The 1987 HBO mockumentary, The Return of Bruno, chronicled the life and music of the fictional legendary blues-rock artist, Bruno Radolini, who influenced everyone from the Beatles and the Beach Boys to Bon Jovi and Elton John. Directed by James Yukich, the film also featured commentary from Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, the Bee Gees, Elton John, Jon Bon Jovi, Grace Slick, Joan Baez, Michael J. Fox, and other cameos, all attesting to the “legacy” of Radolini’s work.
Radolini was partially a real persona, the alter ego of actor and musician Bruce Willis, and his debut album of the same name, released on Motown Records, two years before his hit show Moonlighting ended and a year before he reached international stardom with the first Die Hard film.
“Bruno takes himself very seriously,” said Willis during an interview with Bryant Gumbel in 1987. “I kinda look at him as just another performance, just another page in the book of the entertainment that I do. He’s a character that I play. It certainly allows me not to take myself so seriously.”
Throughout the mid-1990s through early 2010s, Willis performed with his band, the Accelerators, including a performance at Love Rocks NYC in 2017. Willis also collaborated with Blues Traveler on their 2008 album North Hollywood Shootout with the spoken word piece, “Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob’s Machine Shop),” and appeared in the 2010 video for the Gorillaz‘s single “Stylo.”
Willis also showed off his musical chops in films, including a performance of his song “Tenth Avenue Tango” (off his second album If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger) in the 2000 comedy The Whole Nine Yards. He also made several musical appearances on Saturday Night Live—with harmonica in tow—and was featured on several movie soundtracks, including a duet with Danny Aiello on the standards “Swinging on a Star” and “Side by Side” in the 1991 film Hudson Hawk, and taking on Iggy Pop’s “Lust For Life” as Spike in the 2003 animated film Rugrats Go Wild.
Videos by American Songwriter
‘The Return of Bruno’
Peaking at No. 4 in the UK and No. 14 on the Billboard 200, Willis’ album, The Return of Bruno, featured the actor on vocals, along with special guests the Pointer Sisters, The Temptations, Booker T. Jones, and more.
On the album, Willis joins the late June Pointer on a cover of the Staple Sisters’ 1971 hit “Respect Yourself,” which also went to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also takes on the Coasters’ 1957 hit “Young Blood,” The Drifters’ 1964 classic, “Under the Boardwalk,” and Allen Toussaint’s “Fun Time,” first recorded by Joe Cocker, among other handpicked tracks.
He also co-wrote one song for the album, “Jackpot (Bruno’s Bop),” with producer Robert Kraft (Don Henley, Ozzy Osbourne, Roberta Flack).
Kraft later collaborated with Willis on the actor’s 1989 follow-up album, If It Don’t Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger. Willis’ second release features more covers, including James Brown’s “I’ll Go Crazy,” Deon Jackson’s “Love Makes the World Go Round,” The Drifters’ 1960 hit “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Willie Dixon‘s 1959 song “Crazy Mixed-Up World,” and more, along with five more songs, written by the actor: “Pep Talk,” ‘Turn it Up (A Little Louder),” “Blues for Mr. D,” “Can’t Leave Her Alone,” and “Here Comes Trouble Again.”
“I don’t have any regrets about anything I’ve done,” said Willis during a 1989 interview with MTV. “I’ve certainly learned from some of the things that I’ve done. But I wouldn’t change anything.”
Photo: Joe McNally / Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.