2008 Directed by Denny Tedesco
A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew." a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys, and Bing Crosby.
Lou Adler Herb Alpert Hal Blaine Glen Campbell Al Casey Cher Dick Clark Micky Dolenz Snuff Garrett Bones Howe Al Jardine Plas Johnson Carol Kaye Larry Knechtel Lew McCreary Joe Osborn Bill Pittman Don Randi Nancy Sinatra Carmie Tedesco Tommy Tedesco Peter Tork Jimmy Webb Brian Wilson Frank Zappa Larry Levine
The Wrecking Crew are as important to popular music as any big name you’ve heard, they just don’t get the plaudits from the average listener. I first discovered them way back when I started falling in the love with The Beach Boys. This group of session musicians helped turn so many songs and albums we love into gold. From there I went down the rabbit hole into all the other artists from that era that called them to arms to deliver the goods. The documentary, directed by Denny Tedesco, is very much a love letter to the musicians of old, in particular Tommy Tedesco, Denny’s father and key member of The Wrecking Crew. The amount of hits they took part…
Back in the early 80s, I had a serious episode of cognitive dissonance, and thought that I was somehow destined to become a guitar god, even though I couldn't play even the simplest chord progression no matter how many hours I practiced. I bought electric and acoustic guitars, amps, and effects pedals, then stayed up until 3am every night, trying to learn how to play a 12-bar blues, but I would always screw it up. This continued for weeks until one night, a couple of drunk girls in the apartment across the alley started screaming at me, "You suck! You sound like shit! Stop playing!" then hurled their beer bottle empties at my door.
I got the message, and after…
A passionate and heartfelt documentary by an amateur filmmaker. Denny Tedesco memorializes his father and his father’s bandmates with nothing but love and admiration.
If you have any appreciation for music, especially 1960s rock/pop, you need to go see this right now. It's not a fantastic documentary per se but the anecdotes and music alone make it wholly worthwhile. The Wrecking Crew deserve a lot more attention than they have received over the years. I learned to appreciate names like Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye, and of course Glen Campbell.
If this one tickles your interest then you should also check out Standing in the Shadow of Motown about the Funk Brothers, another music making machine in their own right.
Great music doc on Los Angeles studio musicians. There wasn't a set group called The Wrecking Crew, but a large stable of musicians that were later given the name. They played on everything, rock and roll, Sinatra-style standards, Henry Mancini... Even bands that mostly played their own instruments on stage, when the hit songs were recorded, the producers called in the best musicians to put it on tape and make it a hit.
There was a variety of responses to this from the musicians on both sides, and memory has made some stories opposites. One producer said he told the studio musician to put his name on it, but the studio musician didn't want to be known for playing that…
Hal Blaine using some of his time to complain about his divorce ….. getting to hear about the production of Wichita Lineman……it’s good it’s good
Never got a good feel for the people portrayed. Also didn't have a firm grasp of who everyone was, felt the doc should have covered more background information. I see how this got made - the success of 20 Feet to Stardom probably got this doc studio distribution, and although 20 Feet to Stardom is no classic doc, it still has more interesting "characters" than The Wrecking Crew. I'm sure hardcore musicians can take more from it than I did, but I feel its appeal is very limited.
The Wrecking Crew is a documentary about a group called The Wrecking Crew and was a very hidden key to all of these famous songs from the 1960s. I like how simple this documentary is and is a fast documentary that relaxes you. An amazing soundtrack I often listen to and I overall liked the final product.
the documentary itself doesn't do anything particularly exciting but goodness when you're telling the stories of this group of musicians, it's hard for it to be bad. it's filled with incredible songs and fun stories, so it certainly doesn't get boring. always more than happy to hear from brian wilson.
more walls of sound please!
Very conventional talking-head documentary, but the subject is interesting and the director's personal link to the material elevates it. His father (guitarist Tommy Tedesco) and legendary bassist Carol Kaye are probably the most interesting characters profiled here but there are a bunch of good stories and, of course, the music is great.
