Elwood Blues is still on a mission from God.
Dan Aykroyd may have his hands full these days pitching his Crystal Head Vodka brand and advising the House of Blues franchise he co-founded, but the 66-year-old comic legend still finds time to slip into the dark suit and sunglasses and spread the gospel of Taj Mahal and Otis Redding.
With the Blues Brothers, also featuring Jim Belushi, scheduled to spend New Year's Eve at Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing, Aykroyd took time to chat by phone about his never-ending campaign to keep his favorite musical genre alive, as well as his favorite current "Saturday Night Live" cast member and what ticked him off about the "Ghostbusters" reboot.
Q: During your time on "Saturday Night Live" you shared an apartment with Minnesota's Tom Davis, Al Franken's onetime comedy partner. What was he like as a roommate?
A: Well, he was also my writing partner until the day he died [in 2012]. My daughter was actually with him when he passed away. A wonderful guy. We came up with the Coneheads together. One of my favorite things we did was the "Dr. Deacon's Haunch Crack Powder" commercial, with me as Sam Elliott. (Aykroyd broke into a pitch-perfect impression of the actor.)
As a roommate, Tom was fastidious; he was never there. At parties, he always left too early. He never wanted to overstay his welcome.
Q: Do you have a favorite among the current "SNL" cast members?
A: Leslie Jones. The force of her delivery and her boldness is so great. She's got the acting chops, as well. I'm also a huge fan of Kate McKinnon. Those ladies did a great job in "Ghostbusters," which I produced. I was just mad that the movie cost so much. That happens in this business. I'm not mad anymore.