Sunday, November 16, 2014

'Pillars Of Hercules'

Davey can never be accused of standing in the shadows and the spotlight frequently hit him over the years as he weathered all changes in music styles, fads and retroisms. But the spotlight is about to shine the light a bit brighter...and the temperature will soar well above ninety five.

Davey...Fantastic Captain of the EJ Band.
Anybody who has been following Davey's 'official' Facebook page (not the doppelganger one) will have been kept up to speed on one of the most exciting projects to emanate from the Elton world is recent times. If not here's a quick recap.

Davey's son Tam has taken on the labour...10 rolled into one you could say...to make a documentary about the rise of Elton at the start of the 70's. Not for the first time that's been attempted of course but the first from the angle he's approaching it from. This time it's from the band outwards. In particular the troika of Davey, Dee and Nigel. An inside look that will undoubtedly finally confirm on them the due recognition they deserve.*

'The Pillars'

And like another well known film series that recently got the title of it's next installment this project has also been name stamped. 'Pillars Of Hercules' will feature new interviews and previously unseen footage and photographs. If the anticipation is too much then this video teaser will sooth your torment. I did an item a while back on Sick City and Davey gives some great insights into it that only he can recant. The force is strong with this one.

Side by side...somewhere in Europe, November 2014.
And what a raconteur he is. He speaks in such a way that even non musicians like ourselves will never be mystified. His good humour and general insight-fullness makes him the ideal 'spokesperson' for Elton's music. I've said this before but he's a tremendous ambassador for both Elton and his music. Read his blog of the last three years and it's nothing but positivism.

The appetite for this documentary is ravenous. Not just in the Elton world but outside it too. The recent Oscar winning film '20 Feet From Stardom' which featured another Elton cohort the wonderful Tata Vega is testament enough. A lofty template but it's success dispels any notion that there is no market for these films. In fact as I speak another project called 'Hired Gun - Music's Unsung Heroes' featuring Billy Joel's drummer Liberty Devitto is currently in the pipeline. We all know the great artists are exactly that, great. But at the same time they too recognise that without the great pillars of talent behind them the labour is a ten thousand times harder.

*Since going to upload I've been informed by Tam that the project has been expanded to include the design team, crew and management from that time period. So it's going to be a pretty full on experience.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for letting us know that this project is indeed coming to fruition. I figured with Davey's and Tam's busy schedules that this might slip on to the backburner, like so many of my side projects that I always mean to get around to. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to this one, as it captures such a magical time.

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  2. When completed, this will be sure to rival any prior "Rock-u-mentary" produced. The task of the Editor will be daunting from the onset. A True Herculean challenge. So many relevant truths in 5 Decades of Growth through experience must be reduced in scope and presentation to tell it all in no more than 120 cohesive screen minutes! I am both anxious and excited!

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