Remember When: Steelheart’s Singer Did the Vocals for the ‘Rock Star’ Movie

Sometimes the best-laid plans get laid to waste in a way you don’t expect. Released on September 7, 2001, director Stephen Herek’s musical dramedy Rock Star sought to rock cinemas nationwide. Loosely inspired by the story of Tim “Ripper” Owens, the man who replaced Rob Halford in Judas Priest, there were expectations it would gain some traction. But once the 9/11 attacks happened, the movie lost momentum as both the entertainment industry and the economy lost steam. Plus the title of the single “We All Die Young” kept it from gaining further radio airplay at the time.

Truth be told, Rock Star wasn’t that great of a film, although it has gained a cult following over the years. The standout elements were the live performance scenes—the big ones shot before 10,000 Megadeth fans in Los Angeles—and the singing of Steelheart’s Miljenko Matijevic, who did the vocals for Mark Wahlberg’s character. They elevated the movie.

Steel Dragon

Originally titled Metal God, Rock Star told the story of a Pittsburgh photocopy technician named Chris Cole (Wahlberg) who also sings for a Steel Dragon tribute band called Blood Pollution. When the original singer he greatly admired and mimicked is pushed out of the band, Cole auditions and lands the role of his dreams as Steel Dragon’s new frontman. From there on, he embarks on a wild ride mainly trading on the cliches of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, with real-life musicians Zakk Wylde, Jeff Pilson, and Jason Bonham as part of the fictitious band.

A lot of the best moments in the film were the live and studio performances where we got to hear original Steel Dragon tunes that were penned by real-life rock stars. These included “Living the Life” (co-written by Autograph singer Steve Plunkett), “Blood Pollution” (by then-Marilyn Manson bassist and main songwriter Twiggy Ramirez), “Stand Up” (Sammy Hagar), “Wasted Generation” (Bon Jovi hitmaker Desmond Child with the Popoff brothers from Lit), and “We All Die Young” (co-written by Matijevic and Kenny Kanowski and a Steelheart original from the group’s 1996 album Wait). Matijevic’s powerful voice and commanding musical presence helped sell the singing aspect of the movie. (However, he doesn’t sing for Cole during that bland acoustic song in the final cafe scene.)

Bomb but Not Forgotten

Ultimately, Rock Star was a bomb, grossing $19 million against a $57 million budget. The movie itself may not have been great—although some of the insider moments rang true—but many people enjoyed the songs regardless. The film arrived at the beginning of the ‘80s revival that hit at the turn of the millennium and has been going strong for 25 years. That’s a testament to the enduring appeal of the sounds and styles of the time as they continue to inspire young artists today.

The Rock Star movie still means a lot to Steelheart’s singer, not to mention fans and peers who have covered the Steel Dragon songs over the years. A song inspired by a concert accident that nearly killed Matijevic three decades ago, “We All Die Young” is one of the band’s most performed songs live, and the Steel Dragon tunes are also popular with his fans. Matijevic was even supposed to have a cameo, but that got nixed. Initially, people didn’t know he was the one providing Chris Cole’s singing voice. That secret has long been revealed.

In a 2022 interview with Antihero, Matijevic recalled rehearsing the music for the film with Wylde, Pilson, and Bonham. “Oh, it was amazing,” the singer said. “I mean, from the first day of rehearsal … the first three days of rehearsal … The crew was literally on his shoulders carrying cases and cases of beer. Which was insane, [and] which Zakk and Jason drank. Then they cut it and were like, ‘Okay, no more alcohol.’ Loud rehearsals. They were just hammered.”

He also stated the recording process was intense. “It was everything you could imagine [it] being, doing a movie or an album of this magnitude,” Matijevic said. “There were laughs, there were arguments, there was drinking, there was insanity. And it all added up to an amazing experience. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

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