Music: 'Tall' tale with Har Mar Superstar
In the six years since he left the Twin Cities for Los Angeles, Har Mar Superstar has always come back with a surprisingly long list of names worth dropping. Folks like Drew Barrymore, Ben Stiller, Kate Moss, the Jonas Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers and, most recently, Eva Mendes and Ellen Page.
So it was more surprising to hear the singer/actor/whatever-you-got-for-me performer talk excitedly about the less starry group of people he met in Oklahoma at a songwriting camp with pal Adam Green of the Moldy Peaches.
"It was me and Adam at the Hanson brothers' ranch with Weird Al Yankovic, the guys from Morningwood, Miles from Fastball and some other guys," Har Mar recounted in a phone call last week. "It was intentionally a weird bunch, and really inspiring."
Clearly, nothing is too weird for Har Mar. His journey to MMM-Bop Ranch was on the long list of answers to the question, "Where you been?"
Ridiculously conspicuous in the mid-'00s, the artist formerly known as indie-rocker Sean Tillmann, 31, has been off the radar for a couple of years. He hasn't put out a Superstar album since 2004's "The Handler," which stiffed nationally but made it onto the U.K. charts. His only onscreen appearance of late was a bit role as a fighting coach in Barrymore's rollergirl comedy, "Whip It!"
Returning this week for a pair of shows behind his new disc, "Dark Touches," the HMS explained that most of his work of late -- and you knew he wasn't just lying low -- has been behind-the-scenes. Foremost is a new HBO sitcom called "Stitch N' Bitch" with "Juno" star Page, set to be filmed in the spring. It will star Page and "Arrested Development's" Alia Shawkat as young hipsters who move to Hollywood and desperately try to blend in, with Har Mar playing himself onscreen and co-writing scripts.
"Ellen, Alia and I are all from smaller towns and all know what it's like making a jackass of yourself trying to be cool enough for Hollywood," he said with a giggle.
The new album features Har Mar's trademark sexed-up R&B sound with a heavier dosage of dance-floor grind. He once again collaborated with Twin Cities-reared producer-to-the-tween-stars John Fields, plus guests including members of the Faint, Neon Neon, the Bird & the Bee and his former Perpich Center for the Arts classmate P.O.S.
The phallic single "Tall Boy" is earning Har Mar newfound notoriety. His performance of it last month on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" -- fully clothed, by the way -- went to the top of the Google Trends list the next morning, and its Mendes-starring video earned a spot on Entertainment Weekly's "Must List." All of which leaves one wondering if the starlet for whom the song was written might've actually had a hit with it.
"We sent it to Britney's people and they said they were interested, but then they sent it back, I think because of the content," he recalled. "It might've been a bad idea for her, but I was totally fine with keeping it."
