Though he was lauded for his acting, Phoenix’s real passion was for singing.
He wrote and recorded a song, Heart to Get, to play in the end credits of the film, A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, the 1986 film he starred in with Matthew Perry. Though it was eventually cut, director William Richert put it back into place for his director’s cut.
It was during the filming of this movie that he met Chris Blackwell of Island Records, which would lead to a two-year development deal with the label and the formation of his band Aleka’s Attic were formed in 1987, with the lineup including his sister Rain.
He refused to use his name to promote the band, only doing so if the event was for benefits for charitable organisations.
Phoenix’s first song was titled Across the Way, was released in 1989 on a benefit album for PETA titled Tame Yourself.
Aleka’s Attic’s 1991 track Too Many Colors was used in the film My Own Private Idaho, in which Phoenix starred.