Besides the much-anticipated new Disney+ Beach Boys documentary, airing beginning May 24th, our buddy Spud tells us about another special Disney+ / Beach Boys event that’ll allow you to view the new doc a few days early … FOR FREE!!!
Hi everyone!
On Tuesday May 21st, Disney+ and IMAX® will host the “The Beach
Boys: IMAX Live Experience” from Hollywood and it will be live-streamed to 12
IMAX theatres nationwide in the US. Click the link below for a list of all the
theatres it will be showing in and to RSVP with Fandango:
https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disney-plus-the-beach-boys-imax-special-advance-screening
Tickets are free (while supplies last) and everyone who attends will get a commemorative poster
The new documentary “The Beach Boys” will stream exclusively on Disney+
starting May 24th
See you in SF if you’re going!
Spud
And Disney+ has FINALLY released the trailer for the fully-restored “Let It Be” which begins airing just a few days from now (on May 8th) …
Yep … I’m ready to see it again … especially in this pristine edition! (kk)
If you watched the Lou Gramm news interview video we ran the other day, you know that Lou had a couple of very specific ideas as to what songs Foreigner should perform at The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony in October.
But now it sounds like due to the number of nominees being inducted this year, everybody’s “time slot” has been cut short. (In the past, artists have been able to perform two or three songs after they give their acceptance speeches … but it sounds like Foreigner is only being allowed ten minutes.)
Now you may think that’s plenty of time to squeeze in TWO songs … but six minutes of that time is being eaten up by video tributes from other artists, congratulating Lou, Mick and the boys for finally getting their just due. (Wonder if they’ll run the now infamous Paul McCartney “WTF” clip?!?!)
Lou says there’s no reason that the tribute couldn’t be trimmed to three minutes to give the band more time to show their stuff … and since the song it sounds like they’re expected to do, “I Want To Know What Love Is,” a #1 Hit from 1985 (the band’s only #1 Hit in Billboard), Lou is suggesting that they trim the length of THAT song, too, since it’s so repetitious at the end, so that Foreigner can rock out (it IS The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, after all) with a long-time concert favorite, “Juke Box Hero” (which just ALSO happens to be the name of Gramm’s tour.)
It really doesn’t seem fair to induct an artist for their lifetime achievement of work and then stymie their ability to showcase what got them there in the first place. (Personally, the first song I think of when I think of Foreigner is “Cold As Ice,” which was their top-voted song in our TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME Poll that we did a few years ago. Then again, “Juke Box Hero” is right behind it, coming in at #75 to “Cold As Ice”’s #62 showing. In fact, Foreigner placed TEN songs in The Top 1000 where, according to YOUR votes, “I Want To Know What Love Is” was named the 199th Most Essential Classic Rock Song.) kk
From Tom Cuddy, an interesting interview with Burton Cummings, who better explains his ban on the performance rights to his music …
It’s pretty much as I figured it …
Burton can pick and choose who he allows to perform his songs live …
And the long-turning “fake” Guess Who are at the very top of the “Denied” list. (Burton says since this is only a PERFORMANCE ban, it doesn’t stop airplay of his tunes … so the fake band has now taken to recording an album of Guess Who material in the hopes of still getting some recognition.)
But seriously, WHO is going to buy ... or play this?!?! Especially when the REAL thing is out there!!!
It’s a nice, short, well done interview that gives Burton the opportunity to explain everything … enjoy! (kk)
New interview: Burton Cummings lashes out at 'fake Guess Who' …
https://youtu.be/i-K4XorVbfg?si=Wk6M92HSjdIKggSv
Wow ... strong set!!!
The Rolling Stones opened their US Tour Sunday Night (4/28) in Houston at the NRG Stadium ... and this was their set list for the opening night of their US tour:
Start Me Up (from Tattoo You, 1981)
Get Off My Cloud (from December’s Children, 1965)
Rocks Off (from Exile On Main Street, 1972)
Out of Time (from Aftermath, 1966)
Angry (from Hackney Diamonds, 2023)
Beast of Burden (from Some Girls, 1978)
Mess It Up (from Hackney Diamonds, 2023)
Tumbling Dice (from Exile On Main Street, 1972)
You Can’t Always Get What You Want (from Let It Bleed, 1969)
Little T&A (from Tattoo You, 1981)
Sympathy for the Devil (from Beggar’s Banquet, 1968)
Gimme Shelter (from Let It Bleed, 1969)
Honky Tonk Woman (single, 1969)
Miss You (from Some Girls, 1978)
Paint It Black (from Aftermath, 1966)
Jumping Jack Flash (single, 1968)
ENCORES:
Sweet Sounds of Heaven (from Hackney Diamonds, 2023)
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (single 1965)
Sounds like one hell of a show! (kk)
Meanwhile, while The Rolling Stones are making headlines now that their 2024 Tour is underway …
Their former bassist Bill Wyman … who left the band over 30 years ago … tells “The Mirror” that he still regularly dreams of being back out on tour … in yesteryear.
Ultimate Classic Rock’s got the whole story here:
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/bill-wyman-still-dreams-of-being-on-tour-with-rolling-stones/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ugh&utm_term=UCR%20New%20Smart%20ListUltimate Classic Rock has also put together an interesting list of 4-Block Albums recorded by artists that best exemplify their careers.
I can’t say that there are any real surprises here … but it IS interesting to look at the list from this context. (I might disagree with one or two choices … for example, I always thought “Led Zeppelin III” was the weakest of their first five releases … but due to the nature of the “four in a row” concept, it HAS to be included in one fashion or another. I would have chosen their first four LP’s, as “Led Zeppelin I” was a HUGE musical breakthrough at the time. UCR opted to omit that one and include “Physical Graffiti” instead.)
Foreigner’s first four albums made for a VERY impressive start to a career that ultimately led to their induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (see above)
And has there ever been a more significant or earth changing block of albums than “Rubber Soul,” “Revolver,” “Sgt. Pepper” and The White Album??? (Omitting “Magical Mystery Tour” makes sense since it was never really intended to be an LP … nor was it released that way in England at the time … but having to exclude “Abbey Road” from this list is heartbreaking!) kk
You can check it all out there: https://ultimateclassicrock.com/best-four-album-run/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ugh&utm_term=UCR%20New%20Smart%20List
>>>The call letters signified “The World's Largest Store” (kk)
Or as Larry Lujack would say, "The World's Largest Strawberry!"
No reason for that that I remember. He just thought it was funny. And when HE said it, it was!
Dah Buell
Kent,
The WLS 100th anniversary piece was great! Learned a lot of cool stuff
from it. But I have to say that my favorite part begins at 50 minutes in ...
October, 1960. Warm fuzzies!
Found this the other day ... enjoy!
Mike
A while back we got a letter from a reader asking about the availability of some of the old American Top 40 shows. I know there are a fair amount of collectors out there but the shows this guy was looking for were from the post-Casey Kasem / Shadoe Stevens era.
I am happy to say that we were able to hook him up with a few year-end shows (and he’s already got another order in the works) …
But if this might happen to be the era that YOU have an interest in, here’s the original list of available shows we first offered. (Now some of these are most definitely gone by now … so if you see something you like, please let me know sooner rather than later to avoid missing out on the chance to add these to your collection.) kk
Most of these shows are from the 1989 – 1994 era … and include a few specialty shows …
18 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
20th ANNIVERSARY
4th of JULY SHOW, 1991
and something called "Collectors' Edition - air date 1/26/91 (show #4)
Other assorted shows (dating back to 1989): 7-15-89; 11-12-89
1990: 4-21-90; 5-12-90; 8-25-90; 9-29-90
1991: 1-26-91; 2-23-91; 3-2-91; 3-9-91; 3-16-91; 3-23-91; 4-6-91; 4-20-91; 5-4-91; 6-13-91; 7-1-91* - 4th of July Special; 7-1-91 - NOT the same as the 4th of July; special 7-6-91; 7-29-91; 9-1-91; 9-21-91; 10-26-91; 12-28-91
1993: 6-19-93
1994: 1-28-94; 9-24-94; 10-1-94; 10-8-94; 10-15-94; 11-12-94; 11-26-94; 12-31-94
These are all factory sealed CD's sent right from the show's producers for airplay on the syndicated stations and include the original programming notes. (kk)
More on American Top 40 …
The Casey Kasem era …
https://bestclassicbands.com/casey-kasem-at40-6-14-20/
We went to go see The Simon and Garfunkel Story last night at our Lied Center here in Lincoln and it was one of the best music shows I have been to there -- certainly the best tribute show ... even better than the Beatles ones.
The story is told by the two singers with photos of the times reflected (not of S&G themselves) from the era behind them usually. The two LOOKED like S&G, sang just like them AND the Paul actor played guitar just great as well, even on all of Paul's intricate guitar work. They had a five-piece band behind them when needed, so that made them record-worthy sounds.
These two actors, like the REAL S&G, have been friends since high school together. Out of the 19 chart 45 records they had between 1965 and 1982, they played them all except for the top 25 hits "The Dangling Conversation," "At the Zoo," "El Condor Pasa" and "My Little Town."
BUT they played so many early pre-success songs as well as many B sides and LP cuts galore. Despite really only releasing four original LPs together (hard to believe), there were dozens of songs performed to near perfection. Altho not in chronological order per se, all were usually within a year of each other, so pretty much chronological. They did all Paul Simon-written songs except for "Bye Bye Love," which they recorded on their "Bridge Over Troubled Water" LP and was a tribute to their Everly heroes when they were young.
We got their early "Hey Schoolgirl" (as Tom & Jerry) and songs from the non-US issued Paul solo 1965 UK album "Songbook" ("He Was My Brother," "Kathy's Song," "Patterns") as well as great LP cuts like "Bleeker St", "Richard Cory," "59th St Bridge", "America," "Old Friends," "Bookends Theme", "Baby Driver," "Keep The Customer Satisfied," "Only Living Boy in NY" and more.
One odd moment was their playing the actual S&G recording of "Voices Of Old People," which many like me did not really understand getting played.
I can only imagine how great it was for my brother Steve (and Barb or brother Roger, I think) to see the real S&G in Wichita in 1969. The set list that night had many of the songs heard last night:
Simon & Garfunkel Setlist at Henry Levitt Arena, Wichita
Anyway, IF you like S&G, they did all the big hits besides the above listed and will be touring the world for this and next year. You should think about seeing them. Here's the website and tour locations: The Simon & Garfunkel Story | Welcome
Clark Besch
We have been wanting to see this for years now … and are finally going next week. Looking even MORE forward to it now after reading your great review. Thanks, Clark! (kk)
Brother Roger says he and Steve and girlfriend Barb all went to see the 1969 Wichita concert mentioned.
From my brother Steve just now:
Glad you got to see this ... my favorite concert ever was the S&G concert in Wichita ... Paul’s brother John sat in the row in front of me before the show helping with sound settings.
Steve
Steve also said Paul was on Colbert just last week, which was really quite odd. Gets MUCH better after 12 minutes of weirdness when he says stuff like loathing 59th St Bridge. Also names HIS fave songs that HE wrote and would play for himself, etc. Then he gets too deep again for me for the last ten minutes, haha:
“Life Is Incredible” - Stephen Colbert’s FULL EXTENDED Interview With Paul Simon
1969 Wichita concert:
We watched MOST of the new Paul Simon documentary … same thing … once they moved into the “present day,” it just wasn’t as interesting for me … we ended up never finishing it (and I have yet to be motivated to put back on again!) lol (kk)
The other day we told you about the passing of Bucky Wilkin of Ronny and the Daytonas.
Longtime FH Reader David Lewis just sent us this as a follow up …
This is a well-written story about Bucky Wilkin a.k.a. Ronny & The Daytonas. Bucky passed away earlier this month.
https://musicrow.com/2024/04/bucky-wilkin-of-ronny-the-daytonas-passes/
David also sent us THIS photo …
Beatles' Ex-Girlfriends …
Probably not discussing John and Ringo, May Pang and Nancy Lee Andrews were present at my friend Richard Courtney's house Friday night where this photo was taken.
I saw that Shakespeare / turned Liverpool performance when it was broadcast here in the US. Wracking my back of brain memories … I think it may have been shown on 'Shindig'? Not the whole show though. And so funny that 'I Wanna Be Your Man' sound had to be edited out because it was over 1 minute and copyrights would apply. Good to see it again. So typical Beatles of the time.
Shelley
50 Years Ago Today — Sunday, 4/28/1974 — The Most Important Day In ‘Beatlefest’ History!
BY FEST FOUNDER MARK LAPIDOS
This is my story
(short version)
Little did I know on Friday morning, April 26, 1974, that I would hear an
announcement that would forever alter my life’s direction. It started out
pretty ordinary. I took the bus from NJ to NYC and headed over to Sam Goody,
the flagship store of the biggest record chain in the area, where I was one of
the store managers. By total coincidence, we were having a special on all
Beatles albums that week, and I had all my staff wearing special 10th
Anniversary Beatles shirts provided only to my store by Capitol Records.
It was when I returned home that evening when I turned on the radio to WABC and heard THAT announcement: John Lennon and Harry Nilsson would be appearing with Cousin Bruce in Central Park on Sunday (4/28/74) to support the 1st ever March of Dimes event. That is when I realized I was going to meet John to tell him my idea of a 10th Anniversary celebration of The Beatles Arrival in America! I had already thought of the idea at the end of November, 1973, and booked the Commodore Hotel for the weekend of September 7-8, 1974. The only thing missing was getting permission to honor The Beatles (I was an idealistic 26 year old). Of course, everybody thought I was nuts, but, apparently, that didn’t stop me!
I won’t go into the details here of how I found out (I have told this story before and will tell it for the first time in Chicago this Summer), but I did find out where John and Harry were staying thanks to that 10th Anniversary Beatles Shirt I had on that day! After their 15-20 minute talk with Cousin Brucie in Central Park in front of 100,000 people, I went to their hotel and rang the doorbell. Harry graciously answered the door and let me in, I told John about my idea. He said, “I’m all for it. I’m a Beatles Fan, too!”
So, within about 40 hours of hearing
that announcement — 50 years ago today — I was sitting with John in his suite
actually telling him all about my convention idea in detail! After that
weekend, I was taken a lot more seriously and just over four months later, it
happened. All of The Beatles donated musical instruments for our Charity
Raffle, but John wanted to personally come down on the Sunday evening to pick
the winner of his signed guitar. Yes, folks, it really did almost happen! Alas,
he changed his mind and went up to his farm for the rest of the weekend. To
this day, it was the biggest secret I EVER had to keep! Today, Sunday, April
28, 2024, Carol, Michelle, Joni and I are heading to Central Park to try to
retrace my steps at the events of that day and video the journey. I am
sure the park has changed in 50 years, but we will give it a try, talk about
what it felt like that day and then head over to the Pierre Hotel on 5th
Avenue. It just doesn't seem possible that 50 years has passed, but they did!!!
Peace and Love,
Mark
I’ve been to more than a few of these … always an exciting time to meet so many new Beatle fans, both from the day and from all the years in between. Hoping to make it to the Chicago event this year, too! (kk)
Dare I scream out "OH NOOOOO!"?
Larry Page -- the man behind so much music and responsible for so many great artists becoming big -- has died at 86! Just getting the Troggs and Kinks on the map alone would have been good enough!
Clark
Lots of buzz about the new Johnny Cash release coming out
Cash recorded an album’s worth of self-penned tunes in 1993 that never saw the light of day.
Now, thanks to the help of his son John Carter Cash and co-producer David Ferguson, the world will finally get to hear these tracks. (kk)
Have you seen this one? The expressions on Johnny's face are priceless!
EXPERIENCE HENDRIX TOUR RETURNS THIS FALL WITH KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD, CHRISTONE ‘KINGFISH’ INGRAM ZAKK WYLDE, SAMANTHA FISH, TAJ MAHAL, ERIC JOHNSON, DWEEZIL ZAPPA, AND OTHER PERFORMERS
TOUR RELAUNCH SET TO BRING GUITAR GREATS TO 24 MARKETS INCLUDING SEATTLE, LAS VEGAS, SAN DIEGO, HOUSTON, NASHVILLE IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER
For the first time in five years, The Experience Hendrix Tour, the critically acclaimed multi-artist celebration of Jimi Hendrix’s musical genius, returns to the concert trail with a slate of concert dates that offer the musical excellence of numerous topflight artists in celebration of the life and legacy of Jimi Hendrix. While there was a one-off event date in Austin, TX, in 2022, the last full-fledged (pre-pandemic) EH tour took place in 2019. The concept for the Experience Hendrix Tour dates back more than 25 years; what started as a single concert at San Diego’s Street Scene in 2001 and 2002 expanded by 2004 into a full-fledged national tour. This year’s outing marks the 20th anniversary of the Experience Hendrix Tour. This year’s tour brings the music of Jimi Hendrix to audiences in the Pacific Northwest, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and eastward through Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, concluding in Georgia and Florida. Most fittingly, the tour kicks off on September 19th in Seattle, Jimi Hendrix’s hometown, at the Paramount Theater.
The tour presents a host of great artists collaborating and interpreting Hendrix’s legendary songs as part of a powerhouse, three-hour concert experience. The wide range of multi-generational artists who participate in a reflection of the ecumenicism of Jimi Hendrix’s classic repertoire and the diversity of those whose lives have been indelibly affected by his music. Kenny Wayne Shepherd is one of the major players in forthcoming edition of the Experience Hendrix Tour and a veteran of previous EH’s outings. Shepherd, a five-time Grammy nominee and recipient of two Billboard Music Awards commented, “I’m excited to rejoin the Experience Hendrix tour this year. It’s always been a great tour with exceptional artists honoring Jimi Hendrix, the greatest guitar player of all time, and his amazing and expansive catalog of songs. Being able to do a tour with friends always makes for a great time and this show is not to be missed.”
Other notable artists who are part of the tour this time out include the legendary blues icon Taj Mahal, Zakk Wylde, founder of Black Label Society and most recently part of the reformed Pantera, Mississippi-born blues wunderkind Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, who is both a Grammy Award winner and was named Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year at last year’s Blues Music Awards, guitar greats Eric Johnson and Dweezil Zappa, Mato Nanji from Indigenous, Calvin Cooke and Chuck Campbell of the Slide Brothers, standard bearers of the “sacred steel “musical tradition, and vocalist Henri Brown. Participating artists vary for performance dates so Experience Hendrix concert goers are encouraged to visit www.experiencehendrixtour.com for specifics about each of the tour stops.
This year’s tour will also present a host of rising stars including Texas born and raised blues sensation Ally Venable, who headlined the 60-date European Blues Caravan tour when she was just 20 years old, vocalist Dylan Triplett, Seattle guitarist Ayron Jones, young Brazilian blues rock guitarist Arthur Menezes and 20-year-old Mathias Lattin, winner of the Blues Foundation’s 2023 International Blues Challenge. Other artists joining the tour for select dates (see below) include Blues Music Award winner Samantha Fish and Stanley Jordan, the noted jazz guitarist who is an exponent of the two-handed tapping technique. Beyond these artists, special guests will drop in over the course of the tour. These include country music sensation Hunter Hayes, legendary Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and many others to be announced.
The 2024 Experience Hendrix Tour is sponsored by Marshall, Fender Musical Instruments, Hal Leonard Publications and Dunlop. Marshall amps have long been associated with Jimi Hendrix and were his amplifiers of choice during his career. Fender is now celebrating the 70thanniversary of the Fender Stratocaster, the guitar most often associated with Jimi Hendrix. Dunlop makers of gear and accessories, recently launched line of Authentic Hendrix ’68 Shrine Series of stomp boxes/effects pedals while Hal Leonard, the world’s largest print music publisher, has long had an association with Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.
2024 Experience Hendrix Tour dates:
September
19 - Seattle WA - Paramount Theatre
20 - Spokane WA - First Interstate Center for the Arts
21 - Forest Grove OR- Grand Lodge
22 - Reno NV - Grand Theatre/Grand Sierra Resort
25 - Santa Rosa CA - Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
26 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
27 - Las Vegas NV - Smith Center
28 - Highland CA - Yaamaya Theater
29 - Tucson AZ - Fox Theatre
October
1 - Anaheim CA - City National Grove
3 - San Diego CA - Rady Shell
4 - Mesa AZ - Mesa Arts Center/Ikeda Theater
5 - Albuquerque NM - Mesa Arts Center/Ikva Auditorium
6 - Colorado Springs CO - Pikes Peak Center
9 - San Antonio TX - Majestic Theatre
10 - Houston TX - Bayou Music Center
11 - Ft. Worth TX - Will Rogers Auditorium
12 - Tulsa OK - River Spirit Casino
13 - Shreveport LA - Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
15 - Nashville TN - Ryman Auditorium
16 - Evans GA - Columbia Country Performing Arts Center
17 - Clearwater FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
18 - Pompano Beach FL - Pompano Beach Amphitheater
19 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheater
From Ardas Khalsas, some GREAT shots of Neil Young and Crazy Horse performing in San Diego at The Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre …
Speaking of tours, Shelley Sweet-Tufano tells us …
Looks
like they caught up with me!!!
Shelley
(They added the August 3, 2024, at Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT, that Shelley told us about, which had previously been missing from their official tour poster. Hmm … I wonder if that’s the show SHE’S going to!?!?!) kk
And it sounds like Drew Carey really enjoyed seeing Phish at The Sphere in Las Vegas last week … and would do just about ANYTHING to see that show again …
In a tweet published April 22nd, Carey said:
"I swear I just talked to God. I would give you all my money, stick my dick in a blender and swear off pussy for the rest of my life in exchange for this. Bro, I met God tonight for real. I feel like I just got saved by Jesus, no lie."
Apparently, the guys from Phish loved the praise … and went out of their way to accommodate Drew’s wishes …
Four days later, Carey confirmed that the band had sent him everything he needed to fulfill his promise.
"Hi Drew! So thrilled that you could be at the Sphere with us," read the gift card. "Hope you enjoy this gift and let's do it again."
Guitarist Trey Anastasio even autographed the Vitamix Blender they sent him: "Thank you Drew! See you next time, Happy Blending!"
(Be careful what you wish for!!!) kk
Lots of musical anniversaries this past week …
First, from Tom Cuddy …
ROCK HISTORY: Chicago Released Debut Album 55 Years Ago This Weekend
Sunday, April 28th, marks the 55th anniversary of the release of “Chicago Transit Authority,” the debut album by the band we came to know simply as Chicago. The two-LP set reached No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified double-platinum, launching the singles “Questions 67 and 68,” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” and “Beginnings.”
The band was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1970, while the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014 for its 45th anniversary.
Chicago shortened its name after the album’s release rather than facing legal threats from the actual Chicago Transit Authority in its hometown. The band has continued ever since and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. It also received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Founding members Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane and James Pankow continue to lead Chicago, which will be touring this summer with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Tour dates can be found at chicagotheband.com.
The 2024 Rolling Stones tour kicked off Sunday Night (4/28) in Houston …
Here’s a look back at the way things have changed over the past sixty year of The Stones on the road (now in excess of some 2100 shows!!!)
Harvey Kubernik talks about the anniversary of The Rolling Stones’ “Sticky Fingers” LP coming out on April 23rd, 1971 …
https://www.musicconnection.com/kubernik-rolling-stones-sticky-fingers-out-this-week-in-1971/
And there’s more to the Stones connection …
Harvey tells us that there is a new documentary about Keith Richards’ longtime girlfriend Anita Pallenberg coming out …
Her story is being narrated by Scarlet Johansson, the text of which comes from her unpublished memoir.
CATCHING FIRE: THE STORY OF ANITA PALLENBERG
By Harvey Kubernik
Catching Fire – The Story of Anita Pallenberg, debuts in New York as a sneak preview at 7:30 pm at IFC Center on Thursday, May 3, 2024 and may open at more theaters at a later date, and on VOD.
This fascinating documentary comes from Magnolia Pictures.
It’s directed by Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill, with the words of Anita Pallenberg read by Scarlett Johansson from Pallenberg’s unpublished memoir. It was an Official Selection 2023 Cannes Film Festival
CATCHING FIRE: THE STORY OF ANITA PALLENBERG is about a woman who was at many points in her life a newspaper headline: Anita Pallenberg was a “rock n’ roll goddess,” a “voodoo priestess,” and an “evil seductress.” She was accused of trying to break up the Rolling Stones, among other things. But those who loved her considered her an exciting cultural force, and a loving mother – and innocent of the accusations. Never-seen-before home movies and family photographs explore life with the Rolling Stones and tell a bittersweet tale of both triumph and heartbreak. From Barbarella to the Swiss Alps, and the Lower East Side to London, Anita Pallenberg was a creative force ahead of her time.
Media materials provided include the Director’s Statement which further describes this captivating movie.
“’Catching Fire’ is a truly hand-made film by two directors motivated by the desire to create something lasting, and personal. It’s a film about family, made by family: Alexis and Svetlana were brought the idea in 2020 by Marlon Richards, the son of Anita Pallenberg and Keith Richards, who wanted his mother’s story to be told in all its complexity. The directors have worked closely with Anita’s inner circle over the course of three years, and the result is a private view of a life that was often lived in public. The Super 8mm home movies woven throughout the documentary are the purest expression of this intimacy.
“’Catching Fire’ is very much an expression of the honesty and love in Anita’s family, but it’s no hagiography. Anita was famous for her biting sense of humor and her contempt of false praise. This film bucks the trend of “branded content” and “celebrity bios” by embracing both the bitter and the sweet, the heartbreak as well as the triumph. Anita Pallenberg is a true anti-hero, an antidote to corporate messaging. The directors approached the film as an act of historical reclamation: putting the female perspective back in the official narrative of rock ‘n’ roll, making Anita visible again.
“For Alexis and Svetlana, ‘Catching Fire’ was a deliberate recalibrating of history, and a celebration of an unapologetic leader. Anita was doubtless a muse to many, and she continues to be an inspiration to the directors. In the words of one of Anita’s grandchildren: ‘Anita was the original gangster; she was ‘girl power’ to the end.’ Alexis and Svetlana developed the film with the conviction that something this personal can become universal. Anita struggled to balance her own professional life with the needs of her partner, motherhood with a desire for freedom – her themes are absolutely contemporary. The directors hope that Anita’s humor – and theirs - shine through a story that’s unsparing at times. Anita took risks, and so did the directors: this is an immersive documentary with a style and rhythm all of its own.”
“Catching Fire” is enhanced by a deep archive of rare, unseen photos and home videos. This film truly reveals Pallenberg’s many facets and assets.
It’s very obvious Keith Richards still harbors tender feelings for Pallenberg, and in one reflection summarizes her, “She was a unique piece of work.”
In “Catching Fire,” Anita finally has a forum to define herself. As she says in her memoir, “Writing this has helped me emerge in my own eyes.”
The cast includes Prince Stanislas Klossowski de Rola, Kate Moss, Angela Richards, Keith Richards, Marianne Faithfull, and Marlon Richards.
In April, I saw an advance screening of “Catching Fire” with photographer and music journalist Heather Harris. She reinforced to me again that Pallenberg surpassed her gorgeous European fashion model classification “by seeming to be, to all who encountered her, one of the most reckless extroverts to ever stride the planet.”
Heather emailed me about “Catching Fire”:
“Her great-grandfather painted one of the most famous, genuine Goth paintings of all time, ‘Isle of the Dead,’ 1880, oil on canvas by Arnold Bocklin, a work of immeasurable dread as a coffin-laden hearse-barge is rowed, lapping on a lake in the dark of night, towards its ominous namesake.
“But Anita Pallenberg attained notoriety for a far different fate, first as the major non-audio influencer of the nascent Rolling Stones, then as an almost worst-case scenario victim of, then survivor of that band's most notorious excesses. Younger music fans of Classic Rock are said to lack context in which to fathom the import of what they're hearing. ‘Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg’ is a newly released documentary that treads a long ways to rectify that.
“Make no mistake, Pallenberg's absence in the band history would have begat a far different Rolling Stones. No matter how superior the music is in and of itself, do not underestimate the importance of strong visuals in modern popular music. We have five senses, and they all work together. And she plugged her own volcanic life force directly into the Stones at just the right minute of the 1960s, which indeed helped codify The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band.
“She insured they looked different from their frenemies and fellow tastemakers / leaders of all pop culture the Beatles during the style turbulence of the '60s.
“As rock and roll couturier Evita Corby noted (not in the film) ‘Brian Jones, Keith Richards and Anita Pallenberg constantly looked like they all wore one another's clothes,’ which indeed they did, ‘And that they just threw their favorite garments together daily, with zero regard to a matched, put together look’ unlike everyone else in the music biz, fashion biz or even the avant-garde. The resultant mode was Unisex in exotic textiles reflecting worldwide travels alongside cherry-picked exemplars from Granny Takes A Trip appropriated idiosyncratically to their own custom tailors via Pallenberg's personal, outsider taste.
“The doc traces her complexity far beyond her libertine persona familiar to music fans from her years with Keith Richards (and Brian Jones.) Her maternal side is well presented by the movie's producer, her erudite son Marlon Richards, and one of the two Weber brothers who lived when youngsters with Keith and Anita in their Nellcote villa in the south of France, invited to do so when their mother committed suicide and their father had understandable trouble coping.
“Directors Alexis Bloom and Svetlana Zill chose the classical music also used in the film Barry Lyndon to subtly underscore the tragedies in her later life, some of, some not of her own decision-making, often clouded by the extreme distraction of taking narcotics. The fabled sexiness speaks for itself in clips of her leading roles in the films Performance, Barbarella and A Degree of Murder.
“People who encountered her briefly invariably called this beautiful woman ‘scary.’ Folks who knew her better called her ‘intelligent, and a tough cookie.’ The slow, deliberate narration by her friends avoids any tempting cliche of having jumpy-cut style or cinematography to match the ‘wildness’ of the '60s, thankfully. But there is the puzzling choice of having my fellow American Scarlett Johansson voicing Pallenberg's own written words. Pallenberg's own vocals were a mashup of Marlene Dietrich's smoky sophistication and Joan Greenwood's seductive purr (Greenwood, in fact, was her dubbed voice as the Great Tyrant in Barbarella. Same tone and timbre, but just by the then entertainment world's sexiest plummy voice.) It is jarring, but doesn't inhibit enjoyment of the film. And the home movies footage throughout the documentary is nothing short of incredible.”
In 1965, it was my brother, Kenneth Kubernik, an author and musician, who showed me a photo of Anita in a magazine.
In 2024, he viewed a screener of “Catching Fire” and emailed me his response to this stunning cinematic portrait of Anita.
"Those twilight feline eyes; a mouth set to snarl, not purr; legs built to stalk, ever conscious of a prey drive that bordered on ravenous. Anita Pallenberg was built from exotic animal parts, as rarefied as a snow leopard and just as agile, just as willful. She didn't arrive on the scene so much as blow up the entire toxic patriarchy that defined the British rock aristocracy of the deathless '60s. Brian, Keith, Mick and all of their pimply devotees became bewitched by her palpable allure.
“At that time, London was choc-a-bloc with Dolly birds sashaying along Kings Road in their Mary Quant minis and their white Courreges boots. Along comes Anita, resplendent in Berber batik, a splash of Bosch and the hauteur of a Barbary coast buccaneer. It wasn't Keith who Depp was copping in those silly films; it was Anita who cast that piratical spell.
“Her life was a series of escapades and escapes, a survivor of the vicious misogyny that drove the music culture of her time like a runaway train. Wild horses couldn't drag her away.
“The hotly-anticipated documentary of her tempestuous life – “Catching Fire; The Story of Anita Pallenberg” - exceeds all expectations. The discovery of an unpublished memoir provides a vital narrative backbone (her words read by Scarlett Johansson in her distinctive single malt voice) that delivers three ABKCO era Stones tracks, which were licensed for the soundtrack … the rest a pastiche of bluesy British punchins. That's enough - we're all better off with just a taste.
“Marianne Faithfull, a unicorn in her own right, said tellingly about her: ‘I often used to think that if one spent the evening with Anita, one could very easily get killed.’ There are worse ways to exit this mortal coil."
More on the film here: https://deadline.com/2023/05/catching-fire-the-story-of-anita-pallenberg-review-cannes-film-festival-1235379581/
(Sounds like a “Must See” to me … will definitely have to check this out!) kk
We’re still seeing heaps of praise for the “Biggest Night In Pop” documentary celebrating the recording “We Are The World” …
https://bestclassicbands.com/we-are-world-documentary-netflix-the-greatest-night-in-pop-1-29-24/
And from our LAFOS Buddy Sammy …
Kent –
I finally saw The Greatest Night In Pop / We Are The World special …
It’s every bit as good as you and others said it was … even Better!
Sam Tallerico
Beloved Hollywood Icon WILLIAM SHATNER Unveils New Single & Lyric Video From His First Ever Children’s Album Where Will The Animals Sleep? - Songs For Kids And Other Living Things!
One of the greatest storytellers of his generation, a scion of the stage, master of the musical performance and fearless artistic innovator is facing his toughest audience yet - kids! William Shatner, beloved Star Trek actor and real-life space traveler, proudly presents his newest musical project, an ingenious, infectious and thoroughly entertaining album, Where Will The Animals Sleep? - Songs For Kids And Other Living Things! This 13-song project unites the talents of Shatner with longtime guitarist for They Might Be Giants, Dan Miller, and award-winning YA novelist Robert Sharenow, who together create a menagerie of characters drawn from the animal kingdom who sing and dance and share their stories on this whimsical and educational release. Mr. Shatner declares, “This is a children’s album but I think children of all ages will be intrigued and entranced at the songs that are on this album!”
So come along on a wondrous journey through the natural world with William Shatner as your guide and narrator through the sticky sweet adventures of the honey bee, to the majesty of bird migrations, to the hidden world of the Coral Sea, and the secret communication between mushrooms and trees.
For a preview of what’s to come, check out the album’s first single “Elephants And Termites,” a hilarious and captivating look at the unique symbiotic relationship between the large, itchy elephants and the tiny termites whose nests provide the perfect scratching post. The song, as well as the album, is sure to inspire and cultivate a love for creatures of all kinds, shape and size!
Stream/download the single: https://orcd.co/williamshatner_elephantsandtermites
The single is being released in conjunction with a lyric video that brings the album’s artwork to cartoonish life!
Watch the lyric video: https://youtu.be/rglmyscCYkA
Where Will The Animals Sleep? - Songs For Kids And Other Living Things will be available on all formats including CD and vinyl starting May 17. Order your copy today!
Order the CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=william+shatner+where+will+the+animals+sleep&post_type=product
Pre-order/pre-save the digital: https://orcd.co/williamshatner_wherewilltheanimalssleep
TRACK LIST
1. Elephants And Termites
2. Oh My Honeyguide
3. 7000 Miles On A Non-Stop Flight
4. Barnacle Bill The Sailor
5. Chomp, Chomp, Chomp
6. Mushrooms Talk To Trees
7. Where Would The Animals Sleep?
8. Aphids And Ants
9. I'm A Coral See In The Coral Sea
10. The Rhino's Guard
11. Why Do We Bug You
12. Secret Agent Whale
13. Birdsong Symphony
I know we’ve already treated you to TWO Johnny Cash videos today …
But when I came across this one, I just HAD to share …
Check out Johnny Cash and Tony Joe White, having a WHOLE lotta fun singing Tony’s big Top Ten Hit from 1969, “Polk Salad Annie” …
