Home » Jazz Articles » Radio & Podcasts » Mike Scott Of The Waterboys: The Ballad Of Dennis Hopper

Mike Scott Of The Waterboys: The Ballad Of Dennis Hopper

By Lawrence Peryer | Spotlight On
May 17, 2025
View read count

Click the play button to listen

Today, the Spotlight shines On founder of The Waterboys, Mike Scott.

In 2014, Mike stumbled upon Dennis Hopper's photography in a London gallery and fell into a rabbit hole that led to Life, Death and Dennis Hopper (Sun Records, 2014), a bold concept album that tells the story of the Easy Rider star from childhood to beyond the grave. It's a sonic movie with guest turns from

Bruce Springsteen

composer / conductor
b.1949

" data-original-title="" title="">Bruce Springsteen,

Fiona Apple

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Fiona Apple, and

Steve Earle

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Earle that chronicles not just Hopper's journey but the cultural shifts he witnessed and helped create.

This marks a new peak in Mike's ever-changing four-decade career with The Waterboys, from their beginnings to Celtic folk explorations and genre-blending surprises to come.

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Southern Nights
< Previous

The Bad Plus at Jazz Alley
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

Dublin
Concert Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

Showcase

Buy Now

Split Decision by Vincent Herring

Buy Now

A Tribute to Benny Mor��... by Gonzalo Rubalcaba

Featured

Carnaval - The Songs Were So Beautiful
By Antonio Adolfo buy

Darwin AI: Surivior Choice
By Alex Otey buy

Giveaway

Eligible winners: 3
Days remaining: 27
SMOKE Sessions Records Music Giveaway
Sign in to enter

sponsored by Smoke Sessions Records

Song of the Day

Perspective
From Camera Obscura
by Felipe Salles

buy

Playlist

Premium

Angela Verbrugge

vocals

////bc

Weekly newsletter

Get more of a good thing
Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories and includes your local jazz events calendar.

Radio & Podcasts

WORLD OF JAZZ

New Music From Brunkhorst, Wren, Smith & More

with Bob Osborne

BEN BODDIE ON JAZZ

Nick Finzer, Neal Miner, Michael Mayo, Jason Forsythe...

with Benjamin Boddie

THE THIRD STORY

The Magic of Stella Cole

with Leo Sidran

ALLSTON BOYLSTON

Reflection... New Music from Brad Mehldau, Satoko...

with Hobart Taylor

Tune in daily to hear the internet's top jazz programs including Mondo Jazz, Jazz Bastard, Spotlight On, Liner Notes, World of Jazz, Allston Boylston, One Man's Jazz, The Outer View, Neon Jazz, A Broad Spectrum, Bitches Brew and more. View our program schedule and check this week's JazzWeek Radio Chart.

Program Guide: