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October 8, 2009
Rush In The Movies Again
For the second time this year, a movie is set to be released that features Canadian rock trio Rush. Their music plays a key role in the storyline of the film that is set for a New York release tomorrow. Adventures of Power is a story about a nerdy mine worker who has a passion for playing the drums, but never actually learned how. Instead, the lead character, whose first name is Power, embraced what he sees as the next best thing: Air drumming.
Power, played by Ari Gold, finds inspiration in a hit single by Rush, whose drummer, Neil Peart, is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s best rock drummers. The Sundance Film Festival Guide describes Adventures of Power thusly:
“If you’ve ever heard the classic Rush song ‘Tom Sawyer,’ you may have found yourself flailing your arms in a rhythmic motion known as ‘air drumming.’ Neil Peart, Rush’s legendary drummer, casts a wicked spell, but if you’ve managed to avoid it, or think air drumming isn’t cool, I give you – Power.”
Earlier this year, Rush figured prominently in the plot of a romantic comedy entitled I Love You Man, which starred Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones.
The cast of adventures of Power is listed as Ari Gold (who also wrote and directed the movie), Michael McKean, Jane Lynch, Adrian Grenier, and Neil Peart.
A look at the trailer (below) suggests that this may be a funny and entertaining flick, and let’s face it, what Rush fan is going to miss a movie that lists Neil Peart among the cast members?
December 5, 2008
Movie In The Works Featuring Life of Late AC/DC Singer Bon Scott
With AC/DC currently on tour here in the U.S., word has come from down under that movie maker Eddie Martin has begun work on the early stages of his film that is set to feature former AC/DC frontman Bon Scott. Scott died in 1980 at the age of 33 after a night of heavy drinking – a scenario similar to those we have heard regarding the death of rock legends such as John Bonham, Keith Moon, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.
Scott’s untimely passing came just as the group was beginning to realize their dream of success. Their 1979 hit album Highway To Hell was rising rapidly on the U.S. charts, and the group was poised to become one of the most recognized names in hard rock history.
A number of books have been written about Bon Scott, which many of his friends consider inaccurate, and do not tell the true story of Scott’s life. Martin hopes to set the record straight and has conducted research and tracked down friends and associates in order to assemble an accurate record of the singer’s life.
Speaking on the subject of how his film will differ from the books, he says, “We want to go much deeper with the movie.”
Filming is planned to begin within 18 months and may take up to three years to finalize and release.
No name has been selected for the film yet, and Martin plans to meet with the current members of AC/DC next month and seek their approval for the project, although he has heard that the group has no problem with the project.
November 25, 2008
Classic Rock Briefs For November 25, 2008
Son of Mick Jagger Lands Role In Film
James Jagger, the 23-year-old-son of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has taken his acting career to the next level. He’s been cast in a movie about the life of Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, the renowned composer.
The young Jagger, who was born to Mick Jagger’s ex-wife Jerry Hall, studied acting at Cambridge in the U.K. and is set to portray one of Vivaldi’s pupils, Alessandro Grimani. The movie, Vivaldi – The Red Priest is set for release sometime next year. Full Story.
AC/DC Sneaks One By The Gatekeepers
As far as I know, this is the first time something like this has been done – at least by a group a well-known group. It is being called “The world’s first music video in an Excel spreadsheet.”
As someone who spent more than a few years inside a corporate cubicle, I am well familiar with the barriers that companies place on their internet connections that restrict access to sites and content that they do not want their employees accessing on company time.
One could certainly argue that any business has the right to restrict the way their internet connection is used by employees, even so stop some employees from attempting to devise methods that will allow them to bypass company firewalls and surf to their heart’s content. Those tricks are usually reserved for the more tech savvy employees (not that I would know!), which leaves most employees without access to some sites while on the job.
One group feels their pain. AC/DC has employed a creative geek somewhere who has managed to embed the video from the new song “Rock N Roll Train” in a Microsoft Excel file.
Now don’t expect the full-color version or even actual video footage from this Excel file, but it does make some very clever use of what might be described as ASCII video, which is accompanied by an abbreviated version of the song which actually sounds quite good.
So, if you are an AC/DC fan trapped behind a company firewall who badly needs a little dose of AC/DC to get you through the day, downloading this Excel file might be worth a shot. Just make sure you use headphones or keep the volume low enough so that the boss won’t overhear it if you manage to snag it.
An Excel file certainly seems to be something that you would expect employees to download for legitimate business reasons, so unless your company has blocked access to the AC/DC site, the odds are pretty good that you can grab your copy and snicker a little at the trolls that lurk beneath the bridge that connects your workplace to the net.
To find out if you can trick the gatekeepers, try the download direct from the AC/DC website.
November 10, 2008
Classic Rock Briefs For November 10, 2008
Mick Jagger Compares Performing Live To Sex
I think we’ve all heard the phrase “It’s better than sex,” or some derivative thereof, and although Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger does not claim that performing live is actually better than sex, apparently, it’s pretty darn close.
"Is it like sex? I don’t know. Is there an orgasmic moment? Not that there necessarily has to be in sex. It’s a different kind of thing. At times, you have to be more calculated about what you do,” the 65-year-old rocker says.
Jagger also talks a bit about the separation between his rock star persona and his real life. Full Story.
Chris Cornell Denies Led Zeppelin Tour Rumors
Former Audioslave and Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell was rumored to be in the running as a replacement — or perhaps as the fellows from Yes would say, a stand in – for Robert Plant during a tour that the other members of the group are reportedly anxious to do.
Cornell’s reaction, reminiscent of the reactions we have heard from others that have been mentioned as new frontmen for Zeppelin, was that the notion of him replacing Plant was “depressing,” and that he would not even consider trying to replace him.
“That’s not a ticket I would buy. God bless ‘em, but that’s not Led Zeppelin. I find it completely depressing. I’d never do anything like that. I mean just out of respect to the legacy of the band,” says Cornell. Full Story.
Alice Cooper Sucks
A new movie entitled Suck is said to be in the works, and legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper is set to be part of the cast. The new flick is a satire about a group of rock star wannabes in search of immortality and a record deal.
Joining Cooper on the screen will be Henry Rollins, Moby and Iggy Pop, as well as actor Malcom McDowell. Full Story.
July 21, 2008
Alice Cooper No Fan of Television Talent Shows
Striking out against programs such as American Idol and X Factor (a U.K.-based talent show), veteran rocker Alice Cooper says that they do not put enough effort into looking for new rock talent and says these programs are seeking out only artists that he refers to as “totally disposable.”
Saying that these types of programs are looking for the types of acts that will wind up in Las Vegas, Cooper also adds that bands from the 1960’s and 1970’s are still getting plenty of radio airtime today, but he does not think that will be the case for the artists that are being discovered on talent shows.
In other news from the Alice Cooper front, he recently revealed that he has always had a desire to play a villain in a James bond movie. Cooper sees himself as a natural choice since he already looks like a “baddie.”
Cooper goes on to say that Bond has never come up against an adversary that could match him and feels that is a role he could step into. “He needs someone the audience believe might actually beat him,” Cooper says.
I think Alice Cooper may have a point here. Lord knows he has enough practice wearing spooky make-up and acting like a villainous weirdo on stage in front of millions of fans. I’d say give the chap a go at it!
