Drake Bell - Page 2

During the filming of Chasing Destiny, Roger Daltrey sat down with Drake to share stories and show him how to play a few chords. “That was my first real experience with the guitar,” Drake says. “It was amazing. I got to listen to story after story about when he shot the movie Tommy, about recording Who’s Next, and being on Rock and Roll Circus with The [Rolling] Stones and John Lennon. I was like, dude, this is what I want to do. This is it.” He dove straight in after that, studying the guitar, writing lyrics, playing every chance he could.

Drake expanded on this passion for music through collecting record albums, “old vinyl,” the original classics. “The old albums were great because the artwork on the front was big and bold and inside would be a poster or some goodies,” he says. “I have basically the entire Beatles collection, all original, and on my walls I have the posters and cards from the jackets framed.”

“To me, The Beatles are the greatest musicians ever,” he says. “But when you watch old interviews with them, they seem normal, real. They’re themselves.” In his own lyrics and stage presence, Drake is hoping to follow that example of authenticity, of caring what his music conveys to the world.

“With my music I try to write real life experiences,” he says. “Not just follow whatever the music is now.”

Along with a penchant for classic rock, Drake also digs classic muscle cars. Until the end of 2005, he was driving a black 1966 Ford Mustang with a 289 cubic inch, 235 horsepower, V8. On December 30, 2005, while waiting to make a left onto Sunset Boulevard, he was hit head-on. The accident totaled the Mustang and left him in the hospital. “It was major,” he says. “I broke my jaw in three places, knocked out six teeth, and fractured my neck. I had my jaw wired shut for two months and was on a liquid diet. But other than that, I’m all right. I’m back to work and everything’s good.”

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