Apparently Sundance isn’t all about celebrities grabbing free swag at Motorola parties. A few concert documentaries screened, and early buzz has me looking forward to theatrical releases for these three:
Neil Young: Heart Of Gold
Beastie Boys: Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That
Leonard Cohen: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man
Blogger Ben Wagner interviewed The Edge and Rufus Wainwright about I’m Your Man for MTV News. Today he’s interviewing Neil Young and Jonathan Demme. Gotta say I’m extremely jealous, Ben! But then again, I don’t know what the fuck I’d ask Neil Young. I know he likes toy trains.
Anyone go to Sundance and/or see any good movies? Fill us in.
UPDATE: Left this one out…
The Police: Everybody Stares: The Police Inside Out
The Police – “Does Everyone Stare” (MP3 Link Expired)
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I’m excited for Heart of Gold because of Jonathan Demme. Stop Making Sense is the best concert film ever.
> I’m excited for Heart of Gold because
> of Jonathan Demme. Stop Making Sense is
> the best concert film ever.
Agreed.
Stewart Copeland has a Police documentary play at Sundance, too.
Add an “ing” to that “play.”
the song that Antony is singing at the end of the Leonard Cohen clip sounds really good. That alone makes me want to see it.
Les Claypool should be debuting his film…
Electric Apricot: The Quest for Festeroo
LOL!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482499/
http://www.livemusicblog.com/news/05/12/09/electric-apricot-quest-for-festeroo-update.php
(correction: actually, I all know is that he was submitting it, but I would have assumed that it’s definitely going to get a slot…)
so, i saw the tribute show to cohen at the sydney festival last year that featured antony, the wainwright/mcgarrigle clan, nick cave, teddy thompson and his mom, and the handsome family. antony performing ‘if it be your will’ was definitely the standout of the night (even though i can’t stand his own material). it was a damned fine show. but u freaking 2? puhleeze. spare me. think i’ll have to wait for this to documentary to come out on dvd so i can rip it and edit out all the u2 bits.
Yeah, I was always a Police fan too–especially all the albums before Synchronicity. Actually, if you check the credits, I think Stewart Copeland actually wrote or co-wrote almost half the songs on Regatta–I used to own their box set(“Message in a Box”, haha), and I remember it said something like Sting was short on material for that one.
This was when they were putting out a new album each year and touring non-stop.
oh, and the instrumental that Andy wrote on Zenyatta won a Grammy. I think Sting actually refused to play on that track…Prima Donna.
True dat Michael. Stewart respresented more on Regatta than any other album; in addition to “Does Everyone Stare” he wrote “Contact” and “On Any Other Day,” the ONLY Police song where Sting let him handle lead vocals. Regatta’s title track won the Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental, as did Andy Summers’ “Behind My Camel” from follow-up Zenyatta, as you mentioned. Wow, I know way too much Police trivia.
“Sting let Stewart and Andy put one or two of their own songs on each album…”
That’s a mischaracterization of the way things worked. Stewart Copeland is on record saying that when it came time to record a Police album that Sting simply had “written the best songs.”
Both Sting and Copeland hated “Behind My Camel.” Summers talked it to death and Copeland finally relented and played on the track. It was crap filler. The Grammy proves it, no?
Granted, it’s not a concert film, but there’s also American Hardcore at Sundance, http://www.americanhardcorefilm.com/ for the old school punk fans. And for the oddest 2006 Sundance concert doc, Fast Future Generation, about, god help us, Good Charlotte’s Japanese concerts….
sup Scott
I’m at Sundance and it fucking rules! Thought I’d mention that there is also a documentary about Glastonbury by Julian Temple, director of The Filth and The Fury. I didn’t see it but it sounds pretty good especialy since he uses unearthed footage of Bowie from the 2nd Glastonbury concert in ’72 which was filmed by the incredible director Nicholas Roeg (Performance, The Man Who Fell to Earth). Also worth mentioning, although it’s in no way a musical is the premiere of The Proposition which was written by Nick Cave. I’ve heard it’s incredible and I will most likely be seeing it Friday night. And finally another film that needs to be mentioned is Michel Gondry’s The Science of Sleep. I feel so priveleged to have seen this film in advance. It is fucking amazing! Even more beautiful and heartfelt and creative than Eternal Sunshine. Sundance Rules!
I am a die hard police fan, I’ve had the box set since I was in my early teens. Does everyone stare has always been my favourite song.
ah the police! on my 6th birthday i got Regatta.. on vinyl – remember pogo-ing round our living room with my cousin. have to dig it out again as “does everyone stare” is such a great song – “on any other day” was always my favourite – luckily i had no idea what the “complete bulls**t” bit at the start meant…
Stewart Copeland also put out (back in the day) a nifty 10-incher on green vinyl under the pseud-de-nom of Klark Kent. It was pretty crackin’ if I recall.
i had this police mix tape i stole from my dad in grade school and almost wet my pants late one night, headphones on, when “mother” came on towards the end of side 2.
A new Cohen doc is welcome, but nothing can beat the National Film Board of Canada’s 1965 documentary of the pre-musical, scruffy young poet, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Leonard Cohen.”
What? Andy co-wrote the song that marked the creative high-point for The Police: “Be My Girl – Sally”. An ode to a blowup doll that, alas, eventually dies.
Now that’s rock and roll.
“i was blue and lonely
i couldn’t sleep a wink
and i could only get unconscious
if i’d had too much to drink
there was somehow, something wrong somewhere
and each day seemed grey and dead
the seeds of desperation
were growing in me head
i needed inspiration
a brand new start in life
somewhere to place affection
but i didn’t want a wife
and then by lucky chance i saw
in a special magazine
an ad that was unusual
the like i’d never seen
experience something different
with our new imported toy
she’s loving, warm, inflatable
and a guarantee of joy
she came all wrapped and cobbled
all pink and shriveled down
a breath of air was all she needed
to make her lose that frown
i took her to the bedroom
and pumped her with some life
and later, in the morning
that girl became my wife
and so i sit her in the corner
and sometimes stroke her hair
and when i’m feeling naughty
i blow her up with air
she’s cuddly and she’s bouncy
she’s like a rubber ball
i bounce her in the kitchen
and i bounce her in the hall
and now my life is different
since Sally came my way
i wake up in the morning
and have her on a tray
she’s everything they said she was
and i wear a permanent grin
and i only have to worry
in case my girl wears thin
WOULD YOU BE MY GIRL
WOULD YOU BE MY GIRL
WOULD YOU BE MY BE MY BE MY GIRL”
but yeah, Mother is awful
yeah, uh…that song sucks too.
“Be My Girl” is damn catchy, but completely ruined by the acapella interlude. What a poor decision to include it. But it was their first album, and I guess Sting’s ego was not yet big enough to require it nixed. By the early ’80s Sting was obviously a megalomaniac, but the albums were still greaet. I remember an interview about Mr. Sumner enforcing a strict limit on the number of measures Andy’s solos could be.
I have “Ghost In The Machine” demos on cassette that I’d love to turn into MP3s. Gotta look into that.
In case anyone cares, the Paste Magazine podcasts this week (from Sundance) have included interviews with the Beastie Boys (1/23 episode) and Lian Lunson, director of the Leonard Cohen doc (1/24 episode.) Subscribe at http://www.pastecultureclub.com.
Full disclosure: I’m an editor at Paste, and yes, I’m shamelessly pimping this. But you should enjoy it anyway.
The bookends to “Be My Girl” are catchy and, frankly, a damn good snapshot of music of the time. I’mg glad the doc was brought up because I forgot how much fun the Police that isn’t overplayed on classic rock radio could be.
Who wrote “Friends”, which is on the boxed set? I actually like that song.
And have we forgotten Copeland’s movie soundtracks? Rumblefish anyone?
I think I read that Andy Summers wrote the riff that everybody remembers “Every Breath You Take” by, even though Sting got sole credit. Bah.
I have “Ghost In The Machine” demos on cassette that I’d love to turn into MP3s. Gotta look into that.
whoa, yeah, please.