“My music is a hobby because I’m not making any money out of it. But I put as much conviction into that as I do my acting. I’ve found that music is in my wrists, in my fingers, in my soul. I seem to feel very strongly about myself as a composer, more so than as a musical performer. I’m not really into live stuff. I’m not a front man.”
River Phoenix (August 23, 1970 – October 31, 1993), best known for his acting, was also a dedicated musician and considered music to be his true passion. He was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who began teaching himself to play guitar at age five.
Phoenix was the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative folk/rock band Aleka’s Attic, which he formed with his sister, Rain Phoenix, and other friends. The band’s name was inspired by a fictional poet-philosopher named Aleka who gathered friends in his attic to share his ideas through music.
The band’s music was described as “progressive, ethereal folk-rock.” While the band never released a full-length studio album during River’s lifetime, they did have some songs released on various compilation and benefit albums.
Phoenix’s musical talents were showcased in the film The Thing Called Love (1993), where he played an aspiring country singer and performed his own vocals.
He was a friend of the members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and was even at the Viper Room to potentially perform with them on the night he died. The Red Hot Chili Peppers song “Transcending” was written in tribute to him, and Flea was a guest musician on one of Aleka’s Attic’s released songs.
Following his death, several artists dedicated songs or albums to River Phoenix, including R.E.M. (who dedicated their album Monster to him), Milton Nascimento, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
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