STREET SURVIVORS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE LYNYRD SKYNYRD PLANE CRASH

Los Angeles, CA - Cleopatra Entertainment’s feature film STREET SURVIVORS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE LYNYRD SKYNYRD PLANE CRASH has been officially selected for inclusion in the upcoming Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival taking place at the Staples Center/LA Live in Los Angeles from February 12th thru February 27th, 2020. The film will premier there on Sunday, February 16th at 7:30pm and will also have a nationwide theatrical release starting this Spring.

STREET SURVIVORS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE LYNYRD SKYNYRD PLANE CRASH was scripted and directed by Jared Cohn (DEVIL’S REVENGE, DEVIL’S DOMAIN), produced by Brian Perera and co-produced by Tim Yasui for Cleopatra Entertainment. The biopic recreates the story about the ill-fated flight through the eyes of former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle (who narrates the film), who not only survived the plane crash that claimed the life of the band’s founder and frontman Ronnie Van Zant amongst others, but who also physically pulled the remaining survivors out of the plane wreckage before staggering towards the nearest farmhouse in rural Louisiana to seek help. Pyle also contributes original music to the film’s soundtrack.

Says Pyle: “This film’s story – MY story – is not just about the plane crash but also about my personal relationship with the genius that was Ronnie Van Zant – whom I loved like a brother and still miss to this day.”

Cleopatra Entertainment’s plans for the roll-out include an international festival run followed by a domestic theatrical run, including personal appearances by Artimus Pyle, who will introduce the film an participate in Q&A’s with the audience. In select markets, Pyle will perform a live music concert with the Artimus Pyle Band that will feature the hit songs by LYNYRD SKYNYRD. A worldwide VOD and Home Entertainment release which will include a stand-alone Official Soundtrack album are scheduled for June 30th, 2020.

MELODY MAKERS NEW DOCUMENTARY AND COMPANION APPLE I BOOK

MELODY MAKERS is not just another music doc. It chronicles the birth of music journalism and the world’s oldest and longest-standing seminal music magazine; Melody Maker.

Through a series of interviews from artists (Ian Anderson/JETHRO TULL, Eric Burdon/THE ANIMALS, Alan White, Steve Howe and Chris Squire/YES, among others) and journalists of the time, the film tells the true story of the rise and fall of the world’s most influential music publication and uncovers an era of tremendous creative freedom.

Barrie Wentzel

At the heart of the story is Barrie Wentzell, Chief Contributing Photographer of Melody Maker Magazine (1965-1975) and his iconic photographic archive of legendary musicians during the birth of the rock 'n roll era, who along with his journalist colleagues gained unprecedented access to bands and musicians that would go on to become the legends of rock n' roll.

Wentzell's photos are the touchstone of this documentary as the photographer and others recount the many untold stories from behind the pictures. Barrie recalls Peter Townshend telling him about an idea he had for a rock opera when Tommy was a concept.

Melody Makers

Melody Maker journalist, Chris Charlesworth recalls when the magazine tried to expand into the US market without paying off the mobsters who controlled magazine distribution in key cities such as New York, and PR Keith Altham shares an anecdotal story about a publicity stunt gone awry involving the notorious drummer, Keith Moon, and a hovercraft.

Beyond the visual stories told, Melody Maker includes interviews ERIC BURDON (The Animals), IAN ANDERSON (Jethro Tull), YES (Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White), DAVE COUSINS (The Strawbs), JUDY DYBLE (Fairport Convention), Nazareth (PETE AGNEW & DAN MCCAFFERTY) and SEVE ABBOTT (UK Decay); journalists CHRIS WELCH, CHRIS CHARLESWORTH, ALLAN JONES (Senior Editor UNCUT Magazine); ALAN LEWIS; and other notable subjects PETER WHITEHEAD (filmmaker Charlie My Darling), ROGER DEAN (artist), JEFF DEXTER (DJ/ Promoter), KEITH ALTHAM (PR for The Rolling Stones, The Who) and GLEN COLSON (Stiff Records) to name a few.

Award-Winning Documentary “MELODY MAKERS The Bible of Rock 'n Roll” Companion Interactive Apple Book Now Available

Featuring ERIC BURDON (The Animals), IAN ANDERSON (Jethro Tull), YES (Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White), DAVE COUSINS (The Strawbs), JUDY DYBLE (Fairport Convention), Nazareth (PETE AGNEW & DAN MCCAFFERTY) and STEVE ABBOTT (UK Decay)

In tandem with the theatrical and home entertainment release of the film MELODY MAKERS (December 17. 2019) comes the release of the Melody Makers Companion Apple Book.

An immersive experience, this interactive book takes users through the rise of Melody Maker magazine through a series of rock trivia games, photo puzzles, embedded interviews, and a photographic gallery full of Barrie Wentzell's Legends Series from his iconic rock photographic archive (1965-1975).

The book is a robust partner to the film that offers viewers an added music history experience. The book was “invented” - designed, curated and created - by Canadian filmmaker, and film festival producer Leslie Ann Coles.

THE LAVENDER SCARE NEW DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES ON PBS JUNE 18

THE LAVENDER SCARE Premieres Nationwide on June 18 at 9:00PM on PBS re-airing on digital channels throughout June.

With the United States gripped in the panic of the 1950s Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower deemed homosexuals to be “security risks” and vowed to rid the federal government of all employees discovered to be gay or lesbian.

Over the next four decades, the longest witch-hunt in American history, tens of thousands of government workers would lose their jobs for no reason other than their sexual orientation.

But the mass firings have an unintended effect: they stirred outrage in the gay community, helped ignite the gay rights movement, and thrust an unlikely hero into the forefront of the LGBTQ fight for equality.

Partly based on the award-winning book by historian David K. Johnson, THE LAVENDER SCARE illuminates a little-known chapter of American history and serves as a timely reminder of the value of vigilance and social action when civil liberties are under attack.

Director Josh Howard is a producer and broadcast executive with more than 25 years of experience in news and documentary production. He has been honored with 24 Emmy Awards, mostly for his work on the CBS News broadcast 60 Minutes.

KING CRIMSON CELEBRATES KC50!

In celebration of 50 years, King Crimson announces 50 Concerts for 2019. The current eight musician line-up will perform 50 concerts across three continents as part of their 2019 Celebration tour.

Dates confirmed so far, are as follows:

King Crimson 2019 Tour Dates:
JUN 10, 2019 - HAUS AUENSEE, Leipzig
JUN 12, 2019 - JAHRHUNDERTHALLE, Frankfurt
JUN 13, 2019 - JAHRHUNDERTHALLE, Frankfurt
JUN 15, 2019 - LIEDERHALLE, Stuttgart
JUN 16, 2019 - LIEDERHALLE, Stuttgart
JUN 18, 2019 - ROYAL ALBERT HALL, London
JUN 19, 2019 - ROYAL ALBERT HALL, London
JUN 20, 2019 - ROYAL ALBERT HALL, London
JUN 22, 2019 - DE VEREENIGING, Nijmegen
JUN 23, 2019 - DE VEREENIGING, Nijmegen
JUN 26, 2019 - TEATR ROMA, Warsaw
JUN 27, 2019 - TEATR ROMA, Warsaw
JUN 29, 2019 - ZITADELLE, Berlin
JUL 04, 2019 - ROMISCHES THEATER AUGUSTA RAURICA, Basel
JUL 08, 2019 - ARENA DI VERONA, Verona
JUL 10, 2019 - STUPINIGI SONIC PARK, Torino
JUL 12, 2019 - DOCTOR MUSIC FESTIVAL, Escalarre
JUL 13, 2019 - DOCTOR MUSIC FESTIVAL, Escalarre
JUL 14, 2019 - DOCTOR MUSIC FESTIVAL, Escalarre
JUL 18, 2019 - ARENA SANTA GIULIANA, Perugia
AUG 23, 2019 - TEATRO METROPOLITAN, Mexico City
AUG 24, 2019 - TEATRO METROPOLITAN, Mexico City
AUG 27, 2019 - TEATRO DIANA, Guadalajara
AUG 29, 2019 - TEATRO METROPOLITAN, Mexico City
SEP 03, 2019 - GREEK THEATRE, Los Angeles
SEP 05, 2019 - FOX THEATER, Oakland
SEP 06, 2019 - FOX THEATER, Oakland
SEP 08, 2019 - PARAMOUNT THEATER, Denver
SEP 10, 2019 - AUDITORIUM THEATRE OF ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY, Chicago
SEP 12, 2019 - WARNER THEATRE, Washington D.C.
SEP 14, 2019 - BUDWEISER STAGE, Toronto
SEP 17, 2019 - ST DENIS THEATRE, Montreal
SEP 19, 2019 - BOCH CENTER WANG THEATER, Boston
SEP 21, 2019 - RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, New York City
SEP 23, 2019 - THE MET, Philidelphia
SEP 25, 2019 - HARD ROCK ROCKSINO, Cleveland
SEP 27, 2019 - THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM, Nashville
SEP 29, 2019 - THE COBB CENTER, Atlanta
OCT 06, 2019 - SUNSET STAGE ROCK IN RIO - Rio de Janeiro

Since the band's return to live performance in 2014, with critically acclaimed sell-out shows all over the world including two defining shows at the Roman amphitheater in Pompeii, the audience has been reinvented, as much as the band itself:

“In Pompeii, a large percentage of the audience was young couples; KC moved into the mainstream in Italy. I walked onstage knowing that this band's position in the world has changed level.” Robert Fripp

The band's packed three-hour shows regularly include material from twelve of their thirteen studio albums, including many of the songs from their seminal 1969 album In The Court of the Crimson King, described by Pete Townshend, as an “uncanny masterpiece”.

The new 8-piece line-up plays many historic pieces which Crimson have never played live, as well as new arrangements of Crimson classics – “the music is new whenever it was written”.

There are also new instrumentals and songs, as well as the compositions by the three drummers, Pat Mastelotto, Gavin Harrison and Jeremy Stacey, which are a regular highlight. A unique show, where eight of the best musicians in the world play music without distraction or adornment.

Physical music releases include:

February: King Crimson 1972 – 74 – (ABOVE) the second boxed set of 6LPs from Larks' Tongues in Aspic to the expanded USA in 200-gram vinyl.

May: Heaven and Earth: Multi-disc CD/ DVD-a/Blu-Ray set covering the period from the late 1990s – 2008 – completing the availability of all King Crimson studio albums in 5.1 multi-channel audio.

October: Complete 1969 Recordings CD/DVD-a/Blu-Ray set – completing the availability of all King Crimson studio albums on Blu-Ray. A vinyl set of 1969 recordings is also being planned

Other planned music releases include: 200-gram vinyl editions of Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair, the 2CD 2019 King Crimson tour box – 6th in the series of releases issued to accompany each tour from 2014 onwards

50 Collectors' Club Releases:
2019 will see the release of CLUB48, CLUB49 and CLUB50 - the final three in the Collectors Club series, taking it 50 releases in the band's 50th year. CLUB48 will be a recently discovered board recording of the concert in Newcastle on 8th December 1972 by the complete Larks Tongues in Aspic line-up before Jamie Muir left the band.

October: In The Court of the Crimson King Companion & Boxed Set - Released to coincide and celebrate the original release date of King Crimson's debut album on 12th October 1969:

Limited edition expanded boxed set of In The Court of the Crimson King including all the live recordings, the expanded multitrack 1969 recording sessions, as well as a new 5.1 remix of the album. DGM Companion Vol 1, edited by Robert Fripp & David Singleton – Vinyl sized coffee table book covering the history of In The Court of Crimson King, with the complete timeline, extensive photos, recollections and essays.

June: Sid Smith's long out-of-print acclaimed biography, In the Court of King Crimson, will be published in a revised, updated and expanded edition.

50 special Digital music releases, KC 50:

50 tracks, 1 per week featuring a new, rare or alternate take from across the KC catalog and available via all major download and streaming services. Each track will be accompanied by a special spoken word introduction by King Crimson manager/producer David Singleton.

DOWNLOAD THE FIRST 50 TRACKS HERE

Documentary:
Cosmic F*Kc: The King Crimson documentary, directed by Toby Amies, who has been given unique access to the current band as well as interviews with past members and archive footage. To be released in late 2019. An accompanying soundtrack will also be issued.

Limited edition Silk Screen prints of Barry Godber's famous “Screaming Face” cover from In The Court of the Crimson King:

200 limited edition Silk Screen prints of the outer sleeve of In the Court of the Crimson King. 100 copies of the interior. Printed at the actual size of the original art (46.5 inches x 27.5 inches including surround). All prints will be signed and numbered by Robert Fripp. Early purchasers will be given the option to buy matching numbered sets.

Clothing:
12 special 50th anniversary T-shirts, complementing the artwork for the KC50 digital download series.

For more information: www.dgmlive.com
paintings by Francesca Sundsten
photographs by Dean Stocking and David Singleton

ROBERT FRIPP, though best known for his work in King Crimson, has contributed to numerous albums by players as diverse as Brian Eno, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Blondie, Talking Heads, Daryl Hall, The Roches, Peter Hammill, Keith Tippett, David Sylvian, The Orb, and The Grid. His 1979 solo album, Exposure was described as “the Sergeant Pepper of avant punk.” He has appeared twice in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarist Of All Time poll, although Fripp claims these are likely to have been mistakes by the typesetter.

TONY LEVIN has been a member of King Crimson since 1981. Internationally renowned and constantly in-demand for his distinctive bass work, he also tours with Peter Gabriel with whom he has worked since 1977. He has appeared on albums by Paul Simon, John Lennon, David Bowie and countless others and recently formed his own band, Stick Men alongside Crimson drummer, Pat Mastelotto.

JAKKO JAKSZYK was a member of Level 42, before working with Mel Collins as part of the ex-KC alumni group, 21st Century Schizoid Band between 2002 - 2004. His solo album, The Bruised Romantic Glee Club (2006) was his first recorded collaboration with Fripp, followed by A Scarcity of Miracles in 2011. An acclaimed producer in his own right, Jakszyk has recently mixed Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson's UK Top 20 album, Homo Erraticus.
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MEL COLLINS was previously a member of King Crimson 1970 - 1972 appearing on In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970), Islands (1971), Earthbound (1972) as well as a guest appearance on Red (1974), the final King Crimson album of the 1970s. He subsequently worked with The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Dire Straits, Eric Clapton and many others, before returning to King Crimson in 2014.

GAVIN HARRISON joined King Crimson in 2007, playing a series of dates in the USA the following year. A respected author and tutor, he has also recorded three albums with The Pineapple Thief, though Harrison is probably best-known for his work with Porcupine Tree. Modern Drummer magazine placed him in their Top 50 Drummers Of All Time.

PAT MASTELOTTO joined King Crimson in 1994 after working with Robert Fripp and David Sylvian. A member of the hugely successful American 1980s group and MTV favourites, Mr. Mister, he is at home in both experimental music working with KTU as well as pop and rock appearing on albums by The Rembrandts, Hall And Oates and XTC.

JEREMY STACEY is a British drummer. His early work included the 1990s band, The Lemon Trees (with twin brother Paul Stacey on guitars, Guy Chambers and others) and Denzil. He has also played with Sheryl Crow, the Finn Brothers, Nick Harper, Noel Gallagher, and many more. On March 7, 2016, it was announced that he would be taking the place of Bill Rieflin as the centre drummer on the 2016 King Crimson European tour, a position he retained even after Rieflin's return to the band.

BILL RIEFLIN is a multi-instrumentalist but is primarily known for his drumming with Ministry and industrial rock outfit KMFDM. From 2003 until their dissolution in 2011 he played drums with REM. He recorded with Robert Fripp on Birth Of A Giant and The Repercussions Of Angelic Behaviour (both 1999) and most recently in the ambient super-group, Slow Music in 2006 and 2014.

THE SENTENCE PREMIERES OCT 15 ON HBO

Drawing from hundreds of hours of footage, filmmaker Rudy Valdez shows the aftermath of his sister Cindy’s 15-year sentence for conspiracy charges related to crimes committed by her deceased ex-boyfriend—something known, in legal terms, as “the girlfriend problem.”

Valdez’s method of coping with this tragedy is to film his sister’s family for her, both the everyday details and the milestones—moments Cindy herself can no longer share in.

But in the midst of this nightmare, Valdez finds his voice as both a filmmaker and activist, and he and his family begin to fight for Cindy’s release during the last months of the Obama administration’s clemency initiative.

Whether their attempts will allow Cindy to break free of her draconian sentence becomes the aching question at the core of this deeply personal portrait of a family in crisis.

HBO WILL AIR THE SENTENCE ON OCTOBER 15 PRECEDED BY AN OSCAR QUALIFYING THEATRICAL RUN BEGINNING OCTOBER 12