Sax education with Tim Cappello
Sexy sax man from 'The Lost Boys' discusses his rejuvenated career
If you’ve seen The Lost Boys, you know who Tim Cappello is. Even if you haven’t seen the stylish ‘80s vampire movie, you probably have some awareness of Cappello floating in your subconscious. Maybe you’ve seen him in a gif, a meme, or maybe his is just the image burned into your brain via cultural osmosis when you think of the term “sexy sax man.”
But, if for some reason you’ve never seen the movie or—for some puritanical reason—have never given yourself permission to think of a sexy sax man, well, here’s what we’re talking about.
An entire generation has grown up with Cappello’s oiled-up physique undulating in their heads, regardless of the fact that his scenes in The Lost Boys only make up about 15 seconds of the movie.
In a film that specializes in excess, Capello is the most excessive. But then again, all movies from the ‘80s seem excessive now. Let’s not forget that this is the era in which movies were conceived with nothing more than a will and a shitload of cocaine (all right *sniff* so Bernie’s dead but they need him to keep the *sniff* party going!), so it could be true that until recently, it was easy for people to look at this oiled-up adonis and think, well, that just must’ve been what concerts were like back then.
However, in 2010 an SNL digital short brought mainstream attention to what had previously amused only esoteric cinephiles. In the skit, Andy Sandberg plays a high-powered businessman who’s cursed with a phantom-like saxophonist who foils Sandberg’s professional and romantic life at every turn. The saxophonist—played by a shiny, shirtless Jon Hamm—is a direct homage to Cappello’s character in The Lost Boys. For ‘80s horror fans, it was revelatory—a genuine “Leo DiCaprio pointing at the TV” moment.
It’s about 45 minutes into our phone interview when I ask Cappello about the SNL portrayal. I’ve been bracing for it, slightly nervous to ask. What if he hates it? What if he thinks it’s insulting?
“When the SNL thing came out, my band asked, ‘Did you see Saturday Night Live? I said yes. They said, ‘Do you think that they were being mean to you? Do you think that they were being nasty? Are you offended by it?’ And I’d say—”
Cappello pauses for a moment, and I await a barrage of profanity.
“And I'd say you gotta be kidding! That's something for your tombstone: I was played by Jon Hamm!”
This response, of course, sums up Cappello—an enthusiastic, humble, brusque-yet-charming New Yorker whose self-awareness belies true artistry and a fascinating career.
Born and raised in White Plains, NY, Cappello credits his father—a trumpeter, conductor, and founder of a music school—for fostering his love for music.
“My father having this music school—we’d just go down there after school, and we'd slap on the string bass and pound on the piano and mess around on the drums to see what we liked,” Cappello says. “I was like a kid in a candy store. It was the idea that you could go and play one instrument one day, and then on another day, I’d say, ‘I wonder if I can make a noise out of this trumpet.’”
After trying his hand at just about every instrument available to him—and bolstered by a love for jazz music—Cappello landed on his true passion, the saxophone.
“I had spent a fair amount of years playing jazz piano, but hit a note and you can't make it go up or down or put vibrato in and all those things that make it more human-like,” Cappello says. “Even trumpet, you can bend notes a little bit. And if somebody’s a good player, it can be quite exciting. But [with saxophone] you definitely hear a person. I think that if you try, there is absolutely no way that you could sound exactly like somebody else. It's the shape of your throat. It's your vocal cords. It's the shape of your sinuses and your head. The shape of your skull.”
Cappello tried his hand at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston but decided he didn’t like the rigidness of a formal education, so he called up an idol, famed jazz pianist Lennie Tristiano, and asked if he could study under him.
“He was such a pisser,” Capello says, laughing. “He was such a cool guy.”
This mentorship led to Cappello gigging in New York City at clubs in Manhattan, where he caught the eye of a young comedian.
“This guy comes up to me and says, ‘I’m the comic on the show, and I was wondering if you would play some piano with me?’ I said sure, and that turned out to be Billy Crystal.”
Cappello accompanied Billy Crystal’s live act for five years, during which he continued to make connections. He played with Peter Gabriel, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, and eventually became a featured player in Tina Turner’s band. Just Google any Tina Turner performance from this era, and you’ll eventually spot Cappello either behind a keyboard or thrusting into a sax. In fact, according to the Netflix documentary series Worn Stories, it was Turner who picked out the iconic codpiece that Cappello wears over his jeans.
Given his musical talent, penchant for outlandishness, and imposing physique, it was only natural that filmmakers sought out Cappello, and he really didn’t have to change anything about his stage persona to stand out, even in the cinematic fever dream that would become The Lost Boys.
“That whole shoot only took two hours,” Cappello says. “I did one take, and they had two or three cameras shooting. I think [filmmaker Joel Schumacher] just went ‘seems good to me.’”
Although his time onset was brief, Capello still had a chance to witness the sheer power of teen celebritydom in the ‘80s.
“By 11:30, we were back in Corey Haim’s room, having a party. We were dancing and having a good time. But somebody called the cops on us. Corey goes to the door and just before he opens, he looks at everybody and says, ‘Watch this.’ He opens the door and bats his eyes, and by the time he was done, these policemen were in the palm of his hand. They had their arms around him and everything. He was so incredibly charming that when [the police] were leaving, they were like ‘okay, so, you know, just keep the volume on the low side.’ He closed the door and just fell on his knees laughing.”
As grunge took over the ‘90s, saxophones became a rarity in popular music. After Cappello’s last tour with Ringo Starr in 1999, opportunities began to dry up.
“I would play in restaurants and play in bars and play in senior citizen homes. Just do anything I could,” Cappello says, morosely. “I thought, well, that part of my life is over.’”
But then the SNL thing happened.
“We used to have this expression in New York that went, ‘Boy, you really stepped in shit.’ Meaning you really got lucky,’ Cappello says.
Turns out, the SNL skit was the shit that Cappello needed to step in.
“The fact that comedians like me is really such an honor,” Cappello says. “A lot of people come up to me and say, ‘When we actually see you, it's great. You're like a tongue-in-cheek kind of guy. You're not some guy who's trying to be a macho man.’ It's just very obvious. I mean, I fucking wear pink and purple women’s stretch jeans.”
“There's gotta be something a little weird about what you do,” Cappello continues. “So that people are laughing with you. But even if they're laughing at me, that's fine with me. I have a thick skin and I'm fine with however anybody reacts to me.”
But given a “roaring” new interest in his music, Cappello has found that he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.
“When I play, sometimes I look around the room just every once in a while. And I’ll see that so many people have those... like those smiles when you don't know you're smiling. I mean really big and ugly. Like you're smiling too wide. I look out and sometimes it's hard to keep playing. It makes me almost want to break down.”
Tim Cappello plays Til-Two Club on Saturday, April 23 at 7:00 p.m.
A 420 thing
A few weeks ago, a PR person reached out and wanted to know if I was interested in reviewing some edibles from Hervé, a company that specializes in fancy things that get you high. Since I’m a polite person, I accepted their offer for free drugs. They sent me a box of three red, white and blue cannabis-infused macarons—each containing 10 mg of THC. Being a perpetual 10-year-old and attracted to unnaturally colored foods (I was the kid who was always getting Superman-flavored ice cream and pretending it was good) I immediately plucked out the blue one and sunk my teeth in. If you’ve eaten a spoonful of Funfetti frosting, then you might get an idea of the sweetness. Not sure how many adults want their edibles to have that let’s-give-you-diabetes kind of vibe, but it worked for me (remember: perpetual 10-year-old here). And it did the trick: I got high! I will offer one word of caution—and I’m sorry for this—but the next day, it turned my shit blue. Literally. Anyway, one love. Happy 420.
AWKSD GUEST LIST
The Guest List gives AWKSD subscribers the opportunity to see live music for free. Just reply to this email and let me know which show you want to see, and I’ll hook you and a friend up. First come, first served.
Friday, April 22
MIKE, Na-Kel Smith @ Soda Bar: I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve only recently discovered MIKE’s laid-back-but-kinda-spooky brand of hip-hop. On his newest album Disco!, mutilated samples mesh with lounge-style jazz and easy listening to create an unnerving palette over which MIKE raps—a style similar to Earl Sweatshirt.
Spellling @ The Casbah: Spellling’s The Turning Wheel was one of 2021’s strangest yet most compelling records. Pop, R&B, mysticism, and orchestral compositions collide in a way that feels elusive and danceable at the same time. Fans of Bjork should take notice.
Ashley Johnson and Tim Hill—Live Comedy in City Heights! @ Columbus Club: I’m very much digging the new comedy series that’s been going down on Home Avenue— not only because The Columbus Club is a good venue (cool bar + lasagna!), but because the quality of comedians they’re booking is top-notch. This show will also feature San Diegans Ombretta Di Dio, Joe Grillo, and Alex Peregrina.
Saturday, April 23
Tim Cappello @ Til-Two Club: You just read about this sexy sax man, and now you have an opportunity to see him in the oiled-up flesh.
Sunday, April 24
Pink Mountaintops @ The Casbah: I can’t stop playing Pink Mountaintops’ new song “Lights of the City” because it reminds me of minor-key power pop hits of the late ‘70s/early ‘80s like “Don’t Fear the Reaper” or Greg Kihn Band’s “The Breakup Song.” If there’s one genre that needs a resurgence, it’s that, and Pink Mountaintops delivers.
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