Grammy-award winning filmmaker Don Letts talks about “Strummerville,” the documentary focusing on the charity that rose up in the aftermath of the death of Clash singer / guitarist Joe Strummer, during the film’s World Premiere at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival.
Letts also talks about his work as the first house DJ at the Roxy in London, which helped influence the Ska and Punk movements producing bands like the Clash and the Sex Pistols.
SXSW: Don Letts (‘Strummerville’) from Devin Pike on Vimeo.
[via Red Carpet Clash]
STRUMMERVILLE’S FIRST U.S OUTING
What do Billy Bragg, The Foo Fighters, The British Music Embassy, the Strummerville family and legendary British filmmaker Don Letts have in common? All of these tastemakers in film and music will be celebrating Strummerville’s debut at this year’s SXSW Music and Film Festival.
Strummerville is a proactive charity, set up by family and friends in the wake of Joe Strummer’s death in 2002. Since then it has built a strong community network – offering otherwise unfunded bands and solo performers the chance to record, rehearse and play live. A regular feature at Festivals in the British Summer season, Strummerville’s work goes on all year internationally. Offering mentoring services, a magic bus on loan for gigs and tours, partnering with projects from Belfast to Bogota and a range of charities including The Amber Trust (helping blind and partially sited children enjoy music) and Jail Guitar Doors (helping prisoners gain access to guitars) Strummerville insures the spirit of the man who inspired its creation lives on in the most practical manner.
March 2010 marks Strummervilles’ debut at the internationally renowned SXSW Music and Film festival:
On the evening of Monday 15th March Strummerville will takeover the British Music Embassy. Hosted by Chris Shiflett of the Foo Fighters the night will feature performances from the infamous ‘National Treasure’ Billy Bragg in addition to some of Strummerville’s finest bands: Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Smokey Angle Shades, Beans on Toast, Nat Jenkins, The Good The Bad, and The Supernovas.
STRUMMERVILLE SXSW 2010 BRITISH MUSIC EMBASSY SHOWCASE RSVP CLICK HERE
Get Cape Wear Cape Fly aka the introspective Sam Duckworth received critical acclaim for his debut album ‘Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager’. A cross cultural line-up of Northern Irish, German, English and Italian members The Smokey Angle Shades take their name from a flying moth and create a world where the bar room rave ups of The Faces meet joyful country capers, spiced with psychedelic whimsy. Beans On Toast, a topical Troubadour, in the style of his East London (The) Clash inspired forbearer Billy Bragg, is a regular MC at Strummerville events with songs that are a jostling blend of humourous aside and a hardnosed invective. Nat Jenkins – Intense Richie Havens flare ups, finely plucked emotional landscapes; rock swagger and pop nous indicate a singer songwriter for all seasons. The Supernovas, a young band from Holloway North London with a sound influenced by the political attitudes of Castro and Chavez, combined with the wry irony of Morrissey, and the cutting observational skills of Lennon. And The Good The Bad bringing the finest New School Surf and Flamenco to the masses. On Wednesday 17th March Strummerville will kick off proceedings on the official opening night of the SXSW Music Festival by holding a second showcase at the renowned Prague. Wayne Kramer, singer, songwriter, producer and esteemed guitarist, will join the line-up for this special occasion.
On Friday 19th March ‘Strummerville – a film by Don Letts’ will premier at the Paramount. The film, directed by the London born, Grammy award winning filmmaker and artist Don Letts, captures the very essence of Strummerville. The film journeys through the past six months of the diverse Strummerville calendar, including interviews with the bourgeoning talents and the friends and family of Joe who work hard to keep the charity going. The documentary also includes unseen footage of Joe Strummer taken from Don’s personal archive. On the film Don says, “In a cultural climate that feels like punk never happened Strummerville (the film) serves as a timely reminder of a way forward. It worked back then and it can work again – and man it needs to!”
Don Letts was the first in-house DJ at London nightclub Roxy, playing a mix of punk rock, dub and reggae. Letts’ music choice influenced Joe Strummer and The Clash; he is credited as the DJ that single-handedly turned a whole generation of punks onto reggae. He became a close friend of Joe’s and is pictured on the cover sleeve of the 1980 release, ‘Black Market Clash’. His first film The Punk Rock Movie (1978) catalogued the Punk movement in the UK. He has directed many documentaries and music videos since and in 2003 his film Westway to the World featuring The Clash won a Grammy for ‘Best Long-form Music Video’
For more information please contact:
Kate Head: kate@stokedpr.com
Zoe Stafford: zoe@stokedpr.com 020 7841 4875
Synopsis
Joe Strummer’s untimely death in December 2002 sent shockwaves around the world of music and beyond. Yet friends and family were determined that his spirit would live on.
In this documentary, Grammy award-winning filmmaker Don Letts shows how Joe’s unique contribution to the music world is manifesting itself through a charity set up in his memory – Strummerville.
The film features performance footage and interviews with exciting Strummerville artists such as Riff Raff and Smokey Angle Shades. There are also contributions from supporters and founders of the charity, including Billy Bragg and Damien Hirst, plus wonderful footage of Strummer himself.
Director Bio
An award-winning filmmaker and music-maverick, Don is a cult figure in the world of arts. In 1978 he made The Punk Rock Movie and went on to direct over 300 music videos for the likes of Bob Marley, The Clash and Elvis Costello. Don’s films include the acclaimed Dancehall Queen, PUNK: Attitude and The Clash: Westway to the World, for which he won a Grammy in 2003.
We are proud to announce our take over of The British Music Embassy on Monday 15th March 2010.
It will be taking place @ Latitude 30, 512 San Jacinto, Austin TX as part of the SXSW music convention and will be hosted by Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters).
Music will be brought to you by:
* Billy Bragg with special guests The Good The Bad
* Get Cape Wear Cape Fly
* Smokey Angle Shades
* Beans On Toast
* Nat Jenkins
* The Supernovas
Doors 7.30pm
