Billy Bragg & Wilco - Man in the Sand (The Making of "Mermaid Avenue")

Billy Bragg & Wilco - Man in the Sand (The Making of

Starring:Billy Bragg & Wilco
Studio: Palm Pictures / Umvd
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
The story of how Nora Guthrie and British songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg, together with alternative country band, Wilco brought Woody Guthrie's words to life and created the Grammy-nominated albums Mermaid Avenue and Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2.

Amazon.com

Sam Phillips's Sun Records will forever be best known as the label for which Elvis Presley made his timeless first recordings. But Sun earned its legendary status by also recording any number of other blues and rock & roll greats, including Howlin' Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. This 112-minute, 2001 documentary from PBS's American Masters series features plenty of reminiscences by Sun old-timers (including the ever-voluble Phillips, who was not, apparently, universally loved by his artists) and some vintage film footage. But the best moments come when more contemporary artists--ranging from Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, and Mark Knopfler to Live, Third Eye Blind, Ben Folds, and even Kid Rock--do their versions of Sun classics like "Honey Don't" and "That's All Right Mama." Several of these performances can also be found on the excellent Good Rockin' Tonight CD; the documentary is good, but if you have to make a choice, go with the CD. --Sam Graham

Description

Historians may never agree about where and when rock 'n' roll was born, but they do agree that an entrepreneur in the world of music named Sam Phillips began a revolution and spawned a legacy when he created Sun Records. This Memphis-based success story defined some of the most appealing roots of American popular culture with such seminal artists as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and so many others, all reprised in this two-hour American Masters film with such performers as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and Live, many accompanied by Elvis' original sidemen, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana. Highlights include a moving rendition of "Lonely Weekends" with Jerry Lee Lewis and Matchbox Twenty, and an emotional reunion of old Mississippi Delta musicians. Songs: That's All Right (Paul McCartney), Honey Don't (Ben Folds Five), Rock n' Roll Ruby (Mark Knopfler), I Walk the Line (Live), My Bucket's Got a Hole in It (Robert Plant & Jimmy Page), Blue Suede Shoes (Johnny Hallyday), Who Will the Next Fool Be (Zucchero), Cry, Cry, Cry (Third Eye Blind), Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee (Malcolm Yelvington and Kid Rock), Lonely Weekend (Matchbox Twenty).

Customer Reviews:

Good Rockin Tonight.......2007-01-11

Excellent DVD with a collection of vintage performers
talking and perfoming the hits that made them famous.
Billy Lee Riley showed he was still annoyed with
Sam Phillips to this day for not pushing his record
"Red Hot". Although a lot of the
artists were grateful to Sam Philllips there was
an undertone of annoyance at him for concentrating
on Elvis too much and letting a lot of their work slide.
A few really raw moments emerge so that this is
just not a nother greatest hits type of deal.
Jerry Lee Lewis does a few numbers showing
that he can literally play anything. His section
is a revelation in itself. One of the true greats
within this compilation. Sam Phillips is still a
proslytizer for the music he helped created but a
bit of a blowhard as well. A worthwile look at the
era that influenced so much that cam aferward.
Carl Perkins also a standout performer demonstrates
his musical chops which looked like a magic trick.
Such a great musician. I highly reccomend this DVD

A real hoot!.......2006-12-29

The DVD: $9.99. Shipping: $3.00 Seeing Sam Phillips: Priceless!

Viewers will have mixed feelings seeing contemporary rockers covering Sun Records classics but I think the effort helps bridge the generation gap. But watching Sam Phillips will appeal to everyone -- what a hoot! When he says that the Lord himself was unable to do what Sam Phillips was able to do -- conjoin black music with white music -- you won't be able to stop laughing. With him, not at him. He is as big a legend as the stars he discovered. Not necessarily a "must-have" DVD, but for those who like these kind of documentaries, I think you will enjoy it.

The Sun King. .......2005-04-03

I have the Sun hits CDs so the music in this documentary was always recognizable to me, but if one isn't familiar with these songs then the movie is even better. There's also a substantial amount of information in the film that may not be known to fans. I've loved Sun music for many years but I did not know, until I saw it, that the label began as one that featured the blues. Later, when country was the speciality, the background of the artists matched its stereotype as one of the guys said "There wasn't a one of us who didn't pick cotton before playing music."

There's some great lines in this one like when Perkins says about Elvis, "That's the prettiest man I've ever seen." The documentary, with guest appearances from Mark Knopfler, Led Zeppelin, and Paul McCartney, lets you know just how important Sun Records was to the world's musicians. We see here as well that many modern "artists" can't hold up to the legends of Sun as when the band, Live, performs a cover of "I Walk the Line." You will have great difficulty refraining from laughing out loud. Some songs don't need to be redone and Cash had more gravitas at age 10 then most performers today.

Sam Phillips is interviewed extensively which is great because he's an important historical artifact...but he's also a little cracked. How old is Phillips anyway? He's got more dark hairs than a college freshman but had to be at least 70 when they filmed him. Regardless of his idiocyncries, it was worthwhile having him on the screen. In the end, Perkins was right, Sun was "feel good music" and you'll feel good after watching this one.

Memphis: Birth of Blues&Rock&Roll .......2005-03-10

Love this show.A must have for anyone who loves music&History.
Watch this dvd and then go to Sun Studio to feel the energy in person.

I love Good Rockin' Tonight DVD and you will too.......2005-03-07

As you may know, Sam Phillips died at the age of 80 in July 30,2005. This DVD shows how much significant Sam Phillips was for Rock and Roll and R&B music. Your going learn that so many famous people got their start in music because of Sam Phillips. This Documentary will make you feel like your in Memphis at the same time you're enjoying the sound of music of Sun Records. You'll see today's artist doing their version's of their favorite past time sun recording artist. You'll even get to see the living original artist along with Sam Phillips as they reunite in Sun studios. This DVD has a real good feeling and you you'll want to play it over and over again.

Billy Bragg & Wilco - Man in the Sand (The Making of "Mermaid Avenue")

Average customer rating:

Woody's Ghost & A Patchwork Quilt
Riveting but Flawed.
Tweedy's Ego Prevalent Here Too
A Mouth Full Of Sand
Bragging rights?

Billy Bragg & Wilco - Man in the Sand (The Making of "Mermaid Avenue")
Starring: Billy Bragg & Wilco
Manufacturer: Palm Pictures / Umvd
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Wilco: Learning How to Die
The Wilco Book (with CD)
Adult Head

ASIN: B00005A1TE
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Description

The story of how Nora Guthrie and British songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg, together with alternative country band, Wilco brought Woody Guthrie's words to life and created the Grammy-nominated albums Mermaid Avenue and Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2.

The life and music of legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie (writer of "This Land Is Your Land" and author of Bound for Glory) has influenced every generation that followed him. Thirty years after his death, his daughter Nora Guthrie sought out Billy Bragg to write songs and record Woody's unpublished lyrics. Shot over a period of two years, Man in the Sand follows Billy on a journey that takes him to Okemah, Oklahoma, Woody's birthplace, to Pampa, Texas, where Woody started playing music professionally and New York City where Woody wrote many of his lyrics. Man in the Sand takes you to Billys home in London where Mermaid Avenue begins to take shape. He meets up with Wilco in their hometown of Chicago, travels to record two tracks with Natalie Merchant in Boston and finally on to a Dublin studio where Mermaid Avenue comes together. Man in the Sand reveals the often emotional collaborative process between Billy, Jeff Tweedy and the members of Wilco. Narrated by Nora Guthrie, this 90-minute feature film offers insight into a unique recording project that breathes life into Woody Guthrie's 50-year-old words.

Customer Reviews:

Woody's Ghost & A Patchwork Quilt.......2005-04-28

This documentary resembles a crazy, patchwork quilt, thus, more so than usual, your reactions to it are likely to be shaped by what interests and expectations you bring with you. On the surface, it is a documentary on the making of the two `Mermaid Ave' albums - a project initiated by Nora Guthrie to resurrect a portion of the thousands of lyrics that her father, Woody, had left behind, sans music, and put them before the public. She asked Billy Bragg to take on the project because she felt that his passion and politics was a match to those of her late father. At some point, (left unexplained by the documentary) the band Wilco came into the project as collaborators with Bragg. The film, therefore, has an overabundance of strong characters, all with devoted followings, that it has to try to blend into the mix - Bragg, Wilco, and the ghost of Woody Guthrie as personified through his daughter.
Fans of Wilco are most likely to be disappointed with `Man in the Sand'. As already mentioned, it neglects even to mention how they came into the project, and Bragg gets much more screen time, even though the musical collaboration between them seems to have been fairly evenly split. Still, what we do see of them here shines, both in their studio work and their witty banter with Bragg in discussing the project. Bragg is covered more extensively, and he has an awkward charm that works well in the film, as the personal imperfections that it exposes give a great air of honesty and authenticy.
My primary interest in `Man in the Sand' was neither Billy Bragg nor Wilco, but rather Woody Guthrie and his music. Woody's ghost is the real star here. Throughout the film, Nora Guthrie tells the tales of Woody's life, both in conversations with Bragg, and directly to the microphone, as she explores the legacy of her famous father whom she knows more through his work and legend than she ever did from life. There is nothing new in these stories for most of Woody's fans, but the mix of pride, tenderness, and sorrow in Nora's evocative performance is so raw, honest, and touching as not to be missed. And the power of Woody's writing, to reach down through generations and inspire artists like Bragg and Wilco to create such powerful music in collaboration with his ghost is stunning, and a true tribute to the man.
`Man in the Sand' is an imperfect documentary, but still more than worth your time. Ultimately, it is both Nora Guthrie's evocation of her legendary father's ghost and the peek at the process of two strong willed collaborators with that ghost creating dynamic songs that speak across generations that make `Man in the Sand' worth a look. If that process interests you, then I recommend that you check it out.

Theo Logos

Riveting but Flawed. .......2005-02-10

I've been a Billy Bragg fan since 1987 which was the first time that I heard "Back to Basics." I also like Wilco quite a bit and enjoyed the interplay of these musicians on the "Mermaid Avenue" CDs. That being said, seeing Billy close up and personal was a serious disappointment. Bragg's devotion to Woody Guthrie was certainly inspired by the man's music but it was also due to his politics, and his politics were as glossy and superficial as Billy's are today. It's what I would call "pseudo-intellect with soundbytes."

It is rather comical to hear Bragg rationalize Guthrie's irresponsibility and rampant womanizing through the selection of sympathetic and isolated lyrics suggesting that he was really all about equality and social justice. That's another strong thing about this documentary as it does not sugarcoat Woody Guthrie. It provides us with an unvarnished depiction of his life; a life that is far less appealing when seen under the microscope. Jeff Tweedy, of Wilco, has a great line about Bragg in the film. He says something to the effect of, "I think if Woody were here, he would have wanted us to record the best songs and not have worried about the message." Quite right.

The use of Guthrie's daughter as narrator was foolish. She does not appear to be "all there" and most of her speech is drenched in cliches [example: "dad's life was spinning out of control"]. She's a bit of a freak and it have been best to cut her from many of the sequences I think.

The documentary really is a wonderful gaze at what some of our favorite performers are really like in person. Natalie Merchant comes off as being eccentric to say the least. She also will not be appearing in any glamour exposes anytime soon. What was most valuable about this film are its recording room sequences where it is difficult not to recognize how gifted these musicians are. They took verse and added beautiful rythym to it, just as was done with Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks." This is an enjoyable film but filled with flawed characters and perceptions.

Tweedy's Ego Prevalent Here Too.......2003-08-27

I am a long time fan of the band Uncle Tupelo which was fronted by Jeffy Tweedy (Wilco) and Jay Farrar (Son Volt, now doing ... solo material). That was my reason for initially watching this DVD as well as the fact that I happen to like Billy Bragg. If you are a fan of either one of them you'll love this DVD.... and unless you have no sense of the history of American music, you'll learn to appreciate Guthry as well. I particularly liked the on location stuff where they were hunting down Woody's past... a real slice of life. The most interesting part was Tweedy's personal digs on both Bragg and Farrar as collaborators..... seems there is not enough room for himself, his ego and another front man to be happily on stage at the same time....bottom line, great video.

A Mouth Full Of Sand.......2001-08-11

No doubt this disc is going to be positioned in the bins as a documentary on the making of the two Billy Bragg & Wilco "Mermaid Avenue" records. I think there's a bit more to it. In a grand sense, this is a road movie. We have a person on a quest (of sorts). Billy Bragg comes to the United States to get a handle/perspective on his project: The creation and recording of some new songs, built on 40+ year old lyrics from Woody Guthrie that have been barely seen and never heard.

"Man In The Sand" has a few rough spots. As Bragg does his "Driveabout" in OK and TX, it's both funny and tragic watching him behave like he's on safari in the 1890s, rather than traveling to a not so foreign country in the 1990s. While trying to pay respect to Guthrie, Bragg's cultural/class snobbery is both intact and palpable (along with the irony). The filmmakers get a pat on the back for showing that bit.

The filmmakers do get it wrong in places. Frankly, I could have done without Bragg's home life, and instead used the time for delving into three areas/topics. First, show more of the music making process. Second, more explanation of how and why Wilco and Natalie Merchant were brought into the project. Third, if you are going to introduce the idea of creative strife at all, lay it all out. Don't dance around it, then suggest the reason you're going low key is that you don't want to overshadow the music. All of this can be easily attributed to being a BBC production. Meaning, we don't know the original intent of the documentary. On the other hand, I've come to expect nothing but top drawer from the Beeb. "Man In The Sand" falls short.

But, we were talking about a road movie. A road movie needs the participants to be in love with something elusive, and this movie has got it to spare. It is so obvious that Bragg, Wilco, and Merchant are totally in love with making the music. It's also wonderful to watch Nora (Woody's daughter) fall in love with her father, despite all of his shortcomings, on a level that she never could if he were alive.

This movie is about the search in (of) making music, and, what everybody finds. Not only do we get a glimpse of where the muse led Guthrie yesterday, but we see several people courting the muse today. By the end of the movie, the context Bragg was searching for begins to sink in. Perhaps more important, we see it's because of Nora and her stories, not Bragg following his road map and waiting for lightning to strike.

The disc looks and sounds wonderful. The five extra tracks (Bragg's demos for "Birds And Ships," "She Came Along To See," "I Guess I Planted," "Eisler On The Go," and "The Unwelcome Guest.") are certainly worth a spin. Fans of Bragg's may wince a bit, and Wilco worshippers are going to feel cheated. Those interested in the process of making music, period, are going to be the ones who come out ahead.

Bragging rights?.......2001-06-22

OK, perhaps the British have a hard time suppressing their contempt for Americans, but isn't it disingenuous to let it show through in a documentary centering around Woody Guthrie?

I enjoyed much of this documentary in spite of the limited talents of the filmmakers, as Mr. Bragg, Mr. Guthrie, and Wilco were all compelling enough to hold my attention.

But it is rather ignorant of the filmmakers to assume that those wishing to see such a document would have little to no interest in Wilco, who were more than minor participants in the project. Instead, they attempt to present typical British tabloid journalism, trying to recreate "Let It Be" by fomenting a minor dispute between the songwriters.

Description

The Internationale chronicles the fascinating history of the legendary song written in 1871, after the brutal suppression of the Paris Commune. This rallying cry for all the oppressed and exploited people of the world to rise up and overthrow their masters was soon to be translated and sung in over a hundred languages throughout the world. Featuring rare archival footage and performances and interviews with the likes of Billy Bragg and Pete Seeger, The Internationale explores the importance of ideals, the fate of the left, and the power of music as a force for change.

Customer Reviews:

movong.......2007-05-08

very moving film - about the time when people had hope and ideals and were prepared to make great sacrifices for them - also a little sad that those ideals have disappeared into history and replaced with our present day selfishness - music of course inspiring

Loved It!!.......2007-03-26

Great Movie. Stirring, epic, all those things. Wonderful to see Pete Seeger, Archie Green and all the rest talking about this beautiful song and it's complicated history.

Irrelevant !.......2007-03-08

I expect to hear the original song, or some viarations of it... Nothing! You hear people talking about it for 30+ minutes...

Honoring workers.......2007-02-11

This is a documentary that tells how a song has been used to honor the poor and working class all over the world. It has been translated into many languages and is still sung at many events. The images presented, as well as the interviews with Pete Seeger, Billy Bragg and Dorothy Healey, call attention to the plight of workers everywhere. It is the story of a song that, once you hear it, you keep hearing it in your head. A very moving documentary.

Average customer rating:

Brings the Peace Movement Home to One Community

THE PEACE PATRIOTS (Home Video Rate)

Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Why We Fight
Howard Zinn - You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

ASIN: B000EHL63E
Release Date: 2006-07-13

Product Description

Narrated by actress and Air America Radio host Janeane Garofalo, THE PEACE PATRIOTS is an intimate portrait of American dissenters reflecting on their personal participation as engaged citizens in a time of war. Filmmaker Robbie Leppzer chronicles the story of people living in one area of New England-the Connecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts-who oppose the U.S. invasion and on-going military occupation of Iraq. This feature-length documentary follows a diverse group of individuals, ranging in age from 13 to 74, including middle and high school students, college students, teachers, clergy, community activists, and war veterans from Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf, as they take part in vigils, marches, theater performances, and civil disobedience sit-ins to protest the war. The film features music by 2005 Grammy Award-winner Steve Earle, Pete Seeger, Ani DiFranco, Billy Bragg, Jonatha Brooke, Stephan Smith, Saul Williams, DJ Spooky, Jami Sieber, Shelley Doty, Andrea Prichett, and original music composed by John Sheldon. "In a time of sadness, thinking of the dead and maimed on both sides, THE PEACE PATRIOTS gives us hope and inspiration. I hope it will be shown widely." - Howard Zinn, author of A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. "A Filmmaker Unafraid To Go Against The Tide" - Rhonda Stewart, THE BOSTON GLOBE. 2005 Film Festivals: Boston Independent Film Festival, Plymouth Independent Film Festival, Northern Lights Documentary Film Festival, Camden International Film Festival, Vermont International Film Festival, Northampton Independent Film Festival, Global Peace Film Festival, and 7 Islands International Film Festival.

Customer Reviews:

Brings the Peace Movement Home to One Community.......2006-05-13

Something as big and amorphous as the peace movement that sprang up around the 2003 invasion of Iraq is hard to make concrete. This movie humanizes that enormous movement by narrowing the focus to a few activists in one community--the Amherst/Northampton area in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

The activists' passion, creativity, commitment, and, yes, its patriotism come through with great clarity as the camera follows a dozen or so activists from several different clusters, not all of whom even known each other--ranging from middle schoolers to white-haired veterans of the Korean war.

It was particularly exciting for me, because I live in that community, and am acquainted with a couple of the people who were featured.

I think this movie adds significantly to the literature, and may even help some Red State Republicans understand why their neighbors go out in the street to protest, and why dissent is an essential feature of democracy.

--Shel Horowitz, author of Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First and founder of the Business Ethics Pledge

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Eis am Stiel 3 - Liebeleien