.

Rufus Wainwright Hits the Road and the Silver Screen

'It's loosely based on my life – a kind of mythic Rufus,' the singer says of upcoming movie musical

June 22, 2012 3:15 PM ET
Rufus Wainwright
Rufus Wainwright
Courtesy of Universal

Rufus Wainwright has been on the road since April, and he has more shows booked in Europe and North America straight through December. But the singer – who embraced an upbeat pop sound for this year's Out of the Game – isn't complaining about his busy schedule. "I feel very fortunate that I'm still in the game, even though I'm pretending to be out of it," Wainwright tells Rolling Stone.

Wainwright's current live act fully embodies the bright, colorful vibe of the new album. "It's a really fun show," he says. "The concerts I did for the last album [2010's All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu] were just solo piano and me alone onstage crying my eyes out for six months all over the world, because my mother [folk great Kate McGarrigle] had just died. I'm definitely having a little bit of a better time now."

Wainwright is also excited to be working with Tony-winning director Enda Walsh on a movie musical tentatively titled The Great White Way, which will use songs from his back catalog. "We're really early in that process," he says. "It's loosely based on my life – very, very loose. Perhaps it's more of a kind of mythic Rufus that he's trying to create. It stems from some of my past glories and tragic endings, but it's by no means a biography of me or anything."

PBS' Live from the Artists Den filmed a recent Wainwright performance at New York's Church of the Ascension. The episode is set to air this fall but, in the meantime, you can check out a clip featuring the new tune "Jericho" here:


To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prev
Music Main Next

blog comments powered by Disqus
Daily Newsletter

Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
marketing partners.

X

We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

Song Stories

“More Than a Feeling”

Boston | 1976

Boston mastermind Tom Scholz was as surprised by anyone when he sent his unsolicited demo to record labels and got back a positive response. Scholz said, “I couldn’t believe it. Nobody knew who we were, so I wouldn’t even say we were struggling. It was groveling.” Part of the credit for the interest must go to the anthemic rock number "More Than a Feeling." Inspired by the Left Banke's 1966 hit "Walk Away Renee," Scholz worked on the song for five years in his basement studio before it was released on this album.

More Song Stories entries »