It’s not a spoiler by now to say that Sound City, which premiered yesterday in theaters and is available on demand today, climaxes with a jam session featuring Paul McCartney, director Dave Grohl’s musical idol, and the surviving members of Nirvana. And anyone that’s seen the trailer for the film, about the rise and fall of Los Angeles’ Sound City Studios, knows that Dave Grohl purchased the studio’s custom Neve 8028 Console to install in his own studio. In fact, the console, one of only five made, is pretty much the star of the film. But as much as the film is about a run-down studio that Jimmy Iovine once said should be “fucking bombed,” it’s also about changing technologies, the state of the music industry through four decades, and the power and spirit of rock and roll.
There was nothing fancy about Sound City Studios. It flooded often, would often smell like yeast from a nearby Budweiser plant, and from the testimony given, always seemed like it was on the verge of closing. Yet from 1969 to 2011, was responsible for a strong of gold and platinum albums from the likes of Neil Young, Dio, Metallica, Slipknot, Tool, Ratt and Rage Against the Machine, to name but a few. There were three albums recorded that “saved” the studio, one of which was Nirvana’s Nevermind, with the owner stating that whenever an album recorded there topped the charts, the phone would ring off the hook.
The multiple interviews in the film parallel several decades of popular music. From Neil Young and Tom Petty to Rick Springfield and Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy to Corey Taylor and Josh Homme, everyone has insight to share about Sound City, particularly about how great the sound was in the main room, which was formerly where Vox manufactured their amps. Yet there are also personal stories intertwined. Mick Fleetwood talks about hearing an album that was recorded there by Buckingham Nicks, which led to the duo joining Fleetwood Mac. Rick Springfield married a receptionist at the studio. And producer Nick Raskulinecz tears up when talking about the studio’s demise.
The film is also about the changing landscape of music. As the late ’80s and early ’90s brought on the rise of sampling, Pro Tools, auto tune and the rise of laptop production, it obviously had an effect on the Sound City’s bottom line. Especially since the studio remained proud of being analog, with the Neve console serving as a monument to the power of non-digital production. Yet technology isn’t completely viewed as an enemy. Grohl says that Trent Reznor uses technology as an instrument, not as a crutch.
While a documentary just on the studio would have been compelling enough, its when Grohl brings in musicians from the studio’s past to play and record songs at his studio (which hilariously features a large portrait of Grohl) that everything comes full circle. It shows that all the talk about music can’t be backed up if you’re not a good musician, so it’s no surprise that the segment is titled “Reel to Real.” Hearing and seeing Stevie Nicks, Pat Smear, Joshua Homme, and others jamming and recording shows their passion for collaboration and live music, and for the first time in my life, I’m looking forward to hearing a Rick Springfield song. And there’s no greater moment in the film than seeing the joy on Grohl’s face as he records a song with the reason he got into music on the board that he feels is responsible for his career. In short, if you like or have ever liked rock, or any of the artists mentioned in this article, this movie is a must-see. It’s available online to stream today, but deserves to be seen in a movie theater, where you can best appreciate the sound. Check to see if it’s playing in your town here. And in case you’re somehow still not convinced, watch the film’s trailer after the jump. Read more »
First off, this is in German with Polish subtitles, so we have no idea what’s happening. But here’s a clip of Behemoth frontman Nergal portraying a Nazi named Joachim von Robbentrop in a comedy called AmbaSSada (EmbaSSy). Get it? The SS in “embassy” is capitalized because it’s about Nazis. I’m laughing already. When we first wrote about it last year, we noted that the plot of the movie concerns a couple living in Warsaw in a home that happens to be the former German embassy. The couple gets transported back to 1939 just before war breaks out.
While the idea of the singer of a death metal band playing a Nazi might sound a little suspect, it’s not like Nergal is any stranger to controversy. In fact, he’ll be headed to court again to face charges of ripping up a bible onstage, even though he’d already been found innocent of any charges the first time. AmbaSSada (EmbaSSy) will be released in the 2nd quarter of 2013, according to Headbang, although it’s uncertain as to whether it will be released in North America.
[Metal Sucks via Headbang]
NOT a scene from the movie
Metallica’s 3D concert movie was filmed in August of last year, and we really didn’t hear too much about it afterwards… until today. Metallica have just announced that the movie will be titled Metallica Through The Never, and will be released on August 9. That’s right in the middle of Summer blockbuster season. In fact, it’s the same week that a Disney/Pixar movie (Planes) is coming out, and the week after the 300 sequel is released. If Metallica is concerned about that, they’re not letting on, nor is Picturehouse, a newly-reopened film marketing and distribution company Metallica has partnered with for the film. Here’s what Metallica said about it on their site.
We’re back with an update on that little project we told you about last year… the Metallica 3D movie filmed in Vancouver in August of 2012. Some of you were kind enough to be a huge part of our three nights of filming and may be wondering just what the heck has been happening since then. Throughout the Fall and first part of this year, we’ve been working with director Nimrod Antal and a team of editors to pull all the pieces together and so we are beyond excited to now actually have a release date and a title… drum-roll please, “Metallica Through The Never” coming to theatres on August 9!
We’re also proud to announce that we will be teaming up with independent film marketing and distribution company Picturehouse to help us spread the love in theatres. Like your friends in ‘Tallica, Picturehouse is truly independent, take big chances and often think outside of the box. Founder Bob Berney has overseen the releases of two of the most successful independent films ever, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “The Passion of the Christ,” as well as many other cutting edge, critically acclaimed and award winning films.
It goes without saying that we are really just getting rolling here and will have many more updates for you. And of course, we can’t wait for you to see the film!!
The official press release is after the jump. Read more »
It’s no secret that Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has been working on his directorial debut, a documentary about Sound City Studios, the now-defunct Los Angeles studio whose mixing console he now owns. The place was quite literally a hit factory from its’s opening in 1970 to it’s closure in 2011. Artists ranging from Tom Petty and Neil Young to Metallica and Rage Against the Machine (not to mention Nirvana, who recorded Nevermind there) graced the halls and boards of the studio.
While there have already been a handful of outtakes from the film with artists ranging from REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin to Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy talking about their first musical memories, the full trailer of the film went up online today. It looks like a feel good movie, and not just one about the studio. The trailer looks like a testament to music made the way it used to be – in a shabby, run-down-looking analog studio with character instead of by machines.
Sound City will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month and will be released in February. Presumably, news will come out soon about the soundtrack, since people ranging from Corey Taylor to member of Ratt have been jamming with him earlier this year. Check out the trailer after the jump. Read more »
While we don’t have any more information that what Mastodon said on their Facebook page, it looks like they’ll be writing and recording a new song for the forthcoming sequel to the Pixar film Monsters, Inc., which is titled Monsters University. The film is slated to be released on June 21, 2013.
If you would have told me 10 years ago after hearing “March of the Fire Ants” for the first time that one day Mastodon would be providing a song for a Pixar movie, I wouldn’t have believed you for as second. And while the band’s contribution might not be as great as the opening to the Aqua Teen movie, it’ll almost have to be better than their Jonah Hex soundtrack.
In 2009, Metallica played two shows in Quebec at Colisee Pepsi. They were filmed by director Wayne Isham, who’s been working with the band since he directed the “Enter Sandman” video back in 1991. A DVD, Quebec Magnetic, will be released on December 11 here in the states. Note that this has nothing to do with the shows filmed in Vancouver earlier this year for Metallica’s forthcoming 3D movie. So while the DVD will feature three hours of content and 26 songs, it will be in two dimensions only. The set list after the jump. Read more »
Guns N’ Roses’ Las Vegas residency promised fans the chance to see Axl Rose and his new Guns perform in an intimate setting. Now it looks like everyone else will soon get the chance to see Rose in 3D.
According to a posting on the band’s Twitter account, GN’R’s show Wednesday night (November 21) was filmed in 3D. GN’R also tweeted a picture of a behind the scenes look at the taping along with the caption “3D 2D looks like 10 cameras on this Street Of Dreams #AppetiteForDemocracy.” It still remains unclear, though, as to what will become of this 3D taping (as Chinese Democracy proves, a “sure thing release” doesn’t exist in the world of Guns N’ Roses).
However, the real question is “Do we really want to see Axl Rose and the new Guns N’ Roses on a movie screen in 3D?” Hell, even the idea of seeing Slash in a 3D film doesn’t sound all that appealing. Then again, we admit that we were at first hesitant about the Metallica 3D film. Plus, seeing Rose in 3D might prove to be a nice alternative to waiting three hours in a theatre for an in-person live performance (at the very least, he can’t pull a no show in a 3D film).
The official reason for Krysta Cameron leaving Iwrestledabearonce was that she was pregnant, but after viewing the trailer for A Beary Scary Movie, it looks like she might have really left because of how cheesytheir horror movie, A Beary Scary Movie, looks. The film, which had its premiere this past Monday in Los Angeles, looks like it cost about $17 to make, which is about $4 more than it will cost to pick up on DVD on November 6. Is it so bad it’s supposed to be good? Could it actually be good? That remains to be seen, and you can’t really tell from the trailer, but it probably depends on how much of an IWABO fan you are. At any rate, check the trailer out, and order it if you’re looking for a post-Halloween metal horror movie that’s not Shocker or Trick or Treat.
You’ve gotta hand it to Rob Zombie – he knows how to make some damn creepy visuals. The just-unveiled trailer for “The Lords of Salem” is a genuinely unsettling-looking 100 seconds. Scored to opera instead of classic rock or a Zombie song, the trailer doesn’t touch much on the plot, but it doesn’t matter. It’s got witches burning at a stake, a haunted looking mansion, demon babies, some dude that looks like he’s in a black metal band, a hooded guy, and goat horns. The plot concerns a DJ (Sheri Moon Zombie, natch) that plays a metal song that awakens a coven of witches. What’s a little odd is that the movie isn’t coming out until 2013. It would seem like a given that it be out around Halloween, but what do we know? Either way, we’ll be lining up for this one.
[via Deadline]
Did you ever listen to deftones frontman Chino Moreno’s hypnotic voice and think to yourself “wow, that sounds great, if only there were robots fucking in the background.” Thankfully, Bassnectar have come to the rescue. “Hexes,” a song taken from the forthcoming Resident Evil: You Keep Going, We’ll Keep Making Them Retribution 3D soundtrack features Moreno on vocals.
“I was thrilled to be a part of scoring this,” Bassnectar told Revolver, “and wanted to make a beat that dropped like a wall of bricks to knock people back in their seats at the movie’s sudden and dramatic end. Chino put together the lyrics in a poem that felt like a slow motion dream, and somehow the two sensations works in tandem: falling backwards in a dream while getting blown back by a wobbling wall of sound.”
The song, which plays over the end credits to the fifth film in the series, isn’t bad, in that Moreno’s vocals are up front, and the beat is pretty straightforward. But it definitely sounds very much of the moment. It’s not that far removed from something that would have popped up on a Mortal Kombat soundtrack 15 years ago. That being said, when was the last time anyone dusted off their Mortal Kombat: More Kombat soundtrack to listen to Cubanate? Yeah, didn’t think so.
It’s not a spoiler by now to say that Sound City, which premiered yesterday in theaters and is available on demand today, climaxes with a jam session featuring Paul McCartney, director Dave Grohl’s musical idol, and the surviving members of Nirvana. And anyone that’s seen the trailer for the film, about the rise and fall of Los Angeles’ Sound City Studios, knows that Dave Grohl purchased the studio’s custom Neve 8028 Console to install in his own studio. In fact, the console, one of only five made, is pretty much the star of the film. But as much as the film is about a run-down studio that Jimmy Iovine once said should be “fucking bombed,” it’s also about changing technologies, the state of the music industry through four decades, and the power and spirit of rock and roll.
Posted by Bram Teitelman on Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 1:34 pm
Cinemetal, Reviews