BY MIKEY MIGO
I listen to a lot of music. I watch a lot of movies. One genre of movies that I really enjoy is movies about fictitious music groups. Some of these movies are great coming of age type of movies, some are comedies, some are drama, some are parodies, and some just flat out suck. But when it comes down to it, they all have the same point of exposing a different side of the music industry in their own unique fashion.
So, I sat around and made a list of movies that focus on fictions bands. I love some of these movies to death and on the flip side I hate some as well. On this list you won't find movies based on real musicians like my favorite The Doors, Ray, or Walking The Line. And in the same respect, I wanted to focus on movies and not television. So there won't be any appearances from Zack Attack, The Be Sharps, The Party Posse, Paige Michalchuck and the Sex kittens, Mystik Spiral, or Jessie and the Rippers. Instead we'll explore the movie magic of fake bands that rocked my world.
I wanted to make sure the movie's focal point was the music. So off the bat, I had to eliminate the fake bands that were only side stories or just there for appearances. Here are some of those...
NOTABLE APPEARANCES
Band: Autobahn
Movie: The Big Lebowski
"Autobahn" were a group of ethnic Germans who claimed to be nihilists, although they did not seem to completely grasp the tenets of nihilism. The group, composed of leader Uli Kunkle, known in the "beaver picture," Logjammin', as Karl Hungus, (Peter Stormare), Franz (Torsten Voges), and Dieter (Flea) was a Kraftwerkian techno-pop band in the mid-'70s. Any band, real or fake, that features Flea is cool in my book.
Band: Crucial Taunt
Movie: Wayne's World, Wayne's World 2
In Waynes World, Wayne Cambell's love interest had the band "Crucial Taunt." With the lead singer played by Tia Carrere, the music wasn't that memorable but the music scenes itself were memorable due to Mike Myer's performances. Hell, I can't even remember any of "Crucial Taunt's" music, but I remember the "Dream Weaver" scene from when Wayne first laid his eyes on Carrere.
Band: Marie deSalle
Movie: High Fidelity
Marie deSalle, played by Lisa Bonet, was the tempting new love interest of Rob Gordon(John Cusack). In a movie that was mostly about love and music, Bonet's portrayal of the fictions singer was right on the mark. The cover she does of "Baby I Love Your Way" by Peter Frampton is as good as the original if not better in my opinion. A lot of actors of actresses have done small musical roles in movies, but Bonet had the charm and stage presence that would make for a realistic seasoned singer.
Band: Otis Day and the Knights
Movie: Animal House
Classic movie + classic scene + classic fake band = Greatness. Animal House is easily considered one of the best comedies by many. There is many classic scenes in this flick, but one that I'm sure stands out to most is the toga party. The main focus during this scene is Otis Day and the Knights performing "Shout." With the entire party crowd getting closer and closer to the ground as Otis Day sings "A little bit softer now... A little bit softer now... A little bit softer now" is a memory that will carry on for years to come. The actors and musicians playing the characters actually took the name on the road and have done many concerts based off the six or seven minutes they're featured in the movie.
Obviously there's plenty more fake band appearances in plenty more movies, but these are just a few of my favorites. If I missed some of your favorites, let me know and I'll share your thoughts with the world of 411.
TOP 15 MOVIES ABOUT FICTITIOUS BANDS
I narrowed my list down to a TOP FIFTEEN LIST! These movies are important to me and are focused on the music in the film. So, in order to give each flick a respectable amount of coverage, I'm going to break the list in half.
15.) Band: The Rutles
Movie: The Rutles a.k.a. All You Need is Cash
I was never a big fan of The Beatles. I can't deny their talents and influences on music, but I just could never get into them. But I can say, I love The Rutles. The Rutles was a parody of The Beatles, jointly created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes. The 1978 mockumentary film about them, entitled "All You Need Is Cash" mocks the Beatles the same way that Spinal Tap mocks that generation of rock bands. The connections between The Rutles and The Beatles are surprisingly impressive. The Rutles was originally from a 1975 sketch on Eric Idle's BBC television series Rutland Weekend Television. The initial sketch presented musician Neil Innes (ex-Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band) fronting The Rutles singing "I Must Be In Love," a masterly pastiche of a 1964-era Lennon-McCartney tune. The Beatles were big fans of the Innes' former Bonzo Dog Doo Da Band. Paul McCartney had even produced their 1968 hit single "I'm The Urban Spaceman." George Harrison was also a huge Monty Python fan. So much that his company Handmade Films took over production of the Pythons' film "Life Of Brian" after the original backers pulled out due to controversial subject matter.
14.) Singer: Robbie Hart
Movie: The Wedding Singer
Unless you've been living under a rock or just don't own a television, you've seen this movie. The plot is simple. Robbie Hart(Adam Sandler), a wedding singer, is looking forward to his own upcoming wedding to his longtime girlfriend, Linda. She's a bitch. Meanwhile, he meets Julia (Drew Barrymore). She is engaged, too, to an asshole named Glenn. After a push and pull relationship builds between Robbie and Julia they finally get together in the end. On the music side of the movie, it's a great trip back to the 80s. Set in 1985, the film prominently features New Wave style music, as well as varied others from that era. Who could forget the on going gag of Alexis Arquette's character only wanting to sing The Cure's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" One of the funniest moments in the movie has to be when Hart slobbishly sings "Somebody Kill Me" to all the wedding outcasts during one of his gigs. Sure, we could have done without the rapping granny stuff, but we can let that slide. The ending with Robbie singing "I Want to Grow Old With You" is a bit gushy, but it serves it purpose with grace and humor. So much that you could see Robbie Hart actually leaving the cover band jobs behind and having a huge music career. Well, at least in the 80s.
13.) Band: N.W.H.
Movie: Fear of a Black Hat
I really doubt you've heard of this. If you have, you know the greatness of this movie. Fear of a Black Hat is a mockumentary on the evolution of American rap music. This pseudo-documentary trails a hard-core gangsta rap group called N.W.H. ("N*ggaz With Hats"). The name of the film is a parody itself, as it's a jab at the Public Enemy album "Fear of a Black Planet." Granted it came out in 1994, when CB4 came out in 1993, this movie covers a different side of the rap industry that CB4 doesn't. You must be wondering, "Where do the hats come in?" Well, all of the group wear outrageous headwear during their performances. This is explained as an act of rebellion, remembering their slave ancestors, who had to work bareheaded in the sun. According to NWH, hats are a symbol for resistance and revolution since their hatless ancestors were too hot to revolt. I'm serious! This was their explanation. Part of the plot is NWH's feud with another rap group, the Jam Boys. The groups constantly insult and discredit each other, even sometimes resulting in brandishing weapons. NWH emerges triumphant when they prove that the Jam Boys' lead rapper attended a prep school, utterly destroying his street credibility. NWH's internal matters turn sour over one rapper wanting to try film and over a groupie. The group obviously breaks up. Each member launches a solo career. One to house music, one stays "gangsta," and one becomes a hippie. None sees much success until they ultimately reunite for a triumphant comeback in which all their differences have been settled and resolved. I admit, the plot does sound A LOT like CB4, but the gags and jokes are much more abrasive and in your face. If you have a song called "Fuck The Security Guards," then it's priceless.
12.) Band: Alice Bowie
Movie: Up in Smoke
The first Cheech and Chong movie. The plot is what you expect. They crazy antics of two hippy stoners in the 70s. In this specific flick, they end up in Mexico and have to get back across the border. The twist is that the van they are in is made entirely of marijuana. Along the way, Cheech and Chong pick up two women who persuade them to perform with their band, Alice Bowie, at a Battle Of The Bands while still narrowly avoiding the police and in one case, even getting pulled over. Luckily for them, the officer got high off the smoke coming from the back of their van. Alice Bowie finally get to the battle of the bands and the cops are on their tails. The van somehow gets lit on fire and the smoke filters through the concert halls vents. So the cops and the crowd are completely tow-up-from-da-flo-up. The movie concludes with Cheech and Chong, in full punk and glam gear winning the Roxy Battle Of The Bands and the reward of a recording contract with a performance of their song Earache My Eye. There's not so much music in this movie as the others, but the single track of "Earache My Eye" is a huge novelty song. The comedy-metal group Scatterbrain covered the song on their album "Here Comes Trouble." KoЯn released the song as a hidden track at the end of "My Gift To You" from their 1998 album Follow the Leader, using a clip of Cheech Marin singing the song's riff in the movie Up In Smoke. Alternative rockers Rollins Band and Soundgarden both covered the song, and the rap group 2 Live Crew used a sample from the song on their 1989 album As Nasty As They Wanna Be. The Canadian power trio Rush have used the song's signature riff live, to end "The Big Money," (whose album version ends with a fade) on the live album A Show of Hands. So either this song has influenced many great musicians or their just stoners too. Either way, this song is a classic.
11.) Band: School of Rock
Movie: School of Rock
Jack Black plays Dewey Finn, a 30-year-old heavy rock singer and guitarist with a reputation for being difficult to work with. Dewey has to get a real job to pay his rent. A phone call from the principal of a prestigious prep school (played by Joan Cusack) asking for his roommate's services leads Dewey to impersonate his roommate and get a job as a substitute for the fifth-grade class. When he discovers that some of the kids in the class have musical talent, he decides to turn his temporary job into what he tells them is a special school project but is actually a personal one: turn a classroom full of kids into a band and crew, which will serve as a vehicle to stardom and meal ticket. Dewey is the band's lead singer and rock teacher, exposing his students to such rock legends as AC/DC, The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Rush, and Yes. The movie culminates in the class's final project: performance in a local battle of the bands, where, instead of playing Dewey's "In the End of Time" they play "School of Rock" written by one of the young band members. The class loses to Dewey's old band, which plays very generic, low-tempo rock. The band get an encore from the crowd and play "It's A Long Way To The Top [If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll]" by AC/DC. The film serves two purposes. 1.)It's a great educational tool for young rock fans and 2.) It has a very unique fictitious band. All the music is actually played by the children and done very well. I think there's an opportunity for sequels or follow ups like "Rock High"(not to be confused with The Ramones' 'Rock and Roll High School') or even "Rock U." This is only because I'd love to see the musical evolution of these talented kids.
10.) Band: Steel Dragon
Movie: Rock Star
Rock Star revolves around the story of Chris 'Izzy' Cole (played by Mark Wahlberg) and a rock band called Steel Dragon. Izzy is a miserable photocopier technician by day, and the lead singer of a Steel Dragon tribute band by night. Inner struggles between the Steel Dragon band members culminates with the firing of the main singer and the starting of recruitment sessions for them to find a new vocalist. After being, also, fired from his tribute band, Izzy tries out for Steel Dragon and wins. Now Izzy Cole is the new vocalist for the real Steel Dragons arena heavy metal band, Izzy gets the chance to replace original Steel Dragon's lead singer. But he also comes to grips with the pressures of his newfound fame and success, as it impacts his life both for the good and the worse, particularly with his relationship with his supportive girlfriend (Jennifer Aniston). This fictitious heavy metal band featured real musicians, created specifically for the movie's original soundtrack. The members, especially the lead singers, had that over the top look and attitude similar to those seen in some famous hair bands of the 80s. The film was inspired by the real-life story of Tim 'Ripper' Owens, singer in a Judas Priest tribute band who was chosen to replace singer Rob Halford when he left the band. The original title of the movie was to be Metal God, similar to signature Judas Priest song "Metal Gods".The similarities between the life of former Judas Priest vocalist Tim 'Ripper' Owens and the film's protagonist were intentional. In the film, a copier sales rep from a working-class mid-sized city lives for fronting a "tribute" band paying homage to his favorite heavy metal group. When footage shot by a third-party of his live performance makes it to the famous British band's management, they decide to audition him to replace their departing, closeted homosexual lead singer, which parallels Owens' experience with Judas Priest. The storyline was "re-imagined" with a few details changed (i.e., set in Pittsburgh instead of Akron, in the 1980s instead of the '90s, etc.). Rock Star's producers stated this was a result of their wanting to take the script in a different direction. However, Owens later stated that it had to do with a failure to reach a financial agreement with the Judas Priest camp for the rights to the story. Tracks were written by Jeordie White(Twiggy Ramirez), Zakk Wylde, Jeff Pilson, Ritchie Blackmore, Ronnie James Dio, and Sammy Hagar to name a few. This movie is very underrated. It's a nice coming of age story that has some pretty damn impressive tracks involved.
9.) Band: Lestat
Movie: Queen of the Damned
The Queen of the Damned is a novel by Anne Rice. It is the third book of The Vampire Chronicles series, following Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat. However, this movie was actually a combination of both The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned books. The Queen of the Damned movie was released in 2002, featuring Aaliyah and directed by Michael Rymer. Most film critics were less than impressed by the film. Aaliyah, who played the undead Queen, had died in a plane crash before the film could be completed, and some people argue that the only reason that the film was released in theaters (instead of going direct to video, as had previously been intended) was to capitalize on her much-publicized death. The plot of Queen of the Damned is a bit off from the book, but stands on it's own as a pretty good movie. It starts with Lestat (Stuart Townsend) coming back to life only to start a rock band. The band becomes huge and Lestat uses his vampire history as a marketing ploy. This obviously upsets the other vampires, who remain in the shadows and out of the public eye. This and a relationship with a female reporter builds up to a big concert in Death Valley. Lestat and the band perform as a swarm of vampires begin to attack. Akasha(The Queen) saves the day and takes Lestat away to a private area. Lestat and Akasha join up and finally meet the other vampires in the end. Akasha takes a few down with her before her ultimate death. Plot holes and going way off track from the book aside, the actual music portion of the movie is great. The film featured a contemporary soundtrack with original songs written by Jonathan Davis and Richard Gibbs, performed by Wayne Static, David Draiman, Chester Bennington, Jay Gordon and Marilyn Manson. The soundtrack also featured previously released material from other bands. The charismatic stage performance of Stuart Townsend rivals just about any real performer on stage today. The videos are creepy and better than most metal videos I have seen and the original music makes for one of the best soundtracks out there today. If you haven't seen this movie, you should try. If you've not heard this soundtrack, you must!
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