LIST: Punks On Film - 10 musician movie appearances

Seeing a band or artist you like in a movie is always a surreal experience, perhaps because you’re close to their music and understand them as a “real person,” then bang! Hollywood magicks them into a character and suddenly it’s weird, maaan. Here are ten clips of musician movie appearances we put together for your Wednesday leisure-time viewing pleasure.  What are your favorite musician movie appearances?

CONTRIBUTORS:
Tyler Common [TC]
Cassie Whitt [CW]


Fall Out Boy in Sex Drive (2008)

Fall Out Boy play a five-song set for a group of Amish villagers who help them fix their bus so FOB can get back on the road to finish their tour. During the end credits scene, Ezekiel (played by Seth Green), attempts to make them feel guilty for only playing five songs. [TC]

 


Blink-182 in American Pie (1999)

Blink-182 make a flash appearance in American Pie when Jim Levenstein (played by Jason Biggs) accidentally “finishes” in bed with a girl before they even get started, not realizing the whole thing is being broadcasted to thousands via the internet, and he’s facing his imminent humiliation. Blink-182 are seen among the people watching with Mark Hoppus wisecracking, “Houston, we have a problem.” [TC]

 


Billie Joe ArmstrongThis Is 40 (2012)

In this deleted scene from This Is 40, Billie Joe Armstrong makes a cameo as himself and meets with Pete (Paul Rudd), an owner of a small record label, to discuss a music project that won't sound anything like Green Day. He says he wants to blend Norwegian death metal with Belle And Sebastian-style music. He jokes that he “sells too many records” and that he wants to change that. [TC]


Reel Big Fish in BASEketball (1998)

Reel Big Fish make a short appearance while performing at one of the games in BASEketball, a movie about a fictitious sport that combines the rules of baseball and basketball. The film’s main characters are played by South Park creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker. [TC]


Mighty Mighty Bosstones in Clueless (1999)

“Ugh, as if.” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones make their appearance at très-‘90s party Cher & co. attend, performing “Where’d You Go?” while Cher dances with new boy-toy Christian and Ty is “totally bummin’” in the back. [CW]

Rise Against in Lords Of Dogtown (2005)

In skate movie Lords Of Dogtown, Rise Against (as Black Flag) perform “Nervous Breakdown” to a crowd of rowdy punks. [CW]


The Offspring in Idle Hands (1999)

In Idle Hands, the Offspring do more than perform—they get murdered. Well, sort of. As they perform “Beheaded,” vocalist Dexter Holland gets scalped. Ouch! [CW]


Tom Waits in Dracula (1992)

Unlike many of his fellows on this list who play themselves, Tom Waits lends his acting skills and that signature rasp to crazed character R.M. Renfield in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 film take on the classic Bram Stoker novel. [CW]

Henry Rollins in The Chase

Former Black Flag frontman and punk-rock speaker extraordinaire Henry Rollins plays a cop in pursuit of a criminal on the run (Charlie Sheen) in The Chase. Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis and bassist flea also makes an appearance as a crazed hillbillies in a monster truck. [CW]

Various Artists in Punk Rock Holocaust

Not just one artist, but pretty much the entire 2003 and 2004 Warped Tour line-ups get slayed in these horror B-movies shot over two summers of the legendary festival. Brutal. Above is a clip of guitarists Frank Iero and Ray Toro from My Chemical Romance getting the axe in Punk Rock Holocaust 2. [CW]