Ben Stiller announced that Japanese punk band Bo Ningen will appear in Zoolander 2 – which other musicians have hit Hollywood?
Bands are attention whores, they'll do anything for more of it. Plus, film directors like to look like they know their shit beyond the movies, so regularly dip into other realms of pop culture 'cause kudos is currency. This mutually beneficial arrangement often results in creative partnerships, like Ben Stiller announcing on Instagram that Bo Ningen would be appearing in Zoolander 2. Cue people around the world saying "Oh.My.God – did you know Ben Stiller is into Japanese acid punk? I thought he was just a kind of good looking comedy actor." To be fair to Stiller he played drums in a pretty weird band back in 1982.
The revelation that Bo Ningen would be getting a cameo in one of 2016's most hotly anticipated films made us think: what other bands have wormed their way on set for a performance that maybe now they'd like to forget?
CANNIBAL CORPSE – ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE
You probably wouldn't normally associate death metal with Jim Carrey, but here the two worlds collide in Carrey's seminal comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. In this scene, Ace hits a nightclub where Cannibal Corpse are playing and to his credit, despite clearly having no respect for metalheads, gets fully involved with a moshpit.
RIHANNA – BRING IT ON: ALL OR NOTHING
In 2006, RiRi made a star turn in cheeleadercore film Bring It On: All or Nothing. Her performance comes at the end of the film and holds a place as a call to arms. Rihanna has announced a televised cheerleading competition, with the prize a chance to star in her video. At the end, Rihanna shoots down the Pacific Vista High captain Winnie, who calls the Crenshaw Heights team style "ghetto". Rihanna responds by saying that she judges a team based on style, not where they come from (OMG so inspirational). Rihanna then launches into a video version of "Pon De Replay" with the Crenshaw Heights team. Hit the four minute mark in the video below.
THE 5.6.7.8's – KILL BILL VOL 1
Quentin Tarantino was in a clothes shop in Tokyo and heard The 5.6.7.8's on the store stereo. He asked if he could buy the record, the attendant said no, he doubled his offer, the attendant said yes. That moment, and the band's subsequent performance in Kill Bill Vol.1, catapulted the Japanese surf-rockabilly band into the world.
THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES – CLUELESS
Did anybody actually ever like ska? Listening back, it's so hard to imagine. Obviously, one of the producers on Clueless did, because the band shows up to perform "Where'd You Go" at a fairly sedate frat party. Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone, even describes the band as "kickin'" in an internal monologue. Yeah sure, they sound fine, if you like ska, which no-one does.
SIOUXSIE SIOUX – OUT OF BOUNDS
Goth godmother Siouxsie Sioux shows up in this 1986 action film Out Of Bounds. The lead singer of Brit darkwave band Siouxsie and the Banshees performs "Cities In Dust" in a jumping city centre diner, complete with jet black hair and makeup. She looks and sounds brilliant amid what could possibly be the most 80s club scene out there. An extra Siouxsie fact – her father milked snakes for venom. Explains everything.
AEROSMITH – WAYNE'S WORLD 2
With Wayne's World being a film that's all about heavy metal, it's perhaps no surprise that a real, genuine heavy metal band show up in the film. Here, Wayne and Garth crowdsurf at a festival while front man of Aerosmith and music's most cherished human baseball glove Steven Tyler gyrates around the stage singing "Dude Looks Like A Lady".
DEVO – HUMAN HIGHWAY
This Neil Young-directed comedy film about issues of nuclear power absolutely bombed at the time of its release in 1982, which is no surprise: he's not particularly funny. One good thing about Human Highway is that it stars synth pop revolutionaries Devo, who play binmen at the nuclear powerplant. Good old Devo reveal that nuclear waste is being tossed to a nearby town and on account of how bad they feel launch into a rendition of "Worried Man".
SMASH MOUTH – RAT RACE
You'll vaguely remember the name Smash Mouth, it's in your brain somewhere along with Opal Fruits and Totes. You'll definitely remember the song "All Star" though, 'cause shit that catchy just doesn't go away. "Hey now, you're an all star, get your game on etc etc etc". Here, the band show up in Rat Race, the 2001 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, John Cleese and Seth Green. The film ends with racers chasing a balloon full of cash through the city, before ending up at a Smash Mouth concert. The band are so happy, so infectious, that it persuades all the racers who have been chasing the elusive cash to give it away to charity. Watch Smash Mouth playing a version of "All Star" in a different key, really fast.
DIGITAL UNDERGROUND – NOTHING BUT TROUBLE
Weird film, this. Dan Aykroyd's in it and he plays a judge who's 106 years old. 106. The film is also notable for a cameo from Digital Underground and 2Pac. Once again, in this clip we see how music can heal and bring people together. Digital Underground are arrested by Judge Aykroyd but manages to escape jail on the basis that he's got a solid flow and groove. I fully support this approach in the courtroom.