So can we start there?

Are you as passionate about all three, or does one take precedence?

Yeah, I think I am.

Im purely most happy on a film or television set.

Thats where I feel I am home.

And the music has been something thats been a part of me since I was born.

My dad was always in rock and roll bands in the late 60s and early 70s.

Particularly in 1970 when mom was pregnant with me, dad was gigging all over town.

So music was something loud music at that!

that was imbued in me from conception!

So being a drummer is second nature!

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Those are giant passions.

And then when I was about ten I got my first dirt bike, and rode some motocross.

It looked so interesting to me.

Id never seen one, I didnt know anything about them.

And I decided that I wanted to start building them.

I made a couple of them, and I wanted to do more.

But I thought I dont have the money, how am I going to do this?

So I started building them for other people.

Its a family run business, and I have a quarter of the shop.

We have a good time working here, and its my day job.

Is that the kind of person you are, one who does more than one thing at once?

I kind of always have.

For a while it was my love of aviation.

I had my airplane, and Id use it as a car whenever I could.

If the drive was going to be longer than an hour, I was flying the plane instead.

And in California, its really easy to have a drive longer than an hour.

You do go the full Travolta and have an airport in your back garden though?

[Laughs] Ah, the thing about California is it has 2000 airports!

These are all deep passions, and youre a family man as well.

Are you passing these loves down the family line?

Being a dad is the best thing that ever happened to me.

It changed my life entirely.

When I come home, and she comes running and screaming at me, and jumps into my arms?

Its just the best thing in the world.

Now I understand where Steven Spielberg was coming from with all of his movies.

But that seems to be the way now: that movies are either very expensive, or very economical.

What are your thoughts on that middle bracket of films almost disappearing?

That does sort of explain to me why I havent really been working all that much!

[Laughs]

I never really did make the leap into being a lead character on the giant movies.

We thoughtStarship Trooperswas going to do that, and I was number three on the call sheet.

I thought thatThe FrightenersandIdentitywere going to do huge.

I did never really make the leap to hyperspace.

Whos to say that it cant still happen.

I just enjoy working, and feel fortunate to be doing the things that I am doing.

Which presumably isnt much use to you, but they did find their audience in the end.

Presumably you sense that it took some time for them to seep through though?

The level of Bradley Cooper or something.

And nobody went and saw it.

The great thing is that Ive had a lot of wonderful experiences.

Its just coincidental and unfortunate that they were never giant smash hits.

But Ive had a lot of fun along the way.

I hope that it continues!

Is all of this a source of regret to you, do you mind me asking?

You sound quite mournful about it.

And as you said, the movies that I was doing were mid-level films and what have you.

But then Im really excited to be working on such high profile projects.

Im thankful for what Ive had.

And then theresSparks, which is a great little film.

Its got a big heart, and a tiny budget.

It just really came through I think, and Im proud hes getting the traction he is with it.

And I wonder how much you turned down?

Contact, in particular, still sends chills down my back.

So were you turning things away, deliberately to avoid being typecast at the time?

I think there were a few films that I turned down.

Theres a couple that I really regretted turning down.Fight ClubandTwelve Monkeysare a couple.Zoolanderwas one.Requiem For A Dream.

At the time, I didnt know that I was supposed to pick a colour and stick with it.

Did it hurt me?

But I felt I could be an actor who did all kinds of different roles.

I guess now if you look back, theres someone who did do it, and thats Johnny Depp.

Hes like a character actor whos a leading man, and I just thought thats what actors were.

And I dont mean that in a bad way either.

Those guys are great, theyre fantastic.

I guess Tom really has gone on to more dynamic stuff.

But I hope you hear what Im saying.

His reference point is an actor who, somewhere along the line, stuck to his guns.

And that to me was so exciting.

I dont understand why Ive been cast to play so many heavies, or scary, insane bad guys.

I dont get it.

Perhaps its being 6 foot 3, delivering a solid performance inThe FrightenersandContactwhich sets the stage and the tone.

But Im just not that kind of person.

My dads pretty out there as well, but he doesnt have a mean bone in his body.

I just really enjoy spending time with my two year old daughter, and building motorbikes.

If youve got to keep a roof over your head, then you give the people what they want!

So are you still developing material yourself?

You were going to direct a film at one point?

And well give him some money to do it.

That time will come, and itll come soon.

But Im building towards it right now.

Would you consider crowdfunding for it, something along the lines of the Kickstarter route?

Theres no harm in that.

That could be a fantastic thing.

Its a great idea, and I may just have to take you up on that…!

My understanding is that came to you through a friend?

William Katt is a long time family friend, and like an uncle in a way.

And he called me and said listen, Ive got this project.

So we had lunch, and I did really like the script and I loved his ambition.

I felt that I saw something.

I couldnt get an audition.

It wasnt about the money, or about just helping out a friend.

A miniseries ofTexas Rising!

Ill look out for it!

Jake Busey, thank you very much!

Sparks is available on DVD and Blu-ray now.