What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?

An amazing film, not just the usual famous band documentary. It is sad to realize that we lost many years of more great music due to a scandal initiated by our own government, and then by the narcissistic leaders of the 1970s counterculture. There was no good way out for this band, but they made the best they could, and meanwhile, left us a great legacy of music that we still love and joy to this day. In an age of idealism that celebrated communism and socialism, they documented the awful realities inside the countries they visited and performed for. Not unlike today, because it didn't fit the popular narrative, the band was ostracized, both by the counterculture they still represented, as well as the state department and president because their political views were very different. The result? We all lost a very great band prematurely, and the idiots on both sides that made this happen deserve our full derision. It was fun to watch and very entertaining and taught you a lot about these great musicians, and also satisfying to see the truth rain down upon those who deceived us about the truth.

Greetings again from the darkness. "What goes up, must come down" ... those are the opening lyrics to "Spinning Wheel", a huge hit for the brass-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears. The lyrics are meant to convey the cycles of life, but they also reflect the meteoric rise and fall of the band itself. John Scheinfeld is a knowledgeable and passionate documentarian behind profiles of such acclaimed musicians as Herb Alpert, Brian Wilson, Sergio Mendes, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Bette Midler, Rick Nelson, Rosemary Clooney, John Coltrane, Andy Williams, and Dean Martin. He's a natural choice to provide the answers to the titular question.

A 9-piece jazz-rock band hitting the charts big time is not something that could have been predicted in the late 1960's. Scheinfeld opens the film with clips of the band live on stage in Bulgaria in 1970 as David Clayton-Thomas belts out "Spinning Wheel". We learn they were the first American rock band to perform behind the Iron Curtain, and we also learn there is more to the story. Much more. At the time, the United States was in the Vietnam War and social and political unrest and upheaval were occurring regularly. There is every indication that the State Department invoked a strategy of using a popular band to ease tensions in communist countries. It was the legal and visa issues of Canadian singer Clayton-Thomas that provided the opening the State Department needed to pressure the band to undertake the tour with the goal of softening the U. S. reputation as a bullying military force.

Ultimately, it was a tour that turned most everyone on all sides against the band. Romanian concert goers initially enjoyed the 'freeing' aspect of the band's music, but soon the police used dogs to break up the crowds and end the celebration. When the band returned home, the counterculture couldn't forgive them for the tour in communist territory, and the conservative right couldn't forgive them for being against the Vietnam War. Everyone was upset at Blood, Sweat & Tears.

We get a bit of the band's history in that it was founded by Al Kooper in 1967 when they introduced a new sound, however, after the first album, it was determined a new singer was preferred and a very brief audition from Clayton-Thomas secured the job for him. The rest of the band consisted of Jim Fielder on bass, Bobby Colomby on drums, Steve Katz on guitar, Dick Halligan multiple instruments, Jerry Hyman on horns, Fred Lipsius on sax, and trumpeters Chuck Winfiled and Lew Soloff. For the most part, the band members were not politically outspoken. The exception was Steve Katz who was adamantly opposed to the foreign land tour. It was the band's second album that changed everything. Three huge hits - "And When I Die", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "Spinning Wheel" - helped them win Album of the Year over the now classic Abbey Road from The Beatles.

Scheinfeld solves another mystery when he explains why, listed as headliners, the band was not featured in the "Woodstock" documentary. Not surprisingly, the answer involves money, and of course, the band members now look back on their manager's decision with some regret. But there is more to the story of the band's faded glory than the communist block tour. An early Las Vegas residency, though a much sought-after gig these days, garnered the label "square" for the band ... this despite performances at the Fillmore and MSG. Although the band never regained the popularity of that second album, they did have subsequent hits that included "Hi-De-Ho" (written by Carole King) and "Go Down Gamblin'". Perhaps most shocking is that more than 65 hours of concert footage was shot on the Iron Curtain tour, yet the State Department shelved the documentary project, likely for political reasons given the police and military activity against concert goers. Bonus points to Scheinfeld for solving a couple of long-term musical mysteries here, and also for including some "Bullwinkle" clips.

Abramorama will release the film in theaters beginning March 24th.

Not just another story about writing songs or going up against 'The Man'. This is a true story of how a rising star-popular rock band was used as a tool by the Nixon Administration; and the accounts by the artists of how seeing life behind the iron curtain changed these musicians viewpoints. They brought back their eye opening message and told of the stark differences between life under communism and life within a democracy. Blood Sweat and Tears suffered cancel culture decades before it became in vogue, simply for being honest. As a Veteran who experienced first hand the fall of the Iron Curtain, I can tell you ... they got this one right!

As "What The Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?" (2023 release; 112 min.) opens, we are in "Bucharest, Romania 1970", and BS&T is performing, reportedly the first rock band to perform behind the Iron Curtain. BS&T is touring Romania, Yugoslavia, and Poland as part of the US State Department's cultural exchange program, notwithstanding that most of the 9 member group are anti-Vietnam and anti-Nixon... At this point we are less than 10 minutes into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director John Scheinfeld ("The U. S. v. Lennon"). Here he examines what happened to a band that was at the peak of their critical and commercial success, and ends up being 'canceled" (as we know that term today) after touring behind the Iron Curtain. The film makers have interviewed all the primary characters involved. Amazingly, the State Department had hired a large film crew (including 5 camera men) to document the whole thing, with the intent of releasing a film to the public at large. This documentary does an excellent job in showcasing both the political aspects of this entire episode, and the musical aspects (the concert footage shows BS&T in peak form, and the music is MILES better than what I recall of them).

"What the Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears" was released in early 2023, but I only recently became aware of it when browsing Amazon Prime for something good to watch and Prime recommended it to me. :What the Hell Happened" is currently rated 81% Certified Fresh, which sounds about right to me. If you are in the mood for a slice of rock music history that you probably never even know existed, or simply are a fan of Blood, Sweat & Tears, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

This film about Blood, Sweat & Tears not only reignited my love for their music but also unlocked intense childhood memories. When I was around five years old, my parents played their album constantly, and I would dance around the house, completely immersed in the rhythms and melodies. Watching this documentary, I discovered so many songs I hadn't heard before, and I was blown away by the depth and diversity of their catalog.

As an adult, I've gained a new appreciation for the band, especially their brilliant fusion of jazz and rock, which was so original for its time. Their unique sound places them at the top of my list of favorite bands from that generation. The film also captured an interesting and poignant chapter in their history-touring Eastern Bloc Soviet countries. Watching how their music uplifted people living under such oppressive regimes was incredibly moving. It underscored the power of musical expression, especially in places where freedom of speech and creativity were severely restricted.

Reflecting on that, I couldn't help but feel a sense of concern about the direction America is heading, particularly under Democratic leadership. The lack of freedom of speech and expression (and propaganda) is becoming more evident, echoing what history has already shown us. This film, beyond being a tribute to the band, serves as a reminder of how essential music and freedom are to the human spirit. Blood, Sweat & Tears not only entertained but also embodied that powerful expression, making this movie both an emotional and thought-provoking experience.