OT: great documentary ROCK SCHOOL

busterkeaton wrote on 12/5/2005, 10:55 PM
I just watched the documentary about the real music program that School of Rock was based on. Jack Black in the movie is actually way less crazy than the actual Paul Green of Paul Green's School of Rock Music. Somehow he has taught a bunch of teenagers to play Frank Zappa music.

The movie is hiliarious and bit scary often at once:
"Yes, that's how the song ends. BUT THAT'S NOT THE ENDING! No, don't make mistakes! Don't !@#$^&$ make mistakes! NOT ON REBEL YELL!
The commentary by the filmmakers has a lot to say about their choices on what to leave in and what to leave out. A lot of it came down to music rights. They a 12 year-old kid who does a note-for-note version of Eddie Van Halen's Eruption, but they had to cut it, because they couldn't afford it. No AC/DC in the documentary either. Black Sabbath let them have a bunch of songs so you get to see the 9 year-old twins do their Ozzy impersation. Luckily Billy Idol came through as well, and the funniest scene in the movie is left in.

Comments

filmy wrote on 12/6/2005, 6:49 AM
>>>Eddie Van Halen's Eruption, but they had to cut it, because they couldn't afford it<<<

LOL! Been there - Warner wanted $2,500.00 for mechanical, abnd that was just the start. A friend of mine went to school with Eddies brother in law and he had asked Eddie to let him use "Jump" for a motocross documentary and Eddie said "Sure no problem". With that in mind my plan was to have Eddie just ok "Eruption" however the Warner Bros rep told me flat out "It does not matter what he says because he does not own the recording or the publishing." Maybe somewhere that was the first twinge of "There has to be a better way." when dealing with artists, publishers and labels. Ironicly no one ever went after my friend for using "Jump".
busterkeaton wrote on 12/6/2005, 9:28 AM
In the movie you hear the kid finishing the last few notes of Eruption, then the band goes into "You Really Got Me." They play it Van Halen style, but I guess the Kinks were more flexible about payments. The kid really is a phenomenal guitar player.

There are now a few versions of the school in different cities. I just found out they are playing a concert here the day after Christmas. I have to find out if my niece and nephew are in town.
Bob Greaves wrote on 12/6/2005, 10:40 AM
Where did you find this documentary?
B.Verlik wrote on 12/6/2005, 11:11 AM
After spending 7 years in a music store I can tell you there are a million kids who can play "Eruption" note for note. We were going to put signs up forbidding customers from playing either Eruption or Stairway to Heaven. We didn't. But I can tell you, I hate both of those songs now and I liked both of them at one time.
busterkeaton wrote on 12/6/2005, 11:13 AM
I rented the DVD from Netflix.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/newmarket/rock_school/

That has a trailer and a link to movie's website.

filmy wrote on 12/6/2005, 1:22 PM
I found some info on the film - thought this was great:

"Eddie Vedder bought us pizza in Seattle!" Joyce exclaims. "We had a film at Sundance! We got two thumbs up from Ebert and Roeper! I don't think any of us imagined that the movie would go this far. At one point Demian said, 'This may be the most expensive home movie ever made.' We'd filmed 120 hours of digital footage and we had no way of knowing whether we'd even be able to sell it."