My favorite celebrity is Russell Crowe. What can you tell me about him and his band? Do they have CDs available for purchase?
—Margaret C., Washington, D.C.
Though he's primarily known for his acting, Russell Crowe's band, 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, is no vanity project created to cash in on his fame. The New Zealand native has been singing and writing songs for nearly 20 years. The band's music has been described as folksy pub rock. Their latest video, Sail Those Same Oceans, has had some airplay on the CMT channel. You should be able to find their CDs in music stores and online. Crowe has said that he has no desire to be a rock star, but he also insists that the band is not a mere hobby. He calls it a creative outlet. Critics have praised the band's live performances and their albums. Crowe, of course, brings a great deal of attention to the band as a highly respected, Oscar-winning actor. He got interested in both acting and music as a child and plugged away at both of them into adulthood. It just so happened that his acting career took off into the stratosphere after roles in L.A. Confidential, The Insider, and, of course, his Oscar-winning turn in Gladiator.