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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts and Entertainment

So you wanna be a rocknroll star

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Somebody once said that all rock stars want to be actors and all actors want to be rock stars. And everyone responded: Why? For God's sake, why?

This is not to cast aspersions on CSI star Gary Dourdan, who will be playing guitar tonight at the Knitting Factory as part of a Katrina victims benefit. Maybe he'll be one of those who, with the power of celebrity, are (kinda) successful at both: Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Lopez.

Then there are the rest, the actors who decide, for better or worse, they must rock.

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1. Juliette Lewis, who we loved in Kalifornia and Natural Born Killers, has been touring Europe and brings her trashy rock to the Anaheim House of Blues next week.

2. After starring in the fictional film Prey for Rock and Roll,Gina Gershon did a documentary tv series for IFC about her rock band on tour, called, perhaps unsuccessfully, "Rocked with Gina Gershon."

3. Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees) was the drummer in Phantom Planet -- no longer, though

4. Tina Yothers, the little girl from Family Ties, had a band called Jaded

5. Robbie Rist, Cousin Oliver from the Brady Bunch, plays a bunch of instruments with a bunch of bands around LA.

We know there are tons more than this. Help us play the actors-as-musicians party game!

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Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

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