The Hollywood star and acclaimed singer-songwriter talks broken hearts, modded Teles, pawning presents for guitar money, and how hopefulness informs new album Bloor Street
We don’t quite have 24 hours with him (more like a strict 30 minutes). But it’s remarkable how closely an interview with Kiefer Sutherland resembles a chat with a normal human being.
Answering the phone from Los Angeles in that unmistakable honey-and-grit drawl, he’s the most gracious megastar you’re ever likely to encounter, more like a guitar shop regular than the man who stared from your childhood Lost Boys poster as a peroxide vampire.
At the grand old age of 55, Sutherland is paying his dues all over again. Unlike his movie and TV career – a context in which he’s been a stone-cold icon since Stand By Me, 35 years ago – the Canadian’s two country albums since 2016 have seen him shinning up the greasy pole and playing venues that can barely contain his star power.
But aside from the scale, he considers, maybe his day job has more in common with third album, Bloor Street, than it appears. “The thing I love about acting is that I get together with a group of people to tell a story. Americana music is kinda like that, too.”
Do you think 24’s Jack Bauer would have been a guitar player?
“Not at all. I think the closest Jack Bauer ever would have been to a guitar was smashing it over someone’s head. He was not that guy.”
You’ve played so many fantastic characters. But how important is it to show your true self as a musician?
“Well, I think that’s the real difference, isn’t it? I’m not Jack Bauer. I’m not David from The Lost Boys. I’m not President Kirkman. Those are characters. The real difference with songwriting for me is that there is no character. These are songs that are written by me, from me, about either my life or a perspective that I have on life.
“What’s so exciting for me are the moments on tour when I’ve been able to say, ‘This is why I wrote this song, and maybe you have a similar experience.’ And those people in the audience that have, we get to realise that we have a little more in common than we thought when we walked in the door.”
