LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) – The trailer for the new music documentary Let There Be Drums!, directed by Justin Kreutzmann (the son of The Grateful Dead’s drummer and founding member – Bill Kreutzmann), premiered today (October 13). The film’s release is scheduled for October 28 via Greenwich Entertainment.*
Are drummers born that way, or do they become that way? Does the urge to create rhythm and be an integral part of a band emanate from something within – or is it learned?
Growing up, Justin became a part of the “Dead” tours, often sitting on the riser behind his dad during rehearsals. While Dad hoped his son would beat the skins, the younger Kreutzmann gravitated towards the art of filmmaking. That effort resulted in the creation of an exuberant, wild, and fascinating documentary – a deep dive into the art of drumming, the musicians who’ve mastered it for 70 years, and the legacies those parents pass on to their kids.
To get the definitive take on the world and art of drumming and how drumming shaped their lives – Kreutzmann sat with some of the best, including Ringo Starr, Stewart Copeland of The Police, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann of The Grateful Dead, Stephen Perkins of Jane’s Addiction, Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adrian Young of No Doubt, Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses, Tre Cool of Green Day, Steve Ferrone of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and John Densmore of the Doors.
Let There Be Drums! Features the final filmed interview with the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who passed away in March 2022.
Watch the trailer here:
The documentary uses Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead (2015) as its framework. Kreutzmann’s camera captured the shows at Levi Stadium and Soldier Field, providing the film with incredible performance, recording material, and rare or never-before-seen footage. Highlights include Keith Moon speaking in outtakes from The Who’s 1979 documentary The Kids Are Alright, Led Zeppelin’s John “Bonzo” Bonham talking about fatherhood, No Doubt performing in a basement before they made it big, and a snapshot of a teenage Ringo Starr posing with his new drum kit.
*Greenwich Entertainment is an independent film distribution company specializing in distinctive, theatrical-quality narrative and documentary features. Greenwich was a force behind the Academy Award-winning documentary Free Solo, which grossed over $17M in the US.
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