Tim Cappello: Live at PhilaMOCA
Tim Cappello keeps his oiled-up bod several feet from the stage pyro in “The Lost Boys.”
BY JILLY MacDOWELL | Director Richard Donner ("The Goonies") passed on the script so eclectic visionary Joel Schumacher took the helm of "The Lost Boys," the lusty, tormented saga of a squad of Santa Cruz County teen vampires. The resulting film is campy, spooky fun and a pretty competent allegory for sexual awakening and identity (bearing in mind it is 35 years old).
With a stacked cast – pals Jason Patric and Keifer Sutherland at their hunky prime (a few years before they would compete to be Julia Roberts' husband, unsuccessfully), Dianne Weist, the legend Barnard Hughes, and the Coreys in their first appearance together – and a cool soundtrack, The Lost Boys plays like the long-form music videos that were so popular then.
One of the enduring images of the 1987 film is that of the concert on the boardwalk, where utterly yoked sax player AND lead singer Tim Cappello stokes the young crowd's collective libido. Buttressed by trash can bonfires and a rock band (that is not The Call, whose "I Still Believe" he performs) Cappello creates an indelible core memory in a single short appearance.
The Westchester County, NY born musician's early work usually included performing in a G-string and always included performing shirtless. He backed Peter Gabriel and Carly Simon. For a time he had his own band, The Ken Dolls, who had a run as an unofficial CBGB's house band. They were eventually banned from there, "likely due to their overtly sexual performances," according to Jazzfuel. Whoa.
Most notably, Cappello played in Tina Turner's band for some 15 years. The music videos for her "Mad Max: Thunderdome" bangers "We Don't Need Another Hero" and "One of the Living" featured his shredding sax solos, likely the inspiration for his casting in "The Lost Boys."
Cappello wisely capitalized on a left-field homage on Saturday Night Live in 2010, parlaying newfound interest into bookings and recording. And at 67, the still-jacked Cappello may actually be a vampire – check out his physique and red leather onesie on the cover of solo album "Blood on the Reed." He's on tour in support of it, his first, a bewildering, anachronistic collection of covers including "Tequila," "Maybelline" and, of course, "I Still Believe":
I'm a survivor
Out at sea
Hoping theses waves
Don't cover me
Turned & tossed
Upon the waves
When the darkenss comes
I feel the grave
I still believe
Through the cold
Through the heat
Through the rain
Through the tears
Through the crowds
Through the cheers
Oh, I still believe
Tim Cappello plays PhilaMOCA on Wed, Aug 5, with Fabergege. Post-show meet-and-greet!
