American Music: OFF THE RECORD & ON THE ROAD features theorists Noam Chomsky and Douglas Rushkoff in an interrogation of the American music industry. The film covers a great deal of ground from the authenticity of live music to the circumvention of the corporate machine by indie distribution, to the demise of the privately owned music store.
Many musicians and musical acts are featured including James McMurtry, Rodney Crowell, Lizzie West, Sonic Youth, David Lindley, Mission of Burma, Watermelon Slim, David Allen Coe, Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Darden Smith, Carolyn Wonderland, The Mavericks, Bob Walkenhorst, The Alloy Orchestra, The Morells, Little Feat, Candy Coburn, Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Billy Joe Shaver, Pavlov's Dog, Chubby Carrier, Buckethead, Lee Roy Parnell, The Blasters, Country Joe McDonald, Eddie “DEVILBOY” Turner, Big Bill Morganfield (son of Muddy Waters), Chris Duarte, Eric Lindell, Bugs Henderson, Melanie, Les Dudek, Rick Derringer, Commander Cody, The Elders, Hothouse Flowers, Room Full of Blues, Webb Wilder, Chris Scruggs, Hank Williams III, John Mooney, The Belairs, Wanda Jackson, Paul Thorn, Rev. Billy Wirtz, Kerry Livgren, Iron Butterfly, It’s a Beautiful Day, Canned Heat, and Les Paul.
We look to be finished shooting by mid-November for a release in Summer 2007.