Dan Aykroyd Opens Up About How Blues Brothers Movie Came to Life; SNL Producer ‘Didn’t Dig’ the Act

Lou Marini, the saxophonist for the Blues Brothers, shared with Audible that Lorne Michaels, SNL’s producer, wasn’t fond of their performance. During one of the later episodes when time was scarce, Michaels asked, “Shall we perform your amusing song instead?” So they went ahead and did it on the show, and it turned out to be a massive success; the audience absolutely adored it.

Over time, Aykroyd and Belushi came together to create the musical duo, the Blues Brothers. With a skilled group of musicians joining them, their fan base continued to expand. In 1978, they released their debut album, “Briefcase Full of Blues,” which was a huge success, achieving double platinum status.

For director John Landis, a movie penned in part by Aykroyd made sense

In their own successes, John and Danny hold the top position in the country’s album chart, shine on the most-watched TV program, and John is featured in the globally popular film, Animal House (as shared by Landis via Audible). According to Landis’ account, a Universal Studios executive named Sean Daniel collaborated with me to produce a movie.

Despite wanting to call “Cut,” he stopped himself.

Witnessing this remarkable woman perform music that brought back cherished memories and an irresistible urge to dance, was a deeply moving experience. Despite being overwhelmed by the emotions of the moment, I couldn’t help but get up and join in the celebration.

As an obsessed fan, I can’t help but share my feelings about the Audible project, which unfortunately brought back some less pleasant memories. One of the most heart-wrenching moments was learning about the death of John Belushi in 1982. Hearing the news, my initial reaction was to rush down Fifth Avenue to their townhouse on Morton Street as quickly as I could after receiving the call from Bernie Brillstein. Upon arriving at Judy’s house, I found her standing bewildered near the fridge, unaware of the tragic turn of events.

I’ll never forget the shock and sadness I felt when I learned that Judy John had tragically passed away on July 5, 2024. The news left an indelible mark on me.

Instead of “he’s lamenting deeply,” you could say “his sadness runs deep.” Regarding “Losing him set me back for a full year,” you could paraphrase it as “I took a whole year to recover from his loss.” Lastly, instead of “driven by the desire to honor Belushi’s legacy and keep working,” you could say “determined to uphold Belushi’s memory and continue with my career.”

Despite the Audible Original having certain drawbacks, there was a delightful aspect for Aykroyd: “I enjoyed listening to John’s voice once more,” he shared. “He was an authentic and emotional actor.”

Audible Original touches upon the importance of such performances in keeping his memory alive.

Lou Marini, saxophonist of the Blues Brothers, shares that the group played a significant role in introducing the new generation to Blues and Rhythm & Blues music. Through their influence, younger audiences became more familiar with these genres and their renowned artists. The Blues Brothers’ impact on popularizing this music is indisputable. Currently, Audible provides the exclusive offering of Blues Brothers: The Arc of Gratitude.