PBS Presents: “United in Song” encourages our nation to come together and celebrate our irrepressible strength as Americans.
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Roger, a Rasputin-like drifter, is in search of the ultimate indie-rock band, The Transcendents. What he finds is less than transcendent: a band who has all but abandoned society, a host of unpleasant memories, and more questions than answers in search of his own existential fulfillment. Set in the Wonderland of America’s Do-it-Yourself music scene, The Transcendents is a dark comedic fairytale that straddles the line between the absurd and the all too real.
Khorshid lives with his mom in a house near a river somewhere in Tajikistan. Th landlord comes around every morning to ask for the rent. Khorshid has to provide the money or else they’ll have to leave. His blindness has given him an amazing skill in tuning musical instruments which gets him a job at an instrument making workshop. But the problem is That Khorshid is mesmerized by sonorous music all the time; whenever he hears a great musician play, he loses track of time and place. For this, he always gets lost and gets to work late. How is he going to make a balance between his love of music and his task as a breadwinner?
Approaching age 50, singer/songwriter Nico leads a solitary existence, far from her days as a Warhol superstar and celebrated vocalist for the Velvet Underground in the 1960s. Her life and career on the fringes, Nico’s new manager convinces her to hit the road again and tour in Europe to promote her latest album. She longs to rebuild a relationship with her son, whose custody she lost long ago.
A look at the creation of The Pogues’ song “Fairytale of New York”.
High school student Daisuke has a crush on classmate Hiromi. On the way to a school trip, the bus with Daisuke has an accident. When Daisuke wakes up, he finds himself in Hell. He asks himself “Why only me? I’m too you young to die and I’ve never experienced a kiss.” Then, Killer K appears in front of the confused Daisuke. Killer K leads the rock band Heruzu from Hell Agricultural High School. To return to the living and confess his feelings to Hiromi, Daisuke’s hell rounds begin under Killer K’s special training.
Belgian pop star Angèle reflects on her life and hopes as she finds balance amid the tears, joys and loneliness of fame. Told through her own words.
With a narrative running deeper than a catchy tune and cryptic verses, “American Pie” is a musical phenomenon woven deep into the history of American culture, entertaining audiences around the world for over 50 years. This documentary tells the stories of the people who were a part of this moment from the beginning, shows the point of view of a new generation of artists who are motivated by the same values and ideas that inspired the song’s creation, and highlights cultural moments in America’s history that are as relevant now as they were in 1971, when the song was released.
“Ring of Fire” recounts June’s meteoric rise to fame with The Carter Family, considered the First Family of country music, before breaking out on her own to perform, when she would become a legend in her own right. Taking a personal look at June’s first two marriages, life with her daughters and touching relationship with her son, the movie showcases her infamous courtship with Cash and June’s heroic role in saving his life during his battles with substance abuse, as well as how her unwavering faith in God, confidence and talent has taught lessons to generations.
America’s Blues takes a new angle on the Blues, focusing on, not only the musical impact it has had on all forms of Popular American Music, but also the influence it has had on art, fashion, language, film and racial equality.
A look at the life and work of the Austrian composer who pioneered the musical scoring of films – hundreds of them – from King Kong, to Gone with the Wind, to Casablanca and beyond.
James Lavelle played his first DJ set at 14, launched pioneering record label Mo’Wax at 18 and released the genre defining UNKLE album Psyence Fiction at 22. His phenomenally rapid rise seemed limitless, but it’s only when you’re going so fast that the wheels fall off. The Man from Mo’Wax tells the remarkable story of one of the most enigmatic yet influential figures in contemporary British culture. Unearthed from over 700 hours of footage including exclusive personal archive spanning three decades, we get the rare opportunity to watch a boy become a man in the world of music. The result is an exhilarating, no holds-barred ride into the life of an extraordinary man and an equally extraordinary era, taking in some decidedly flawed decision-making (both personal and professional), Lavelle emerges as an innovative artist who thinks big and consistently overcomes adversity.
In 1950s Alabama, the owner of the Honeydripper juke joint finds his business dropping off and against his better judgment, hires a young electric guitarist in a last ditch effort to draw crowds during harvest time.