The Wrecking Crew comes to Pinellas

The St. Petersburg College Innovation Lab and the Music Industry and Recording Arts program are bringing a screening of The Wrecking Crew, and a talk by producer, director Denny Tedesco, to the Sundial 19 Muvico on April 24th at 6:30 PM.

After the screening there will be a reception with question and answer session with Tedesco at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret at 9 PM. Admission is free for St. Petersburg College students with student ID. A suggested ten dollar donation supports the Music Industry and Recording Arts program scholarship fund.

The movie tells the story of the session musicians behind the super groups of the sixties and seventies including The Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Papas, and the Byrds. The film was shown to critical acclaim on the festival circuit, opened theatrically on 113 screens, and will be released on DVD in June. The soundtrack and a coffee table book are also releasing soon. This reporter had the opportunity to interview Denny Tedesco last week on his work with The Wrecking Crew and his life with his father who was a member of the wrecking crew.

Chris Demmons: What was it like growing up with your father?

Denny Tedesco: I didn’t know what my father did for the longest time, he just went to work like any other dad. He didn’t even play guitar in the house until the 70s when he was working on his own jazz album. These guys played for 12 to 14 hour shifts doing three to four sessions a day, when they got home they were ready to take it easy.

CD: Do you feel like your father and the other musicians in the Wrecking Crew are finally getting the recognition they deserve?

DT: Absolutely! My dad played guitar because he loved it, not for the recognition, but it’s always nice to have. Especially as a lot of these musicians are getting into their 70s and 80s, and this is a great way for them to remember their time on the crew.

CD: How does it feel to be releasing The Wrecking Crew (on DVD) after such a successful run at the festivals?

DT: We release on DVD in June. Everyone told me “you’ll never get the licensing.” We kept going, then we had the Kickstarter, and Magnolia Pictures picked us up. We went from releasing in five theaters to 113.

CD: What have you heard from audiences that have seen the film?

DT: Audiences really affected by it. Every song is a bookmark in someone’s life. This movie was important to my story as well, as I was losing my father while we were making the film.

CD: Anything else you would like to tell our readers?

DT: You can see the movie on iTunes or video on demand, but watching it in a theater with an audience is the way to see it. People react to the movie, music is a collective emotion. I’ve seen it as I’ve showed the film around the world, kids in their teens know the songs. I also love that this is helping MIRA, and the next generation of musicians. That’s very important to me.

Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see The Wrecking Crew as it was meant to be seen, with a talk and question and answer with producer, director Denny Tedesco! Join us at the Sundial Muvico 19 at 6:30 this Friday for the film, and at the Palladium Side Door Cabaret at 9 PM for the reception.