c: http://twentyfeetfromstardom.com/
It’s a rainy Sunday in Vienna and time to watch some soulful movies, on this search we came up with Twenty Feet From Stardom, released in 2013, the movie won 2014 the Academy Award for best documentary and it truly deserves it. This movie gives you goosebumps by listening to the fabulous voices of the backup-singers that actually outreach most of the leadsingers. It’s also a travel back in the history of music, from the showing up of the first back-up singers to the boom of them in the 60ies and 70ies. But besides all the glamour and glory of the show-business it clearly paints the picture of the backup-singers as the shadows on the most influencing songs of all times, but their name simply doesn’t show up. Giving them only memories and maybe now, after all, with this movie the earned appreciation. The stories covered in the movie are numerous and just to state some of the singers, because this piece also gives us a wonderful inspiration for new tracklists feat. this great artists. Under these are Darlene Love, Lisa Fischer, Táta Vega, Cissy Houston, Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, ….
It’s the transformative sound coming out of the backup singers mouth that also portrayed the struggle of black people, for instance the song “Sweet Home Alabama” giving hope to the black communities in the South struggling for equal rights. World famous artists like Sting, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger talk about their backup-singers which often stay the same over decades, giving their songs the “special” something and giving them the freedom to breath new life into it. For instance the song of the Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”, which was inflamed by the female backup vocals and gained its tremendous power through it.
So indeed it’s to say that these voices, so pure and honest do the music!
They bring this spiritual power, which exists in the American Gospels, onto stage and therefore often the memories of the best concerts come back to the inspiring backup-vocal-artists. Because they embody this supernatural power that springs from music. The Gospel choir is indeed often the starting point of the backup-singers career.
So to say watch it and enjoy it, (in Austrian Cinemas from **25. April 2014 **on)
“Thank you and good night!”