Actor Billy Bob Thornton has always fancied himself a musician. He played in Creedence Clearwater Revival and ZZ Top cover bands back in his native Arkansas and finally got to release a handful of solo albums after he'd risen to fame onscreen in "Sling Blade" and "Monster's Ball."
None of them is likely to give Bruce Springsteen pause about whether or not he's still the Boss, but thanks to help from Thornton's friends, such as Marty Stuart, Joe Walsh, Daniel Lanois, and the late Warren Zevon, they all rise above the level of other actors' don't-quit-your-day-job vanity projects.
I'm talking to you, Keanu Reeves
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and Johnny Depp.
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Thornton also loves the St. Louis Cardinals; and rather than wear a vial of Tony La Russa's blood around his neck, he's found a more appropriate, if equally hilarious, outlet for expressing it. His latest album is the self-titled debut of his new band, the Boxmasters, a country-rock trio that plays twangy covers of tunes by the Beatles, the Who, and even the Monkees, plus raw and ribald originals such as "I'm Watchin' the Game," a song that cautions the missus against interrupting him during his favorite pastime. "I've had enough/I'm gonna pitch a fit/If the Cardinals lose, you'll be the one to blame," he sneers.
As for the Cards' chief rivals, they get name-checked - rather harshly - as well.
The album arrived in stores last week, but you can also hear the song on the band's MySpace page , but tread carefully. It's decidedly NSFW (or for delicate sensibilities).