Lunch Box Entertainment,
Brian Wilson, Cher, Dick Clark, Glen Campbell, Lou Adler, Nancy Sinatra
Back in 2008 Denny Tedesco (son of legendary musician Tommy Tedesco) put together a top notch documentary, but it could never be released on DVD. Why? For one reason, the royalties for all the great songs that in this documentary. Back in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s the primary recording industry was based in California. Groups were being formed right and left from the legendary Beach Boys and Mama’s and the Papa’s to lesser knows bands like Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Phil Spector had invented the “Wall of Sound” and records were sounding terrific. But with the huge number of groups and recording sessions, a group of studio musicians grew more and more popular by the record companies. When they needed a drummer or a bass guitar or a keyboard player, they would find themselves calling on the same guys over and over. Pretty soon they were well known to each other and making a lot of money, but nobody outside the record business knew anything about these. Before they knew it, they were making mountains of money, and almost every song coming out of California’s music industry featured the same band. They would record for three or four different bands in a day. This fascinating documentary if filled with interviews and songs with many of the greatest musicians you every heard of, and many of the greatest session players that you never heard of.
This is a stunningly well done documentary. Now it helps me a lot because I was born in 1951 and grew up with this music and had no idea this was going on. Denny also grew up with these fabulous musicians and a lot of the film is about the lives of the families of the busiest musicians on the planet and how they survived. But the most wonderful part of this document is the part that nearly became it’s undoing, the fabulous music. This sounds like one of those PBS pledge breaks with the fabulous music of the 60’s, without the begging for money as hit after hit after hit is played filled in with reminiscing of those who still survived in 2008. Many of those on the DVD are gone now, and it’s wonderful to see and hear them again. There are hundreds of stories, and this DVD is so well done that you feel like you’re at a recording session when these folks all take a break to share stories and gags. The most fabulous this is that is now available on DVD to own, and you can purchase your own copy, if you’re a fan of the great music of this time period. It was a time for great songs, great lyrics, and great music from this secret band of highly talented people who came up on they fly the licks and phrases, and the great introductions and arrangements that we remember. This is a MUST NOT MISS for children of the 50’s and 60’s, and certainly worth watching by anyone who loves the oldies or appreciates the time when music was produced naturally and not electronically like it is today.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
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