Jackson Rathbone knows how much work goes into making something people connect with. The actor became familiar to millions of viewers as Jasper Hale in the Twilight movies, but music has been part of his life since before he arrived in Hollywood. He originally moved to Los Angeles at 18 to work as a songwriter, eventually touring North America and Europe with his former band, 100 Monkeys.
These days, Rathbone is making music with his wife through their independent duo, STARMOTHER, with both of them taking on the jobs needed to get their songs and videos out into the world. Their upcoming album, Disco Punk Is Dead, draws on his fascination with punk history, while their music videos give the couple another outlet for telling stories. Speaking with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt at FanX in Salt Lake City, Rathbone discussed the work behind that project and why the process matters to him.
That conversation prompted a blunt assessment of AI-generated content that people attempt to pass off as "art," which Rathbone described as “stolen” and “soulless.” While he sees potential value in the technology’s medical applications, he had no patience for the idea that entering a prompt makes someone responsible for the resulting artwork. “You can say, ‘Hey, I put the prompt in there.’ But at the end of the day, you know, you know it’s not you making that art,” he said.
Jackson Rathbone Wants to Keep STARMOTHER’s Videos Hands-On
Image via Danin Jacquay
For Rathbone, those comments connect directly to how STARMOTHER approaches their own work. He explained that he and his wife have developed a story for the band, with the first three singles receiving music videos that form a connected trilogy. The videos give them a chance to explore that fictional world, and he wants their handmade qualities to remain part of the experience. “We wanted to make these music videos narratives that are fun to watch, and they’re not overly polished, they’re not overly produced, they’re very raw,” he said.
He also encouraged other people to use the resources already available to them. “Shoot something with your phone, shoot it with your friends,” Rathbone said, pointing to the possibilities of making something without an enormous production behind it. His own responsibilities extend well beyond appearing on camera: “I’m acting in it, I’m a grip, I’m a producer, I’m moving lights.” He also helps haul equipment, although he joked that catering is better left to his wife because his menu would consist entirely of cheeseburgers. Whatever shape the band’s fictional universe takes, Rathbone wants the effort behind it to show. As he put it, “We’re using like our blood, sweat, and tears.”
Stay tuned at Collider for more and watch Lovitt's full interview with Rathbone below.
Image via Summit Entertainment
Image via Danin Jacquay
English (US) ·