Alex Honnold reveals ’embarrassing’ salary for Netflix’s Taipei 101 free solo climb
Alex Honnold never plays free solos by ear.
And as part of his preparation, he needs to have the right music to support his epic climb. The tour on January 24 (January 25 local time) will also include a climb to Taipei 101, the world’s 11th tallest building at 1,667 feet in the Taiwanese capital.
Alex told Variety that his playlist was “mostly a tool” in an interview published on January 24th. “This is a random playlist that I made and shared with the production company. I made it a few months ago while I was driving in my car. I’ve been training a lot for it. It’s basically rock music that I’ve loved all my life.”
But the progressive metal band’s music served more than just a love of the genre; it also served a practical purpose. It was especially useful when navigating the skyscraper’s architecture, including its geometric facade known as a bamboo box and the spiral metal “dragons” decorating the corners.
“Part of the appeal of music is that it can actually help you pace,” Alex explained. “Each bamboo box took five to six and a half minutes. You just know how long the song is. So you get a sense of whether it’s going fast or slow.”
