artistic journey began with a guitar in hand at the age of 14. Although music played a formative role in his early years, his creative path eventually led him toward writing, photography and ultimately, filmmaking. After earning an MFA in directing from NYU’s Graduate Film School in 1976, he launched a career that saw him write and direct the Grammy-winning documentary When You’re Strange, a work about the legendary band The Doors narrated by Johnny Depp.
But despite his success in film, he never left his love for music behind. In 2013, he co-founded The Black & Blue Orkestre alongside Will Crewdson and Grog Lisee, releasing Hurt Me Tender, a debut album that introduced listeners to a sound steeped in rockabilly and spaghetti western influences. Returning a decade later as a solo artist, in 2023 he dropped his single “Lock Him Up,” followed by “No Such Luck” at the start of this year.
Now he’s preparing to release his highly anticipated sophomore record, Shot Of Blue, set to feature another twelve 12 original songs that explore themes of love, heartbreak and the complex emotions that lie between. Offering the first taste of the upcoming album, the lead single from the album is the title track, “Shot Of Blue,” offers a soulful rock jam brimming with grooving rhythm and slick instrumentation capped by Tom’s rich vocal leads.
Brought in by funky guitar rhythms riding the snap of drums, Tom’s smooth voice spin picture painting lyricism as female backing vocals add colour to the arrangement. Fully of bluesy vibes and infectious rhythm, his memorable vocal melodies are lifted by bright guitar work and organ stretches to form a dazzling outing that’s at once timeless and modern. As he continues to operate at the very highest level as a musician and with his second LP on the horizon, Tom DiCillo once again stakes his claim as a cherished and visionary creative.
Commenting on the single, he shares, “A fragment of the lyrics hit me 30 years ago. I guess it stuck with me. I borrowed some of the bass line from “Respect Yourself” by the Staples Singers. I wanted the song to have a groove but with a contemporary edge. The same is true for all the songs on the album. I gave each track a strong beat and energy that keeps propelling them forward.”
Listen to Shot Of Blue below
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