Heath Ledger's final music videos due out soon

Heath Ledger's last directorial work -- two music videos -- shot before his death in January 2008, will be released later this year.

Modest Mouse plans to release the animated video for "King Rat," a bonus track from the band's 2007 "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank," NME reports and Billboard has confirmed. 

Modest Mouse will perform on "The Late Show with David Letterman" on March 18.

And a video for Grace Woodroofe's cover of David Bowie's "Quicksand" is also set for release, along with her Ben Harper-produced debut album, it's been reported.

It's not surprising to those who knew him that Heath was interested in music. And he's also been good friends with Ben Harper for ages. Heath even gave the singer a very large musical instrument!

Keep reading for Heath's very revealing November 2007 chat with The Dish Rag about the impact music had on his personal and creative life. We also talk with Ben Harper about that surprise gift from Heath. And it's BIG!

Photo: Heath Ledger, left, Naomi Watts, Ben Harper and Laura Dern at Sundance in 2004. WireImage

According to Heath:

"Oh gosh, where do I start with the music? I mean, on so many levels, it has affected my life, and still continues to. I guess one example is that, to me, music, particularly the voice singing and songwriters, poets, like Dylan, or whoever, to me, it's such a pure expression or song from the soul. It deeply connects to mine. It has always been a key that kind of unlocked, or enabled me to express anger, or pain of any sort. It's always been a kind of wonderful excuse or a door for me, in terms of being able to express myself creative and personally."

Ben Harper told The Dish Rag long before Ledger's death about getting a piano as a surprise gift from Heath.

"Here's what's strange," Ben said. I'd been looking for a piano for a long time. And could never -- you know, I'd walk into a piano store and they're very cold and callous. You sit down to the pianos and you can't really tell one from the next, so I had put off getting one. And next thing I know I got a call from Heath and he said, 'Come get your piano.' I said, 'What?!' He said, 'Yeah I've got your piano here. And he had no idea that I'd kind of been looking for one.

The two had met through mutual friends. "We were in a room full of crowded people and it was just he and I ... and the next thing you know...."

You got a piano?

"Yeah, I got a piano."

Reporting: Sal Morgan

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