“It’s a fantastic song.” The Struts' Luke Spiller and late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins recorded a James Bond theme song, but had it rejected in favour of Billie Eilish's Oscar-winning No Time To Die
· louderBy Paul Brannigan
( Classic Rock )
published 8 October 2024
The Struts frontman Luke Spiller hasn't given up on his dream of writing a James Bond film theme, even if he lost out to Billie Eilish last time
The Struts frontman Luke Spiller has revealed that he recorded a “fantastic”, and as yet unreleased, song for 2021's James Bond thriller No Time To Die, with late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Ultimately, however, those entrusted with securing music for the enduring film franchise elected to go with Billie Eilish's theme instead. And that song won Eilish a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media in March 2021.
“I had a crack at it, but got beaten by Billie,” Spiller tells The Sun, adding, “I’ve always been obsessed with a lot of the Bond songs.”
Spiller confidently describes his own song as “fantastic”, and says, “I called Taylor and we cut the drums in his home studio.”
The singer is also confident that he’ll get another shot at his dreams in the future.
“Hopefully the people making the next Bond film can listen to my [forthcoming solo] record and appreciate the potential I have to create an incredible Bond song,” he says. “I’ve got another up my sleeve. I’m waiting for the call because I know it’s going to happen.”
Speaking to Classic Rock last year about his friendship with Taylor Hawkins, Spiller said, “He was just the greatest. From the first moment that I met Taylor, we were very much kindred spirits, musically.
“He had such an encyclopaedic knowledge of music, and he turned me on to a lot of bands I never expected I’d listen to – Alice In Chains, for one. Some of my best memories are performing with him and his covers band Chevy Metal or just rocking out to Queen or The Faces in the rehearsal room at his house by the pool.
“The outpouring of love for him on social media after he died was a real testament to how much he was loved, and how many people he touched. He was such a warm-hearted and welcoming soul.”
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Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder
A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.
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