Neil Peart -- The Latest News

This site has some photos of the Banger Films crew with Neil Peart. I also saw that tickets are still available for the Friday, April 30 (4:00 p.m.) show.

Rush Documentary Canadian Premiere | Banger Films Official Blog

Note: If you're planning on going to this, please let me know if you'd be interested in writing about the experience.

Labels: Documentary

If you live in St. Catharines, Ontario, or the surrounding area, there's a free premiere of the film on Sunday, Dec 20, at 2:30 p.m. Here's the official announcement:

Jack and Holli Kizera are pleased to announce they will host the first public showing of filmmaker Paul Miil's documentary The Big Story of Small Potatoes:  Niagara's Rock Music History 1964-1974 at The Golden Pheasant (244 Ontario St. St. Catharines) on Sunday, December 20th at 2:30pm. Admission is free.

The documentary focuses on the dynamic Niagara music scene from the '60s and early '70s, when the region was known as the "Liverpool of Canada." At the time, Niagara had more bands per capita than any other city across the land. The Big Story of Small Potatoes is an in-depth portrait of the kids who made the music scene happen told from the perspective of many of the same teenagers 40 years later.

"I grew up in the area in the '70s and '80s and I even played in some garage bands, but I never knew that there was such a thriving music industry in the streets of Niagara," said Miil. "These guys toured from the east coast to Thunder Bay...and they were sixteen years old. I mean everyone knew that [Neil] Peart came from here, but none of us knew about the scene that he came from."

Miil stumbled onto the lost Niagara music scene while researching a concept for a documentary on Peart, who went on to fame and fortune with Rush. Upon discovering the scope of the scene, Miil changed the subject of his documentary from the one kid to the many kids who were involved. For further information please go to www.miil.ca.

Labels: Documentary, The Big Story of Small Potatoes

A new documentary, The Big Story of Small Potatoes, by filmmaker Paul Miil "explores the roots of the lost music scene of Niagara, circa 1964-1974," of which Neil Peart was a musician. While the film doesn't contain an interview with Peart, Jimmy Johnson, who became a guitar tech for Alex Lifeson, is interviewed.

One of Neil's bands, JR Flood, also has a song "Giant Killer" on the soundtrack. (Not sure if Neil is playing on this song.) (Neil does play drums on this song, according to the director, Paul Miil.)

On the website for this documentary is an "incomplete" list of bands from the Niagara music scene. Here are the bands that Neil played in according to this site (some of these are new to me):

• Mumblin Sumpthin circa 1967 (St. Catharines micro-band)
• Strength circa 1967-68 (micro-band) (Neil possibly sat in)
• Wayne and the Younger Generation circa 1966-67 (falls band) was called The Devil's Diciples (sic) early 1966
• The Younger Generation circa 1967
• The Majority circa 1967- Dec 69 (falls/St. Catharines band) From The Younger Generation Rick Jones creation. There was a line-up of The Majority previous to this one, but no one remembers who.
• David circa 1970 (after Skinner's version of The Majority for a couple gigs -- micro-band)
• JR Flood circa 1968 - July 1971;  Aug 1971 - Dec 1971 (different lineup) (St. Catharines/Falls band)
• Hush circa 1971-74

The documentary is expected to be available in Mid-November 2009.

Thanks to SRAWRATS in the Rush Forum rushtour.com for the head's up.

Labels: Documentary

There's an article in Playback about a Rush documentary in the works by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. Should be interesting.

Playback :: Headbanger duo feels Rush 

Excerpt:

Boutique distributor Grindstone Media is hoping to have a hit on its hands with Rush: The Documentary. The $1.5 million feature doc about the famed rock band is produced and directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn -- the creative team behind the 2005's Metal: A Headbanger's Journey -- and executive produced by Grindstone president Paul Zimic.

Labels: Documentary