Vinyl

Sara Sugarman's music industry film "Vinyl" is built on a terrific premise, and the fact this dramedy originates from a true story makes it all the more ripe for this big screen telling.

Imagine: A long-in-the-tooth rock band is forced by the industry's relentless ageism to release music under the guise of being a much younger rock band. It happened in 2004, as Mike Peters of The Alarm put out music as The Poppy Seeds, along with a music video of lip-synching lads fronting the tune as if they were its proper creators. Sure enough, the tune got radio play. Gotcha!

In "Vinyl," Phil Daniels is the surly, aging frontman, and Jamie Blackley is the younger, fresher face aping the real band's music on camera. It allows for some great moments of both comedy and drama, and in equal measure. True, there is at times a sheeny, Austin Powers artifice to the film, which doesn't always accessorize with the music's scrappy emergence from the cast-off lot. But at its heart is a great story brought to a truthful life on screen, and with terrific competence. "Vinyl" is an underrated, understated success.

Plenty of laughs in this file which is loosely based on a true story (and full of in-jokes for those in the know). It could easily have fallen into the trap of being predictable but it doesn't. It comes over as fresh, quirky and fun. The serious moments are very natural, not forced, the music is good and the young band are very easy on the eye for the younger viewers. For the rest of us, there's Phil Daniels as the ever-optimistic Johnny Jones and Keith Allen, looking typically curmudgeonly as Minto, plus some well-aimed swipes at the contemporary record industry. Very much in the tradition of Very Annie Mary or The Full Monty.

Vinyl is just a fun movie. The movie is fantastic and you can tell it was a labor of love to get this film made. No, it's not going to win an Academy Award (well, maybe for the soundtrack), but what's wrong with 90 minutes of good entertainment and a story that will have you leaving the theater with a smile on your face? I was fortunate enough to attend the American premiere in New York City. Back then, distribution was seen as a major issue. It's good to see the film is getting on some screens in the UK. I'd certainly like to go see it again and hope it can get on some screens here in the States. I was lucky enough to talk to director Sara Sugarman and -- unlike what the twit at the bottom of the screen said -- found her to be utterly charming. You could see the dedication and sacrifice she put in to get this film made.

Go see this movie!

Whats not to like about this great film? The soundtrack? Phil Daniels? Perry Benson? Seeing the music biz being caught with their pants down? That last notion is worthy enough as a plot for a movie but watching the story unfold with Phil Daniels leading the charge, as only he can with his 100mph attack on life, makes this tidy little film truly worthy of your time watching it. The story will make you laugh, it may make you cry and it will definitely leave you feeling good and glad you watched it. It is a fun caper that never takes its self too seriously yet succeeds in showing all of us that rock n roll should always be 'by the people, for the people and of the people'. If you grew up in the 70s or 80s you will love it and many of its touch points. If you are still "growing up" watch and learn. FREE ROCK N ROLL

Not the be confused with the 2016 TV show, 'Vinyl', directed by Sara Sugarman, is a quirky obscure 2012 musical comedy movie, which is a fictionalised version of the famous 2004 music hoax by 70's punk rockers, The Alarm to expose the ageism that unfortunately plagues the Music industry.

In this loose retelling of the story, Johnny Jones (played by Phil Daniels, who you may remember from the classic Blur single, 'Parklife') who was in the vintage punk band, Weapons of Happiness reunites with his old band mates after the funeral of a friend. They then get back together for a drunken jam session the following night, and come up with a very ear worm-ey tune, with the potential to be a big hit called 'Free Rock And Roll'. The only problem is, nobody wants to sign these middle-aged rockstars to a big major label, so Johnny has the idea of hoodwinking the bigoted big record companies by hiring a bunch of teenagers to front a fictional band to lip sync to their music, and coincidentally enjoy quite a bit of success!

Despite it being done on a very low budget, and the whole film feeling like it was filmed and edited on a consumer grade turn of the millennium camcorder (not sure if this is intentional to go with the punk aesthetic), the script is very funny, and the acting, for the most part is pretty good. I also feel the title the movie is sort of misleading, as vinyl records have basically nothing to do with the plot of the film, and I think it would've been a lot more successful if it had been called 'Free Rock and Roll'.

It might look cheap, but it's a film with a lot of charm - as the old saying goes, don't judge a book by it's cover! Interestingly, the late Terry Jones from Monty Python fame was a fan of this film.

And before I go, after you watch this movie, I guarantee you that you will get 'Free Rock and Roll' completely stuck in your head - I'm honestly quite surprised it wasn't a hit in the real world, as it's probably on the catchiest songs I've ever heard in my life!

Free Rock and Roll! Free Rock and Roll! Free Rock and Rooooollllllll!!!!!!!!!