Andy Summers has mapped out a 2023 North American tour spanning from July through November.
Spanning more than 30 cities, the former Police guitarist’s “The Cracked Lens + A Missing String” tour kicks off with a previously announced string of dates in New England, New York state, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Texas. The new slate of shows picks up in September with stops in Minneapolis, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Portland, Vancouver, and more. See the full itinerary below.
Tickets to the new dates go on sale Friday, June 16th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Find deals for all of Summers’ upcoming concerts via StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
During each show, Summers will not only perform selections from his solo catalog, but also read excerpts from his...
Spanning more than 30 cities, the former Police guitarist’s “The Cracked Lens + A Missing String” tour kicks off with a previously announced string of dates in New England, New York state, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Texas. The new slate of shows picks up in September with stops in Minneapolis, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Portland, Vancouver, and more. See the full itinerary below.
Tickets to the new dates go on sale Friday, June 16th at 10:00 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster. Find deals for all of Summers’ upcoming concerts via StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed through StubHub’s FanProtect program. StubHub is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.
During each show, Summers will not only perform selections from his solo catalog, but also read excerpts from his...
- 6/13/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
Most people would never think of leaving their hit rock band at the peak of their success, but Sting, frontman of The Police, revealed why he and the rest of the group decided to disband after performing one of the biggest shows of their career.
The Police were one of the biggest bands of the 80s
The Police formed in 1977. The band’s lineup Included Sting, lead vocalist and bass guitar player, Andy Summers, guitar player, and Stewart Copeland, drummer.
The group’s big break came in 1979, with the release of their second album, Regatta de Blanc, which spawned hit singles “Message in a Bottle” and “Walking on the Moon.” Both went No. 1 in the UK.
The Police were huge hitmakers throughout the 1980s, burning up the charts with singles like “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” and “Every Breath You Take.
The Police were one of the biggest bands of the 80s
The Police formed in 1977. The band’s lineup Included Sting, lead vocalist and bass guitar player, Andy Summers, guitar player, and Stewart Copeland, drummer.
The group’s big break came in 1979, with the release of their second album, Regatta de Blanc, which spawned hit singles “Message in a Bottle” and “Walking on the Moon.” Both went No. 1 in the UK.
The Police were huge hitmakers throughout the 1980s, burning up the charts with singles like “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” and “Every Breath You Take.
- 4/15/2023
- by India McCarty
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” music video has surpassed one billion streams on YouTube.
The 1983 single features on the band’s last album Synchronicity, and is one of their most revered tracks.
It was so successful that after reaching No.1 in the UK Chart, it remained there for over a month. It was also the only track by The Police to reach No.1 in America. The song has since also racked up over one billion streams on Spotify.
In the black and white video, the three-piece band can be seen playing in a large room lit with a big window, with silhouettes appearing throughout. Frontman Sting is central to the video and plays the double bass while singing.
Despite its 1980s release, the video for the song was only uploaded 12 years ago – meaning it has achieved the impressive milestone in this short time. It is the 225th video to reach one billion views.
The 1983 single features on the band’s last album Synchronicity, and is one of their most revered tracks.
It was so successful that after reaching No.1 in the UK Chart, it remained there for over a month. It was also the only track by The Police to reach No.1 in America. The song has since also racked up over one billion streams on Spotify.
In the black and white video, the three-piece band can be seen playing in a large room lit with a big window, with silhouettes appearing throughout. Frontman Sting is central to the video and plays the double bass while singing.
Despite its 1980s release, the video for the song was only uploaded 12 years ago – meaning it has achieved the impressive milestone in this short time. It is the 225th video to reach one billion views.
- 10/19/2022
- by Megan Graye
- The Independent - Music
Gracie Otto’s documentary Under the Volcano tells the story of a rock star paradise which became a modern Atlantis. Air Studios Montserrat, the recording studio built by The Beatles’ producer George Martin in 1979, captured the truest sounds of the biggest musical acts of the 1980s before it succumbed to the island’s natural disasters. Custom-built in the shadow of the active Soufrière Hills volcano, Air generated its own heat. Songs recorded at the studio burned up the charts, and reinvigorated burnt out artists.
Paul McCartney retreated to the remote musical getaway shortly after receiving the devastating news about the murder of John Lennon. Paul recorded Tug of War, one of his best post-Beatle works there, as well as Pipes of Peace. He flew in Stevie Wonder, who jammed at a local club until the early hours, for harmonic collaboration. The Rolling Stones reunited to record Steel Wheels, bringing Keith Richards...
Paul McCartney retreated to the remote musical getaway shortly after receiving the devastating news about the murder of John Lennon. Paul recorded Tug of War, one of his best post-Beatle works there, as well as Pipes of Peace. He flew in Stevie Wonder, who jammed at a local club until the early hours, for harmonic collaboration. The Rolling Stones reunited to record Steel Wheels, bringing Keith Richards...
- 8/17/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Four female-driven stories covering a broad range of subject matter make up the contribution of Rush Films to this year’s CinefestOZ program.
Documentary projects Under the Volcano and Girl Like You join will join shorts Sparkles and Tooly at next month’s festival, showcasing a healthy cross-section of the company’s slate.
The selections are an endorsement for founder Cody Greenwood, who started Rush in 2016.
She said told If was “very exciting” to see the projects come together for the event.
“For me, I think it reflects an appetite from Australian audiences to view films that have different subject matter because when you look at them as a whole, they are four very different films made under very different circumstances,” she said.
There has already been a global appetite for Gracie Otto’s Under the Volcano, which premiered at this year’s SXSW in March and was due to...
Documentary projects Under the Volcano and Girl Like You join will join shorts Sparkles and Tooly at next month’s festival, showcasing a healthy cross-section of the company’s slate.
The selections are an endorsement for founder Cody Greenwood, who started Rush in 2016.
She said told If was “very exciting” to see the projects come together for the event.
“For me, I think it reflects an appetite from Australian audiences to view films that have different subject matter because when you look at them as a whole, they are four very different films made under very different circumstances,” she said.
There has already been a global appetite for Gracie Otto’s Under the Volcano, which premiered at this year’s SXSW in March and was due to...
- 7/29/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Prince, Sign O’ the Times: Deluxe Edition (Warner)
On this 1987 masterpiece, Prince’s second double LP in less than five years, the R&b futurist responded to the serial crises in his personal life — the end of an affair; the firing of his band, the Revolution; escalating wartime with his label — in a kinetic tour de force of tightly wired pop, exploding bedroom funk, and soaring, redemptive climax. The big-box version of this reissue reveals the depth of Prince’s urgency in three CDs of unreleased studio treasures: diamonds...
On this 1987 masterpiece, Prince’s second double LP in less than five years, the R&b futurist responded to the serial crises in his personal life — the end of an affair; the firing of his band, the Revolution; escalating wartime with his label — in a kinetic tour de force of tightly wired pop, exploding bedroom funk, and soaring, redemptive climax. The big-box version of this reissue reveals the depth of Prince’s urgency in three CDs of unreleased studio treasures: diamonds...
- 12/8/2020
- by David Fricke and Jon Dolan
- Rollingstone.com
Juliana Hatfield could, as they say, sing the phonebook and we’d listen. So it’s all the more captivating when she covers someone like the Police. Hatfield just dropped a Rachel Lichtman-directed video for her cover of “Can’t Stand Losing You,” off of 2019’s Juliana Hatfield Sings the Police (via American Laundromat).
Hatfield fronts a band of Julianas in the slick video for the track (she played all the instruments on the recording), her vocals adding new sheen to the 1978 classic. The three versions of Hatfield represent Sting,...
Hatfield fronts a band of Julianas in the slick video for the track (she played all the instruments on the recording), her vocals adding new sheen to the 1978 classic. The three versions of Hatfield represent Sting,...
- 1/8/2020
- by Brenna Ehrlich
- Rollingstone.com
In the Trump era, the protest song can be properly angry — see Gary Clark Jr.’s “This Land.” But it can also be quiet and thoughtful, almost mournful, as if the onslaught of troubling news is simply too much to handle. Lana Del Rey’s breathy-folk response to mass shootings, “Looking for America,” is one example, and Jon Regen’s “Before” can now be added to that slowly growing pile.
Over a steady electro-pulse and a warm bath of synths, Regen, a New York-area singer, songwriter, pianist and journalist, reflects...
Over a steady electro-pulse and a warm bath of synths, Regen, a New York-area singer, songwriter, pianist and journalist, reflects...
- 10/28/2019
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Dire Straits in Montserrat (Photo credit: Frank Oglethorpe)
Producer Cody Greenwood is drawing on strong family connections as she and director Gracie Otto prepare to shoot a feature documentary centred on a recording studio founded by The Beatles producer Sir George Martin.
In the 1980s Greenwood’s mother Frané Lessac, an author, illustrator and painter, lived on the Caribbean island of Montserrat where Martin built the studio which played host to countless pop and rock icons including The Police, The Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney.
Frané befriended Martin and many of the visiting musicians, Cody visited the island six or seven times and got to know Martin’s wife Judy and The Police’s Andy Summers.
Those connections paid off when Greenwood met with Judy and reps of Martin’s estate in London (he died in 2016) and got their permission to make the doc,...
Producer Cody Greenwood is drawing on strong family connections as she and director Gracie Otto prepare to shoot a feature documentary centred on a recording studio founded by The Beatles producer Sir George Martin.
In the 1980s Greenwood’s mother Frané Lessac, an author, illustrator and painter, lived on the Caribbean island of Montserrat where Martin built the studio which played host to countless pop and rock icons including The Police, The Rolling Stones, Dire Straits, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney.
Frané befriended Martin and many of the visiting musicians, Cody visited the island six or seven times and got to know Martin’s wife Judy and The Police’s Andy Summers.
Those connections paid off when Greenwood met with Judy and reps of Martin’s estate in London (he died in 2016) and got their permission to make the doc,...
- 1/22/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Hollywood sound maven Frank Serafine died on Wednesday in Palmdale, Calif., according to the Los Angeles County Coroner. He was 65.
According to the a report by the Antelope Valley Times, he was fatally struck by a motorist travelling west on Palmdale Boulevard, and Serafine died at the scene of major head and body trauma.
Serafine was known for his work in sound design, editing, and composing for many hit movies, television shows, shorts, and commercials. His list of credits includes “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979), “Tron” (1982), “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (1984), “Manhunter,” “Field of Dreams,” “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), “The Addams Family,” and “Tron: Legacy” (2010). He was sound designer on the 1983 telefilm “The Day After” (which won an Emmy for its sound editing).
In addition to his film and TV credits, he worked on several film and video game projects, including the original “Grand Theft Auto,” “Pocahontas,...
According to the a report by the Antelope Valley Times, he was fatally struck by a motorist travelling west on Palmdale Boulevard, and Serafine died at the scene of major head and body trauma.
Serafine was known for his work in sound design, editing, and composing for many hit movies, television shows, shorts, and commercials. His list of credits includes “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979), “Tron” (1982), “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (1984), “Manhunter,” “Field of Dreams,” “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), “The Addams Family,” and “Tron: Legacy” (2010). He was sound designer on the 1983 telefilm “The Day After” (which won an Emmy for its sound editing).
In addition to his film and TV credits, he worked on several film and video game projects, including the original “Grand Theft Auto,” “Pocahontas,...
- 9/15/2018
- by Margeaux Sippell
- Variety Film + TV
Maryland police say they do not suspect foul play in the death of 30-year-old Texas newlywed Ashley O’Connor, who was found buried in the sand on Monday in Ocean City after apparently falling into a hole on the beach — but authorities are looking to determine just how the hole became filled with sand in mere hours.
Here are four things to know about the case that has made national headlines.
1. It Is Unclear How O’Connor Got Into the Hole
At around 6:30 a.m. on Monday, a beachgoer reported seeing O’Connor’s arm sticking through the sand on the Ocean City beach,...
Here are four things to know about the case that has made national headlines.
1. It Is Unclear How O’Connor Got Into the Hole
At around 6:30 a.m. on Monday, a beachgoer reported seeing O’Connor’s arm sticking through the sand on the Ocean City beach,...
- 8/3/2017
- by Char Adams
- PEOPLE.com
The distributor has acquired North American rights from Yari Film Group to Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police, which screens in the Cannes market today.
The documentary, based on guitarist Andy Summers’ memoir One Train Later, recounts the story of the UK band’s rise to fame, their break-up and 2007 reunion tour.
Andy Grieve directed and recently served as editor on The Armstrong Lie and We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks.
Norman Golightly, Nicolas Cage and Bob Yari produced and William J Immerman served as executive producer. Summers composed the score.
Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police screens at 8.30pm at the Palais – Bory.
The documentary, based on guitarist Andy Summers’ memoir One Train Later, recounts the story of the UK band’s rise to fame, their break-up and 2007 reunion tour.
Andy Grieve directed and recently served as editor on The Armstrong Lie and We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks.
Norman Golightly, Nicolas Cage and Bob Yari produced and William J Immerman served as executive producer. Summers composed the score.
Can’t Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police screens at 8.30pm at the Palais – Bory.
- 5/17/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Brian Wilson, 2008. (Photo copyright Mark Mawston. All rights reserved.)
Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston is among the notable photographers who have donated portraits of famous rock legends for a charity auction being organized by The Print Bank. Mawston's 2008 portrait of Brian Wilson, taken at the Royal Albert Hall, became the rock legend's favorite personal photo. Wilson has a signed a print which is being offered as part of the auction. Among the other portraits signed by the music legends that are being auctioned: Lenny Kravitz, Noel Gallagher, Debbie Harry, Kate Bush, Nile Rodgers, Paul Weller, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, George Martin, Chrissie Hynde, Sting, Andy Summers, Amy Winehouse and others. For full details about the auction, which takes place at the Royal Albert Hall on 16 May, Click Here. ...
Cinema Retro's Mark Mawston is among the notable photographers who have donated portraits of famous rock legends for a charity auction being organized by The Print Bank. Mawston's 2008 portrait of Brian Wilson, taken at the Royal Albert Hall, became the rock legend's favorite personal photo. Wilson has a signed a print which is being offered as part of the auction. Among the other portraits signed by the music legends that are being auctioned: Lenny Kravitz, Noel Gallagher, Debbie Harry, Kate Bush, Nile Rodgers, Paul Weller, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, George Martin, Chrissie Hynde, Sting, Andy Summers, Amy Winehouse and others. For full details about the auction, which takes place at the Royal Albert Hall on 16 May, Click Here. ...
- 5/6/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The 1983 breakup of The Police was a mystery and a disappointment to their fans who looked to the band's fusion of multicultural sounds and musical proficiency on songs like "Roxanne," "Message in a Bottle," and the great paranoia anthem, "Every Breath You Take," as an oasis in the pastel, plastic 1980s sonic landscape. Guitarist Andy Summers documents the interrupted rise of the band in Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police. He chatted with me about what exactly happened, what it took to reunite, and how Sting "wasn't a team player."The Lady Miz Diva: Why did you feel now was the time for this documentary? Andy Summers: Well, you know, actually, I felt the time was many years ago. It's been around for quite...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/22/2015
- Screen Anarchy
"When I wrote the book, initially it was 800 pages — a bit long. I had to chop it, chop it, chop it, get it to 350. I cut away a lot of stuff that didn't need to be there. I left out certain uncomfortable things," The Police guitarist Andy Summers told Indiewire in 2012 about his memoir, "One Train Later," which serves at the basis for "Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police." "Some of these rock books — they grovel in it. Like Keith Richards' book, which I found awful, personally. It's like, 'We're going to read about thirty years of heroin abuse?' It's just so fucking boring to me. I don't really want to hear about it. If I wanted to read that, I'd read William S. Burroughs." While I can't speak for the book, when it comes to the documentary, that kind of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll...
- 3/19/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
In the creatively combative trio the Police, guitarist Andy Summers is the quiet one, less comfortable with the spotlight than singer/bassist Sting, and more reserved than drummer Stewart Copeland. Director Andy Grieve uses Summers's memoir One Train Later as the basis for Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police, a documentary that echoes the musician's measured tone. Summers was a wunderkind and late bloomer, immersed in London's Swinging Sixties music scene by his early twenties, but not achieving his own success until nearly forty. (In footage from the Eighties, his decade-younger bandmates try to convince one interviewer that the Andy Summers who played with the Animals and Soft Machine was actually his father.) Through disappointment and stardom...
- 3/18/2015
- Village Voice
The documentary "Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police" charts the career trajectory of the iconic British band, The Police. Based on "One Train Later," which is the 2007 memoir of The Police guitarist Andy Summers, the film constructs the band's history through a combination of exclusive concert footage, interviews, and even some of Summers' own original photography. "Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police" will premiere in select New York theaters on March 20 and opens in La on April 3. Check out the electric poster and trailer below for a sneak peak. Read More: Doc NYC: The Police Guitarist Andy Summers On Getting the Doc Treatment in 'Can't Stand Losing You' and Why He'd "Entertain the Idea" of Touring Again With the Band...
- 3/4/2015
- by Rosie Narasaki
- Indiewire
By Mark Cerulli
Who The F**K Is Arthur Fogel? I had no f**kin’ idea, but being a longtime music fan, I was happy to accept the invitation for Cinema Retro to cover the La premiere of the new Epix documentary about rock’s enigmatic mystery man.
Arthur Fogel (currently Live Nation's Chairman of Global Music and CEO of Global Touring) is one of the most powerful people in entertainment today. He’s responsible for the mega concert tours that now sweep the globe, Hoovering up hundreds of millions of dollars in ticket and merchandise sales and revolutionizing the way people view live music. If you’ve ever ponied up to see The Rolling Stones, The Police, Madonna, U2, David Bowie or Lady Gaga in the last decade, then you’ve seen Fogel’s work.
Deftly written and directed by Ron Chapman, the film takes the viewer where fans never go,...
Who The F**K Is Arthur Fogel? I had no f**kin’ idea, but being a longtime music fan, I was happy to accept the invitation for Cinema Retro to cover the La premiere of the new Epix documentary about rock’s enigmatic mystery man.
Arthur Fogel (currently Live Nation's Chairman of Global Music and CEO of Global Touring) is one of the most powerful people in entertainment today. He’s responsible for the mega concert tours that now sweep the globe, Hoovering up hundreds of millions of dollars in ticket and merchandise sales and revolutionizing the way people view live music. If you’ve ever ponied up to see The Rolling Stones, The Police, Madonna, U2, David Bowie or Lady Gaga in the last decade, then you’ve seen Fogel’s work.
Deftly written and directed by Ron Chapman, the film takes the viewer where fans never go,...
- 1/26/2014
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
I support this new NYC Film Fest which a lot of our friends attended and also support. I went to their inaugural event in NYC a few weeks back and it felt good and I certainly like their Indie lineup. The following is from a recent press release:
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
- 3/11/2013
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Sam Raimi, the writer and director of Spider-Man 3 and many other movies, has filed a lawsuit against Jerry Goldman, his longtime insurance agent, charging fraudulent concealment, professional negligence, unjust enrichment and more. Read the complaint here. On Nov. 7, the FBI indicted Goldman on 10 counts for improperly taking more than $800,000 from clients, including Tom Hanks and guitarist Andy Summers of The Police. Raimi’s suit was filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Raimi, his production company, Gillian Greene and attorney Craig Jacobson, who is described as a trustee of certain trusts.
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- 11/17/2012
- by Alex Ben Block
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rock stars aren't known to always play nice, so in that respect The Police guitarist Andy Summers didn't disappoint during our exclusive chat with him in New York, the day "Can't Stand Losing You," a documentary on his life based on his 2007 hit memoir "One Train Later," world premiered at Doc NYC. When asked what passages in his life he was most wary of exposing (the film doesn't hold hold back chronicling his drug use while on the road with the band), Summers admitted, "There's plenty of gnarly stuff I left out. There's drugs involved and all that, as usual, but it didn't get to the point where we were junkies or anything like that. That kind of behavior... I acknowledge it, but I don't think I want to exploit it. "Some of these Rock books -- they grovel in it. Like Keith Richards' book, which I found awful,...
- 11/14/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
In the Doc NYC documentary "Can't Stand Losing You," which had its world premiere Friday at the festival, The Police guitarist Andy Summers revisits the past he laid bare in his hit 2007 memoir "One Train Later." Coming on the heels of the band's massively successful worldwide reunion tour that wrapped in 2008, the film, directed by Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin, frames the English musician's fascinating backstory with exclusive concert footage and behind-the-scenes access. In other words, if you're a fan of The Police (and really, who isn't?), then "Can't Stand Losing You" is a must-see. Prior to the film's unveiling at Doc NYC, Indiewire sat down with Summers in a dimly lit but lavishly outfitted hotel suite -- fit for a rock star, you might say -- at the Gramercy Park Hotel. In our chat with the icon, Summers opened up about why he chose to rehash his life for a second time,...
- 11/14/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
When Police guitarist Andy Summers first thought about turning his memoir into a movie, he faced a dilemma familiar to anyone adapting a screenplay: deciding what to leave out and what to include.
"You can't get it all in; it's impossible," Summers tells Rolling Stone. "There was an attempt to do that early on, and it was just getting heavy-handed."
After years of winnowing, the resulting movie, Can't Stand Losing You, premieres on Friday as part of the Docnyc documentary festival in New York, where Summers will host a Q...
"You can't get it all in; it's impossible," Summers tells Rolling Stone. "There was an attempt to do that early on, and it was just getting heavy-handed."
After years of winnowing, the resulting movie, Can't Stand Losing You, premieres on Friday as part of the Docnyc documentary festival in New York, where Summers will host a Q...
- 11/8/2012
- Rollingstone.com
Andy Summers has said that he is open to reuniting The Police for a new tour. The 'Roxanne' band regrouped in 2007 after two decades apart for a record-breaking world tour and headlining slot at Live Earth, but Sting has since ruled out another reunion. "It wasn't easy. There was nothing new in it - no new songs, no new energy, no desire to take that as a platform and move somewhere else," Sting said in 2010, adding: "I had an instinct that it was the right time to realize that asset, and I was right. It was purely an exercise in nostalgia." In a new interview with Billboard, guitarist Summers acknowledged the well-documented personality conflicts within The Police while also suggeSting a reunion isn't entirely out of the question. "I (more)...
- 11/8/2012
- by By Justin Harp
- Digital Spy
Who could take advantage of Tom Hanks? Just look at that punim! Well, a Los Angeles-area insurance agent maintains that he didn't, pleading not guilty to federal charges that he bilked four clients, including Hanks and The Police's Andy Summers, out of more than $800,000. Jerry B. Goldman was released on a $25,000 bond hours after being arraigned on 10 charges of mail fraud, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He was arrested at his Thousand Oaks, Calif., home this morning. According to the Los Angeles Times, a grand jury indictment handed down Oct. 30 alleges that Goldman overbilled his clients by as much as 600 percent between 1998 and August 2011 by creating...
- 11/8/2012
- E! Online
What kind of a heartless a-hole would try to scam Tom Hanks? A soulless insurance agent ... at least according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice. The feds just arrested Southern California insurance agent Jerry B. Goldman claiming he bilked Hanks ... along with musician Andy Summers and 2 other rich clients ... out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through an elaborate fraudulent scheme. According to the feds, Hanks and the rest of the victims had policies...
- 11/7/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Yes, I have too much time on my hands. Here's a new feature that was fun to put together (though quite time-consuming, which makes me worry about my ability to do this every month). I look back at rock, pop, and R&B albums that came out five years ago, ten years ago, etc.
1967
Buffalo Springfield: Again (Atco)
There was much chaos surrounding the creation of this quintet 's second album. Bassist Bruce Palmer, in some ways the soul of the band, was unavailable due to a drug charge deportation, and a string of session players took his place. Stephen Stills, who saw himself as the leader of the group, was feuding with Neil Young, who considered himself an equal, and Young actually quit -- but returned. And that's without getting into the fiasco that was the band's management team.
Nonetheless, it was a quantum leap forward from their debut,...
1967
Buffalo Springfield: Again (Atco)
There was much chaos surrounding the creation of this quintet 's second album. Bassist Bruce Palmer, in some ways the soul of the band, was unavailable due to a drug charge deportation, and a string of session players took his place. Stephen Stills, who saw himself as the leader of the group, was feuding with Neil Young, who considered himself an equal, and Young actually quit -- but returned. And that's without getting into the fiasco that was the band's management team.
Nonetheless, it was a quantum leap forward from their debut,...
- 10/30/2012
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
Several titles we've already covered, and more that we haven't; so expect some individual highlights to come. In the meantime, here's enough to hold you over... Doc NYC, New York’S Premier Documentary Festival, Returns For Third Year, November 8-15 Opening Night kicks off with Venus and Serena and Jared Leto presenting Artifact Expanded festival line-up features 115 films and events, adding a new venue at the Sva Theatre in Chelsea Guests include Rufus Wainwright, Pete Seeger, Andy Summers, Ice-t, Antony Hegarty, David Bromberg, Ken Burns, Alex Gibney, Rory Kennedy, Jonathan Demme, Barbara Kopple, Joe Berlinger, Radioman and more New York, Oct. 9,...
- 10/9/2012
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
In the early '80s The Police rose to become the biggest band in the world on the strength of such tunes as Roxanne, Don't Stand So Close to Me and Every Breath You Take. But according to Dave Wakeling of The English Beat -- who toured extensively with the trio comprised of Sting (whose real name is Gordon Sumner), Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland – the band was kept on "an incredibly short leash" and "banned" from speaking their minds by none other than Stewart's manager brother, Miles Copeland III.
"Touring with The Police was an odd situation -- they were ruled by fear by Miles Copeland," Wakeling tells me. "They were not allowed to speak their minds. They were heavily contained, and we felt very sad for them really, because they did have ideas and opinions that they were banned from being able to say."
Video: Sting: My Kids 'Inherited My Wanderlust'
Wakeling, who is currently...
"Touring with The Police was an odd situation -- they were ruled by fear by Miles Copeland," Wakeling tells me. "They were not allowed to speak their minds. They were heavily contained, and we felt very sad for them really, because they did have ideas and opinions that they were banned from being able to say."
Video: Sting: My Kids 'Inherited My Wanderlust'
Wakeling, who is currently...
- 7/6/2012
- TheInsider.com
Reuters Jim Marshall, builder of amplifiers, poses with one of his products at the ‘Musikmesse’ in Frankfurt in March, 2002.
Jim Marshall, the inventor who changed the sound of rock music, has died at age 88, according to a statement issued by the company that bears his name.
A drummer by trade, in the early ‘60s Marshall invented what became known as the Marshall Jtm 45 guitar amplifier, seen by many guitarists as an improvement over the then-state-the-art Fender Bassman. In subsequent years,...
Jim Marshall, the inventor who changed the sound of rock music, has died at age 88, according to a statement issued by the company that bears his name.
A drummer by trade, in the early ‘60s Marshall invented what became known as the Marshall Jtm 45 guitar amplifier, seen by many guitarists as an improvement over the then-state-the-art Fender Bassman. In subsequent years,...
- 4/5/2012
- by Jim Fusilli
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
David Lynch has gathered a huge number of artists to contribute to a digital album that will raise money for the David Lynch Foundation.
“Download For Good: Music That Changes The World” includes 33 tracks from artists such as Moby, Maroon 5, Daryl Hannah, Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Band From TV, Heather Nova, Dave Stewart, Tom Waits, Ben Folds, Alanis Morissette, Nancy Sinatra, Julio Iglesias Jr., The Police guitarist Andy Summers and many more.
“The artists who have shared their music are spreading happiness,” says David Lynch. “With their music alone they’re supporting programs that take away suffering and bring bliss to many people.”
Read more...
“Download For Good: Music That Changes The World” includes 33 tracks from artists such as Moby, Maroon 5, Daryl Hannah, Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Band From TV, Heather Nova, Dave Stewart, Tom Waits, Ben Folds, Alanis Morissette, Nancy Sinatra, Julio Iglesias Jr., The Police guitarist Andy Summers and many more.
“The artists who have shared their music are spreading happiness,” says David Lynch. “With their music alone they’re supporting programs that take away suffering and bring bliss to many people.”
Read more...
- 7/14/2011
- Look to the Stars
Sting has revealed that he is not interested in reforming The Police. The 58-year-old singer, who did a world tour with old band members Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland in 2007, said that he was not inspired by their last reunion so would not make the same mistake again. Sting told The Telegraph: "It wasn't easy. There was nothing new in it - no new songs, no new energy, no desire to take that as a platform and move somewhere (more)...
- 7/12/2010
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
Sting has ruled out another reunion with The Police. The 58-year-old singer, who took part in a worldwide tour with his old band starting in 2007 and ending in 2008, isn't interested in hitting the road again because he found the music uninspiring.
"It wasn't easy," he said. "There was nothing new in it - no new songs, no new energy, no desire to take that as a platform and move somewhere else." The 30th anniversary tour reunited Sting, real name Gordon Sumner, with his former band mates, drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers.
Comparing the tour to a divorced couple reuniting, Sting says nothing could tempt him to do it again. He explained, "People reacted to The Police coming back as if mum and dad had got together, you could see that emotion in the audience. But who really wants to go and live with the wife you divorced? I won't do it again.
"It wasn't easy," he said. "There was nothing new in it - no new songs, no new energy, no desire to take that as a platform and move somewhere else." The 30th anniversary tour reunited Sting, real name Gordon Sumner, with his former band mates, drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers.
Comparing the tour to a divorced couple reuniting, Sting says nothing could tempt him to do it again. He explained, "People reacted to The Police coming back as if mum and dad had got together, you could see that emotion in the audience. But who really wants to go and live with the wife you divorced? I won't do it again.
- 7/10/2010
- by celebrity-mania.com
- Celebrity Mania
Though a mythology usually gets built up retroactively, most bands start more with a shrug than with any sort of spectacular introduction. Though it would make more sense for the members of Led Zeppelin to descend from Olympus or for Black Sabbath to rise from the depths of Hell, great rock bands tend to begin with a bunch of dudes shrugging and saying "Let's rock." Such was the case on this date in 1977, when Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers first played live together. They would later go on to form the Police, but when they played this show, they were members of a short-lived band called Strontium 90.
Formed by bass player Mike Howlett following his exit from a group called Gong, Strontium 90 was a short-lived group who played a handful of gigs in and around London (they also performed at least once as the Elevators). Though they recorded a...
Formed by bass player Mike Howlett following his exit from a group called Gong, Strontium 90 was a short-lived group who played a handful of gigs in and around London (they also performed at least once as the Elevators). Though they recorded a...
- 5/28/2010
- by Kyle Anderson
- MTV Newsroom
Kevin Coyne Renaissance man/rocker Kevin Coyne was born in Derby, England, near the end of WWII. Early education included graphics and painting. After graduating university, he became social worker. In 1968, Coyne moved to London, became drug counselor, which inspired his burgeoning musical career. Coyne signed his first record deal in the early '70s and was offered to front the then leaderless Doors, which he turned down. Nearly four decades later, and just shy of 40 releases, Coyne generates the gravity of something great. Collaborations include Andy Summers, Carla Bley, and Gary Lucas. Discover Kevin Coyne with "Eastbourne Ladies," from his 1973 Virgin Records release Marjory Razorblade. Buy: Lala.com Genre: Rock Artist: Kevin Coyne Song: Eastbourne Ladies Album: Marjory Razorblade Shearwater Shearwater is the Austin-based alchemic rock ensemble led by Jonathan Meiburg (vocals) and Thor Harris (drums, trumpet, organ). Founded in the early aughts, the unit...
- 1/22/2010
- by Phil Ramone and Danielle Evin
- Huffington Post
Elvis Costello's excellent music-centric talk show on the Sundance Channel will launch its second season this December 9. Costello broke wide last year with the critically acclaimed original series "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." The series kicks off on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 10:00pm et/pt with an episode featuring U2's Bono and The Edge. The inaugural season of "Spectacle" featured an extraordinary and eclectic roster of legendary musicians and fascinating personalities including: Elton John, Tony Bennett, Lou Reed, Julian Schnabel, Smokey Robinson, The Police (Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers), James Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Rufus Wainwright, Rosanne Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Diana Krall, John Mellencamp, Jakob Dylan, She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward), Norah Jones, Jenny Lewis,...
- 11/30/2009
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
The Police have already issued more than $40,000 and counting to New York's two public TV stations - and we're not talking about speeding tickets.
Bidding began last night on eBay for instruments played by the rock band's members (Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland) - with all money raised going directly to Ch. 13 and Ch. 21.
It's part of a summer-long "Public Television Rocks" fundraising drive between the rock band and PBS, culminating in the reunited band's "final" concert Thursday night at the Garden.
"Sting said that he wanted to give something back to New York City,...
Bidding began last night on eBay for instruments played by the rock band's members (Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland) - with all money raised going directly to Ch. 13 and Ch. 21.
It's part of a summer-long "Public Television Rocks" fundraising drive between the rock band and PBS, culminating in the reunited band's "final" concert Thursday night at the Garden.
"Sting said that he wanted to give something back to New York City,...
- 8/5/2008
- by By DON KAPLAN
- NYPost.com
Latest: Funnyman Eric Idle's mock Beatles, The Rutles, performed live for the first time in Hollywood on Monday night.
Following a question-and-answer session at the Egyptian Theatre, which marked the first time the quartet had appeared together since making 1978 mockumentary All You Need Is Cash, Idle and bandmates Neil Innes, John Halsey and Ricky Fataar took to the stage at a Vip party.
The sold-out event was held to mark the 30th anniversary of the film, which the four-piece introduced at the beginning of the evening.
Celebrities who turned up to salute the mock rockers included Andy Summers, Jeff Lynne, Peter + Gordon star Peter Asher and The Simpsons regular Dan Castellaneta.
Asked about their 'reunion' after 30 years apart, Idle quipped, "This is the first time in history that a band has reunited before they have actually united in the first place!"
There was a surprise in store for the Rutles - 'reunion' instigator and 30th anniversary celebration host Martin Lewis read out a message from Sir Mick Jagger.
Jagger appeared as himself throughout the original 1978 film and, in the closing scene of the film, he was asked if he thought the Rutles would ever reunite. His response: "Hope not!"
Playing on that, Jagger sent the band the following message: "After all the on and off promises and cancelled shows, I can't believe you have finally decided - at your great age - to defy all the odds and recreate your magnificent past. I wish I could be there. If only to laugh!"...
Following a question-and-answer session at the Egyptian Theatre, which marked the first time the quartet had appeared together since making 1978 mockumentary All You Need Is Cash, Idle and bandmates Neil Innes, John Halsey and Ricky Fataar took to the stage at a Vip party.
The sold-out event was held to mark the 30th anniversary of the film, which the four-piece introduced at the beginning of the evening.
Celebrities who turned up to salute the mock rockers included Andy Summers, Jeff Lynne, Peter + Gordon star Peter Asher and The Simpsons regular Dan Castellaneta.
Asked about their 'reunion' after 30 years apart, Idle quipped, "This is the first time in history that a band has reunited before they have actually united in the first place!"
There was a surprise in store for the Rutles - 'reunion' instigator and 30th anniversary celebration host Martin Lewis read out a message from Sir Mick Jagger.
Jagger appeared as himself throughout the original 1978 film and, in the closing scene of the film, he was asked if he thought the Rutles would ever reunite. His response: "Hope not!"
Playing on that, Jagger sent the band the following message: "After all the on and off promises and cancelled shows, I can't believe you have finally decided - at your great age - to defy all the odds and recreate your magnificent past. I wish I could be there. If only to laugh!"...
- 3/18/2008
- WENN
Latest: Eric Idle's The Rutles 30th anniversary revue is set for a limited run in New York, coinciding with former Monty Python star's 65th birthday.
Idle devised the Rutlemania show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the spoof Beatles band's All You Need Is Cash mockumentary, which first aired in 1978. A one-week season of tribute concerts, featuring Beatles covers act The Fab Four as The Rutles, interacting with clips from the original film and dancing girls is currently playing in Hollywood.
And Rutlemania will continue at the Blender Theater in the Big Apple from 24 March and run until 29 March - Idle's 65th birthday.
The anniversary celebrations in Los Angeles also include the first time the original Rutles - Dirk McQuickly, Barry Wom, Stig O'Hara and Ron Nasty - have appeared in public together; the quartet made no personal appearances at the time of the film's 1978 premiere.
Rock stars like Dave Stewart, Jeff Lynne and The Police's Andy Summers are expected to be among the fans in attendance to see a special screening of the 1978 All You Need Is Cash film, followed by a question-and-answer session with the four Rutles, Ron Nasty, Dirk McQuickly, Stig O'Hara and Barry Wom (aka Idle, Neil Innes, John Halsey and Ricky Fataar).
Reunion organiser Martin Lewis says, "This will be a magical evening where real rock stars show up to salute a reunion of mock rock stars."...
Idle devised the Rutlemania show to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the spoof Beatles band's All You Need Is Cash mockumentary, which first aired in 1978. A one-week season of tribute concerts, featuring Beatles covers act The Fab Four as The Rutles, interacting with clips from the original film and dancing girls is currently playing in Hollywood.
And Rutlemania will continue at the Blender Theater in the Big Apple from 24 March and run until 29 March - Idle's 65th birthday.
The anniversary celebrations in Los Angeles also include the first time the original Rutles - Dirk McQuickly, Barry Wom, Stig O'Hara and Ron Nasty - have appeared in public together; the quartet made no personal appearances at the time of the film's 1978 premiere.
Rock stars like Dave Stewart, Jeff Lynne and The Police's Andy Summers are expected to be among the fans in attendance to see a special screening of the 1978 All You Need Is Cash film, followed by a question-and-answer session with the four Rutles, Ron Nasty, Dirk McQuickly, Stig O'Hara and Barry Wom (aka Idle, Neil Innes, John Halsey and Ricky Fataar).
Reunion organiser Martin Lewis says, "This will be a magical evening where real rock stars show up to salute a reunion of mock rock stars."...
- 3/17/2008
- WENN
- Nostalgia makes a lot of the older fans go cuckoo. Even though they had separated decades ago, their recent sold out stadium tour proved that the members of the musical act known as The Police remain fan favorites. Following in the Sundance preemed Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, now it is the guitarist of the group (Andy Summers) who will see his autobiography become a film docu project thanks to the Yari Film Group and producers Norm Golightly, Brett Morgen and Nicolas Cage. One Train Later will borrow the same technology that Morgen used to portray the life in pictures of producer Bob Evans - but it is Lauren Lazin (Tupac: Resurrection) who is in negotiations to direct. Summers would narrate his tale about the Police from his perspective. About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
- 10/31/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
Police guitarist Andy Summers' autobiography "One Train Later" is being turned into a feature documentary. The docu, from producers Bob Yari, Norm Golightly, Brett Morgen and Nicolas Cage, is set to feature concert footage from the Police's current tour.
Lauren Lazin ("Tupac: Resurrection") is in negotiations to direct. Summers is in talks to narrate and would tell the Police story from his perspective, in the style of director Morgen's Bob Evans docu "The Kid Stays in the Picture". About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
The production filmed the band's June concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with several helicopters, and filming will continue over three continents until the band's concert tour wraps in the spring. Morgen said the producers hope to have the Yari Film Group feature ready in time for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
The film will trace Summers' life from his youth in post-World War II England to his time playing with the Animals and 1960s psychedelic bands to the Police's formation and current reunion.
Lauren Lazin ("Tupac: Resurrection") is in negotiations to direct. Summers is in talks to narrate and would tell the Police story from his perspective, in the style of director Morgen's Bob Evans docu "The Kid Stays in the Picture". About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
The production filmed the band's June concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with several helicopters, and filming will continue over three continents until the band's concert tour wraps in the spring. Morgen said the producers hope to have the Yari Film Group feature ready in time for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
The film will trace Summers' life from his youth in post-World War II England to his time playing with the Animals and 1960s psychedelic bands to the Police's formation and current reunion.
- 10/31/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Police guitarist Andy Summers' autobiography "One Train Later" is being turned into a feature documentary. The docu, from producers Bob Yari, Norm Golightly, Brett Morgen and Nicolas Cage, is set to feature concert footage from the Police's current tour.
Lauren Lazin ("Tupac: Resurrection") is in negotiations to direct. Summers is in talks to narrate and would tell the Police story from his perspective, in the style of director Morgen's Bob Evans docu "The Kid Stays in the Picture". About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
The production filmed the band's June concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with several helicopters, and filming will continue over three continents until the band's concert tour wraps in the spring. Morgen said the producers hope to have the Yari Film Group feature ready in time for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
The film will trace Summers' life from his youth in post-World War II England to his time playing with the Animals and 1960s psychedelic bands to the Police's formation and current reunion.
Lauren Lazin ("Tupac: Resurrection") is in negotiations to direct. Summers is in talks to narrate and would tell the Police story from his perspective, in the style of director Morgen's Bob Evans docu "The Kid Stays in the Picture". About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
The production filmed the band's June concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with several helicopters, and filming will continue over three continents until the band's concert tour wraps in the spring. Morgen said the producers hope to have the Yari Film Group feature ready in time for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
The film will trace Summers' life from his youth in post-World War II England to his time playing with the Animals and 1960s psychedelic bands to the Police's formation and current reunion.
- 10/31/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Police guitarist Andy Summers' autobiography "One Train Later" is being turned into a feature documentary. The docu, from producers Bob Yari, Norm Golightly, Brett Morgen and Nicolas Cage, is set to feature concert footage from the Police's current tour.
Lauren Lazin ("Tupac: Resurrection") is in negotiations to direct. Summers is in talks to narrate and would tell the Police story from his perspective, in the style of director Morgen's Bob Evans docu "The Kid Stays in the Picture". About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
The production filmed the band's June concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with several helicopters, and filming will continue over three continents until the band's concert tour wraps in the spring. Morgen said the producers hope to have the Yari Film Group feature ready in time for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
The film will trace Summers' life from his youth in post-World War II England to his time playing with the Animals and 1960s psychedelic bands to the Police's formation and current reunion.
Lauren Lazin ("Tupac: Resurrection") is in negotiations to direct. Summers is in talks to narrate and would tell the Police story from his perspective, in the style of director Morgen's Bob Evans docu "The Kid Stays in the Picture". About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
The production filmed the band's June concert at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles with several helicopters, and filming will continue over three continents until the band's concert tour wraps in the spring. Morgen said the producers hope to have the Yari Film Group feature ready in time for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
The film will trace Summers' life from his youth in post-World War II England to his time playing with the Animals and 1960s psychedelic bands to the Police's formation and current reunion.
- 10/31/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
An old recording was played before the Police took the stage Monday at the Whisky a Go-Go in West Hollywood to announce their world tour. An interviewer on the tape asked whether Sting could conceive of an instance when the hugely popular trio would reunite. The singer replied that if that ever happened, he would be found "certifiably insane."
Well, call out the whitecoats because singer-bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland have reunited after two decades for a global jaunt that begins May 28 in Vancouver. The first 14 dates -- including two at Madison Square Garden in New York and a headlining show at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival outside Nashville -- were confirmed during the event, which doubled as a rehearsal, with the band playing a handful of Police tunes.
"Andy, do you know 'Message in a Bottle'?" Sting asked. The band then played that 1979 song along with "Can't Stand Losing You", "Roxanne" and a medley of "Voices Inside My Head" and "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around."
Arthur Fogel, chairman of global music at Live Nation, announced details of the ambitious tour, which he said will move from North America to Europe, back to the U.S. and then to South America, Japan and Australia/New Zealand. The announced dates are in arenas, except for Bonnaroo and a late July stop at Fenway Park in Boston. More North American shows, including Southern California, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Well, call out the whitecoats because singer-bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland have reunited after two decades for a global jaunt that begins May 28 in Vancouver. The first 14 dates -- including two at Madison Square Garden in New York and a headlining show at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival outside Nashville -- were confirmed during the event, which doubled as a rehearsal, with the band playing a handful of Police tunes.
"Andy, do you know 'Message in a Bottle'?" Sting asked. The band then played that 1979 song along with "Can't Stand Losing You", "Roxanne" and a medley of "Voices Inside My Head" and "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around."
Arthur Fogel, chairman of global music at Live Nation, announced details of the ambitious tour, which he said will move from North America to Europe, back to the U.S. and then to South America, Japan and Australia/New Zealand. The announced dates are in arenas, except for Bonnaroo and a late July stop at Fenway Park in Boston. More North American shows, including Southern California, will be announced in the coming weeks.
- 2/12/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rock band The Police have confirmed they will open the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles next Sunday - fueling speculation they are planning a reunion tour. The hitmakers have so far refused to confirm rumors they are reforming to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of their massive selling song "Roxanne." A Recording Academy spokesperson says, "The Police join a stellar list of past Grammy Awards opening acts, which includes reunions and once-in-a-lifetime performances." The 1980s super group - featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers - broke up in 1984 but reformed briefly in 2003 to celebrate their inclusion into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. This will be the first time the Grammy winning band have performed at the prestigious music show.
- 1/31/2007
- WENN
Sting is considering reuniting with his former bandmates from The Police to mark the 30th anniversary of the group's formation. The band's ex-frontman wants to commemorate the occasion properly and play gigs again with drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers. He explains, "We started 30 years ago, so it would be nice to do something to celebrate. We don't quite know what, but we're talking about it. I'm very proud of the band we were in. I left the band because I felt I wanted to grow as a musician, to mature as a musician and to try more things than a band is able to do. A band is very constricted. I spent the last 25 years exploring that freedom and having a great time." Sting's reunion thoughts come just two weeks after news circulated the trio was planning a comeback in 2007.
- 1/16/2007
- WENN
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