Mike Viola - Soundtrack Work

Soundtrack Work

Viola, along with friend Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, co-produced the title track for Tom Hanks's 1996 movie That Thing You Do! The selection received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song. Viola sang lead on the track, and as the accepted singing voice of Johnathon Schaech's character, Jimmy, also sang on other tracks in the film, such as "Little Wild One" and "All My Only Dreams."

For the 2007 Jake Kasdan/Judd Apatow film, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Viola wrote or co-wrote "A Life Without You (Is No Life At All)," "Darling," "(I Hate You) Big Daddy," "Dear Mr. President," "Beautiful Ride," "Sir Ringe The Marshmallow Elephant," and "Let Me Hold You Little Man." Viola served as musical director on a promotional tour for the film in December 2007, with John C. Reilly acting out his fictional character of Dewey Cox.

Viola contributed songwriting for Russell Brand's character Aldous Snow in the movie Get Him to the Greek, including "African Child," "The Clap," "I Am Jesus," "Searching For a Father in America," "Little Bird," "Furry Walls."