THE HISTORY OF ROCK 'N' ROLL: GUITAR HEROES & THE '70S (HAVE A NICE DECADE)

Details

• Release Year: 2004
• Genre: Documentary
• Plot: GUITAR HEROES; It's remarkable to think that if Les Paul and Leo Fender hadn't developed the electric guitar, rock 'n' roll might never have been.; Guitar Heroes celebrates the role this instrument has played in the history of rock, focusing on famous pioneers -- from Chuck Berry, seen blazing through 'Johnny Be Good' to Jimmy Page, captured in full flight with Led Zeppelin -- as wll as such unsung heroes as rockabilly virtuoso James Burton, demonstrating his famous solo on Ricky Nelson's 'Hello Mary Lou'. Pete Townshend displays his brute force on the Who's 'Baba O' Riley', and describes how he coppied his trademark windmill arm moves from a blissfully ignorant Keith Richards. Vintage footage shows Richards knocking out a version of 'The Last Time' with the Rolling Stones, while Mark Knopfler highlights a morre cerebral style with Dire Straits. Eddie Van Halen, Guns 'n' Roses' Slash and Jimmi Hendrix all show how to unlock what Townsend calls the 'physical poetry' of the electric guitar. 'it's a weapon', Townsend Concludes. And it comquered the world. -- JOHN MORTHLND; ; THE 70S: HAVE A NICE DECADE; The '70s: Have a Nice Decade recaptures the highs and lows of rock's glamour years. With elaborate recording sessions and the showiest stage acts, rock 'n' roll had nev been bigger -- but the sheer scale of it began to distort the music's identity as an outsider's art form. Years down the line, some of the era's biggest stars pointedly question the decade and it's music: here the Who's Pete Townshend admits his dislike of Led Zeppelin, and funk star George Clinton dismisses disco ('It's like making love with one stroke'). Film footage captures David Bowie in Ziggy Stardust garb -- and an admission that his alter ego was a put on -- and Peter Frampton entertains 75,000 screaming fans . later recalling the harrowing impact of superficial and fleeting fame.; This candid look back also honors legends from Duane Allman and Stevie Wonder to BobMarley and the Walters. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant recount Led Zeppelin's origins with a rare clip from 1969, the elusive Steely Dan performs and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour discribes making Dark Side of the Moon. And bringing down the house: a full throttle rendition of 'Quarter to Three' from Bruce Springsteen. -- Jim Miller
• Cast: Marc J. Sachnoff
• Director: Marc J. Sachnoff
• Runtime: 2:00
• Company: Time Life, QDE Productions, Warner Bros., Telepictures Productions
• Media Format: movie