Danny Says: A Documentary Film About Punk’s Godfather

The New York City music scene of the 1970s exploded with bands whose impact is still felt today: Lou Reed, Patti Smith, The Ramones, and Iggy and the Stooges, to name a few. If you weave in the influence of Andy Warhol’s Factory and the ever-present drug scene, it’s more than surprising that anyone who was in the midst of it could remember the highlights, the lowlights, the truth and the fiction of those seminal moments in music history. Not only did Danny Fields live through those moments, he was responsible for many of them.

For the full story of Danny Fields and the documentary Danny Says, check out Danny Says: A Documentary Film About Punk’s Godfather at Riffraf.net

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Knoxville to Host the Scruffy City Film and Music Festival

A city with a music festival is one thing. A city with a film festival is another. But if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in the city of Knoxville, Tennessee anytime from April 28th-May 3rd, you can enjoy the best of both of those worlds along with a large portion of fun and Southern hospitality. The Scruffy City Film and Music Festival  is a five-day event filled with Feature and Short films, Music Documentaries, Live Regional Music, Short Animations, Musical Competitions, Panels, Workshops and an abundance of social activities.

Now entering its sixth year, the Music & Film Fest received over 380 film submissions from thirty countries. Films entered into the competition were required to either have a musical theme or a strong musical score or soundtrack. Getting those submissions was the easy part. Narrowing the list to those fifty films which will be shown was a whole lot more difficult. According to Festival Director Michael Samstag, because the quality of the films submitted was so strong, the last round of decisions was “brutally painful.”

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Michael Samstag about those decisions and what’s in store for those attending the Scruffy City Film & Music Festival.

Kath Galasso: How many years has the festival been going on?

Michael Samstag: We’ve been producing a festival for six years. The first four or five years we did a 24-hour film competition here in Knoxville. It was a very beloved festival. Three years ago we started doing a Film & Music Festival. We’re no longer doing the 24-hour festival, instead we’ve added Film Score which is this celebration of music and film, and that has just really sort of rocketed the festival. The amount of submissions is slightly more than last year, but the quality of submissions has just been incredible.

How did the 24 Hour Challenge work?

Filmmakers had 24-hours to make a complete film. We’d give them all kinds of ringers and secret elements that had to be included, so they couldn’t shoot it in advance. It was a complete and total format film in 24 hours. And some of our 24 hour submissions went on to play at the National Film Festival, which is an Academy Award qualifying festival. It was pretty unbelievable the level of work that was being done.

And what made you change the format?

We just thought that it was time to do something new. For me, once something is up and running… is successful and perfect, I lose interest pretty quickly. When we started there was nothing like it. Five years later there’s like five different shoot-outs happening in town. So it was time to just break apart and do something totally different.

Tell me about this year’s Film Score Challenge.

Composers had five trailers to choose from that didn’t have music and they scored them. And we chose the sixteen best of those. Our panel of judges will then narrow it down to determine who the actual winner of that is. Our music judges are award winning composers, and I hate those words “award-winning,” because there are so many awards that don’t mean much, but these are some big cats.

This year you seem to be focusing a lot on students, with free screenings, chair massages and therapy dogs. It’s a very interesting concept, how did that come about?

Well, we moved our festival this year so we could be more accessible to students. In the past our festival was in June, so there are only summer classes going on. So we moved into April to include them better. Unfortunately the best week for us that didn’t have another festival going on was the last week of April, which is sort of the week after classes and some people are starting finals. If they were students like me, they are going to be partying and looking for something to do. And for those students who actually study and work hard, bless them, it’s a perfect stress breaker. If you need a break, just come watch a movie, get a chair massage, and settle up with a Great Pyrenees while watching a film, having a beer, eating something. Anything we can do to attract an audience (1) and students (2), we’re always interested in doing.

This year we grouped our Shorts into very marketable blocks for different audiences. We’re using different organizations to promote our feature films. So half of my job is to select the best films, and the other half is to attract as big an audience as is humanly possible.

Tell me about some of the panels and workshops that you’ll be having.

I can tell you about one called “The Future of Live Rock and Roll Shows.” I just have this belief that not much has changed in the rock show world in fifty years. But we’ve seen crowdsourcing, digital and social media shake up everything, and I have the feeling it’s only a matter of time before it shakes up rock shows. And it’s begun to, but the show itself, I think, still hasn’t felt the full ripple effect of what this is all going to be. So we’ve got lighting people, sound people, video wall people, interactive media type people, who are going to have a panel about that.

The other panel is going to be something for filmmakers and composers… work flow-work process collaboration. A lot of our filmmakers here in town are just starting to get to that point; they’re maybe working with a composer, working with a sound designer or in a larger context. Those are the two workshops we have slotted.

For someone who will be visiting Knoxville for the first time, what can they expect.

Knoxville is really an emerging city and our downtown area is tremendous. The Festival takes place in the very, very thick of it which is Market Square. During the weekends you’re going to see musicians, a magician, and farmers markets going on, with tens of thousands of people walking the streets. It’s a place where you can park your car and walk to dozens of restaurants, bars, great shopping, and nearly all of it is still local-regional. It’s a very beautiful city right on the Tennessee River. If you’re flying in, you can take an Uber from the airport to down town and never need a car the rest of the trip you’re here. The restaurants are phenomenal, there are all kinds of different breweries and great bars, and our facility is in the thick of it. Probably the most popular pub in town is the Preservation Pub and that’s owned by the same owners as the Scruffy City Hall where we hold the festival.

Scruffy City Hall is a large hall that fits about 100 people downstairs and another 40-50 people upstairs in the balcony. There’s a bar and patio on the first floor, a bar and patio on the second floor, and the third floor is an outdoor rooftop bar. That’s opening just in time for the festival this year, it’s a new addition. The whole building was built just in time for the festival last year. It’s intimate, it’s cozy, it’s awesome. You can have a beer or cocktail in your hand, order some food and enjoy the movie.

For the rest of the interview, please go to Knoxville to Host the Scruffy City Film and Music Festival at OnStage.com

Lesley Gore: Voice and Attitude

As a girl of not even ten, I remember listening to Lesley Gore and thinking there was something about her attitude that made her different than most of the other girl singers from that time. Though I was years away from heartbreak, even the puppy love kind, I could relate to the hurt she sang about in "It's My Party."

But what I really enjoyed was the sequel where she got back her guy," Judy's Turn To Cry." While I seem to recall thinking that I wasn't sure if I would take the jerk back, the song did have a great "kiss my ass" attitude that was kinda cool.

Then she came out with "You Don't Own Me."

"And don't tell me what to do

And don't tell me what to say"

That was a game changer for me. I wasn't like most of the other girls I knew, especially cousins and those within the family circle. I didn't play with dolls, I wasn't dreaming of the six kids I wanted to have. I didn't know a lot about myself, but what I did know was that no one would be telling me how to live my life. Were there repercussions from that attitude... yeah, many. But I did find my truth, probably most closely related to another song, this one from the 70s and The Animals.

"It's my life and I'll do what I want

It's my mind and I'll think what I want"

My lifetime of fierce independence began with a singer-songwriter from Tenafly NJ. Lesley Gore died yesterday, leaving us way to soon. Her career not only included her singing and writing, but also acting and activism.

Though not as well known as so many of her songs, this was my favorite.

Easy Journey Lesley. I hope her party is still going on.

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The Grammys: The Main Event

And it started out with such promise. AC/DC blowing out the hall, devil's horns, and even Blake Shelton singing along to "Highway To Hell."  And truth be told, it wasn't that bad.

A few quick thought on the evening.

Tom Jones. Still has the pipes. While Jessie J was a little over the top, their duet on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" was very strong and a pleasant surprise.

Miranda. Yes you are still winning awards, but it's getting real close to the time when you should be rethinking the Daisy Dukes image.

Kanye. Meh. Nothing. Not good, not bad, kinda boring. And really, stop thinking you have any right to judge who should win an award. Just stop.

Madonna. It may be time to reinvent yourself again. This persona is looking a little...sad.

Hozier and Annie Lennox. Dynamic. Annie just said "bitches, this is how it's done."

I like Pharrell's old hat better.

Would it have killed them to have just a little more Stevie Wonder?

Brandy Clark. Poise and talent. And who is cooler than Dwight Yoakam?

Sam Smith and Mary J Blige. Well worth the wait, but wouldn't a mashup with Tom Petty singing "I Won't Back Down," have been really fun?

"Albums still matter, like books and black lives"... Prince

So is orange the new purple?

The Android commercial was worthy of an award.

Just an idea, but wouldn't it be nice for the Grammy's to take one or two winners from the early show and showcase them on the late show? Let the possible winners in a previously decided category...say the Best Roots Album, or Bluegrass, rehearse once or twice beforehand and let the winner do a song at the main event. Instead of hiding so many talented musicians and music genres under the cover of a streaming only event? Just a thought.

Another year done. Time to make some new music.

For my post on the Premier show which was held earlier in the day, click here: The Premiere Show

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The Grammy Awards: The Premiere Show

Cut me a little slack if my Grammy rant has a few incoherent moments. I've been really sick for the past 4+ days and hadn't really even looked at my computer during most of that time. But watching the red carpet of the Premiere show of the Grammy, better known as the early telecast, well there was a moment I just felt the need to discuss.

As the way too perky British woman interviewer was introduced to the two creators of Best Children's Album nominee Appetite for Construction, a third person, a woman, was added to the group. After the two men answered a question or two, the woman was allowed to introduce herself. She very proudly announced she had been privileged to be the voice in the recorded version of I Am Malala. Wow. As someone who does interviews, my ears perked up and ten questions ran through my mind. Did you meet her? How do you set your tone for your work? What about her words touched you the most? On and on.

So what did she ask her? Nothing. She let her finish her sentence of who she was, then giddily went back to the two men and said "I just have to ask you about the cardboard pocket scarves you are wearing." Cardboard pocket scarves. We really need to get better than this people. We really do.

Once the daytime awards began things were better. If you never seen the early awards, it's just awards and a few musical performances. No commercials, no stupid banter between presenters, no over the top music extravaganza. It's a lot of awards given quickly.

After seeing Mike Farris play in NYC a few months ago, I knew he deserved to win a Grammy, Well, he did. Shine For All The People took home the award for Best Roots Gospel Album, well deserved for his music, even more appreciated for his road getting there.

It was bittersweet seeing Edgar Winter pick up the Best Blues Album award for his brother Johnny's Step Back. Johnny Winter was one of those guys you never expected to live as long as he did, but were still shocked when you heard he had died.

Nice for Rosanne Cash to have her Bonnie Raitt moment and win three Grammys about a hundred years since her last one. And damn, if you haven't seen the Old Crow Medicine Show live, just do it.

It's almost time for the main event to begin. Last year I was in the building, this year I'm in my pajamas. My feet hurt a lot less this year, but it's not quite as exciting.

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