Damian Lewis’s Music Debut Lands Him in an Awkward Radio Studio Encounter
Famed actor Damian Lewis, known for his captivating roles in television series such as Band of Brothers, Homeland, Billions, and Wolf Hall, has recently been venturing into the world of music, a passion he’s nurtured for a considerable time. His musical journey took an unexpected and rather comical turn during a recent interview on BBC Radio 2, leaving a traffic presenter in a rather embarrassing predicament.
Lewis, 55, released his debut album Mission Creep in 2023, a collaboration with jazz artist Giacomo Smith. Now, he’s gearing up for the release of his second album, titled Sweet Chaos. It was during a promotional segment for this upcoming rock album on Romesh Ranganathan’s Saturday morning show that the studio experienced a moment of, shall we say, unintended chaos.
A “Dirge” on Air
As Lewis’s new track began to play, traffic presenter Sally Boazman, known to listeners as Sally Traffic, inadvertently made a rather pointed comment about the music. Unaware that the song was, in fact, Lewis’s own work, she audibly questioned, “What is this dirge?” The actor, with a quick wit, responded, “This is my record.”
The studio atmosphere immediately shifted to one of amused shock, with laughter erupting. Romesh Ranganathan, struggling to contain his mirth, seized the opportunity to highlight Sally’s blunder. Despite Sally’s attempts to steer the conversation away from her unfortunate remark, Ranganathan playfully prompted her to recount the moment.
Forced to confess her gaffe to the listeners, Sally explained, “You were playing something and I was listening and I said, ‘what is this dirge’.” This admission sent both Ranganathan and Lewis into further fits of laughter. Lewis, ever the good sport, even playfully retorted, “I put a lot of time and hard work into this, Sally. Into this dirge, into my rock ballads.”
For those unfamiliar with the term, a “dirge” is defined as a slow, mournful song or poem, often composed for funerals or as a memorial. Sally’s initial assessment, therefore, was far from a ringing endorsement.
Backtracking and Praising Talent
Attempting to smooth over her faux pas, Sally quickly pivoted to complimenting Lewis’s musical efforts. She elaborated, “I listened to it more closely and I think it was very, very good. You’ve got so much talent; you can do so many things. You are a real polymath.”
During the interview, Lewis elaborated on his decision to pursue music more seriously in recent years. He explained his philosophy of responding to creative impulses: “The truth is, you do just respond in the moment to what’s in front of you and if it excites you, you go and do it.”
Sweet Chaos and Upcoming Performances
Lewis’s second album, Sweet Chaos, is slated for release on June 5th. He described the new collection as having a different feel to his debut: “The first album was quiet and tender. This new album is a bit angrier in places…you don’t know these things until you listen back: the extent to which your state of mind pervades the thing.”
A notable feature on Sweet Chaos is a duet with his partner, Alison Mosshart, the lead singer of the band The Kills. While a full tour is yet to be announced, Lewis will be previewing the album with a series of intimate in-store performances across the UK in June. These dates are scheduled for Leeds, Liverpool, Marlborough, London, and Kingston.
A Long-Held Ambition
Reflecting on the public’s reaction to his musical pursuits, Lewis recalled an interview from when his first album was released. When asked if people were surprised, he admitted, “Er, yes… is the short answer. My close friends and people I’ve grown up with know that I play the guitar and sing.” He reminisced about his younger days, which included busking in London and touring Europe on his motorbike, playing in market squares. However, his career as a professional actor had understandably taken precedence for many years, making his musical foray a significant shift in public perception.
Lewis also revealed that he had attempted songwriting in his youth, but described those early efforts as “frankly appalling and none of them have seen the light of day.” He pondered whether this was due to a lack of confidence or simply that the songs were genuinely poor quality.
Family Support
When asked about his children, daughter Manon, 19, and son Gulliver, 17 – from his marriage to the late Helen McCrory – and their thoughts on his musical endeavors, Lewis shared that initially, they “much prefer you just being dad.” He mentioned that there was “quite a lot of teasing” when he first announced his plans to write songs and form a band. However, as they’ve seen his commitment, their initial skepticism and mockery have evolved into “something a little more sweetly supportive.”
