I’ve just watched this film.
If, like me, you come to The Afterword for the music I suspect you will, like me, love it.
I’m not going to try to describe or critique it – why would I, you can watch it for yourself.
I will just mention that
– after a couple of initial hur hur hur, gasp, growl, hur hur hur moments Keith Richards actually contributes some sensible stuff
– Steve Cropper made me laugh out loud and also shed a tear
– Bernard Fowler reminded me I have a Peech Boys single
– I now admire Earl Slick
It’s available on iPlayer for a while yet – if you watch it maybe it will generate an enjoyable discussion here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08xdlts/rock-n-roll-guns-for-hire-the-story-of-the-sideman
Here’s Bernard and Charlie.
I saw it it. A well-funded docco by the looks of it. In a way, I have an instinctive dislike of people like Earl Slick – cartoonish New York/LA rockers, like an even more ghastly version of Ron Wood, people whose musical activities I just don’t want near me – but I thought he brought something valuable to the doc as a lived-in/lived-through-it narrator. As he observed himself, I think the world he operated in is coming to an end. For someone ill-suited to fit into most other areas of life, he had a good run. Good luck to him.
Absolutely right.
I have one of his own albums which I have not played for years but which I will listen to tomorrow; I’m sure I will like it better than otherwise because I now like him!
Just listened to his 2002 album, Zig Zag. It’s an enjoyable but not particularly memorable mix of competent instrumentals searching for a tune and songs with guest vocalists: Robert Smith and David Bowie each sound like you’d expect them to sound; Spacehog’s Royston Langdon tries his best to sound like Golden Years era Bowie; and so on.
It’s not a bad album but I can see why it’s been on my shelf untouched for a couple of decades. As a frontman (on this album at least – there are others on Spotify which I haven’t heard) Earl lacks charisma but, the film shows, as a sideman he’s a mini star.
Is that Bowie track you mean The Revolutionary (Isn’t It Evening)? It’s a cracker, one of DB’s better late guest spots (and he did loads)
Yes it is @moose-the-mooche. I was underwhelmed, thought it sounded a bit like a Bowie pastiche!
Just listened again and I still think it’s a bit Bowie-by-numbers. Just goes to show, dunnit? (I do like a lot of David Bowie’s music though, so all is well with the world.)
Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Reinforced my opinion that Steve Cropper is probably one the greatest guitarists EVER (if I recall correctly I put him #2 in my list of greatest guitarists when we did a poll on here)
Agreed. The film greatly increased my appreciation of Steve Cropper although I do think his contribution to whatever project he has been involved with far outstrips the term sideman.
Here’s a match made in heaven: Cropper and Winwood.
https://youtu.be/Lg6cc8ReAv8
No, those kind of cartoonish New York rockers are fine, Bri!
We watched it at the weekend, but to be honest I didn’t think too much of it. Steve Cropper came across well (I had no idea he was still alive!) and hie should copyright his Stax style, it’s that good. I wasn’t too bothered the two girls from Prince’s backing group and thought they were some bitterness about the whole thing, although a lot of that was probably due to Prince’s behaviour.
Wendy gave the impression of someone whose company would soon become tiresome; Lisa seemed much more normal (hence got far less screen time!).
Assuming Wendy is the guitarist, I couldn’t agree more.
Take away the (probably understandable) bitterness over the lack of full credit for their contribution to some of Prince’s sound and you’re left with two superb musicians who’ve made a few decent records of their own.
Got it recorded on the box, have yet to watch it.
Have watched the first half hour. Thoughts so far:
1) It’s really blimmin’ good. I particularly enjoyed the bit with Wendy and Lisa.
2) Keith Richards needs to be accompanied by subtitles at all times. Hynnng-rrr-hrrrr.
3) The font used for credits and other info at the bottom of the screen (is there a name for this?) is distracting me because it’s similar to that used on Decca’s “World Of” series.
You’re welcome.
I think the font family its from is called ‘Bookman’. Looks like they used either medium-italic or bold-italic, with some of the curly bits from the ‘Swashes’ versions of these fonts. They distressed the shapes slightly, to suggest wear.
Did they do the same to Keith?
Very late to this one but I really enjoyed it. Slick came across a likeable bloke
Very touching that Mick, Keef, Ron and even Charlie were on screen to big up their mate Bernard. Wendy & Lisa were amusingly seeming the mirror opposite of each other -one intense and SPEAKING EVERY POINT TO CAMERA JUST SO WE GET…THE..POINT…OK? and one very sultry, laid back and quiet. Steve Cropper…what a geezer.