As impeccably painted by documentary filmmaker Staci Layne Wilson in her chronicle of the seismic influence the band The Ventures had on rock and roll and pop culture, I emerged from witnessing the film with the most unique of visions. Here goes … the iconic rockers are the “Abraham” of modern music. Know how all religions can trace their heritage back to biblical Abe?
The Ventures were founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle in 1959 in Tacoma, Washington. Along the way, the band provided inspiration through their elevated (and often experimental) musical mastery for a cornucopia of artists. They even paved the way for entire musical subgenres. Making that point, in the film, is guitar virtuoso Jimmy Page (of Led Zeppelin), who stated that, “The Ventures are in the blueprint of rock and roll.”
You can’t get any headier than that, man. I mean, they are the number-one bestselling instrumental rock group of all time!
What is so striking about rock and roll docs, in particular, is how organic the entire process is for everything from the members coming together, what each musician brings/brought to the group and the landscape of our culture being ripe and fertile for their influence to spread like a wildfire. That was certainly the case for The Ventures, and that is meticulously and judiciously laid out by filmmaker Wilson. One of the more delightful pieces of insight arrives near the beginning of the film and concerns the group’s desperate need for a manager. Don Wilson’s mom, Josie Wilson, stepped up and took the mantle and possessed the perfect mettle that has proven to be as integral to their budding success as the intricacy of their pick methods. At that time, rock and roll was still very much seen as an evil by many in the world, particularly parents. Therefore, the mere suggestion that one of the groups’ mum would step up to become their manager, that could not have been a bigger shot in the arm of confidence for these young men. What else comes through Staci’s endearing film is how beloved her grandmother Josie was by the band and those who knew The Ventures and their rock and roll trajectory.
Context is everything when it comes to any documentary. Wilson scored enormously with the insight provided by rock and pop culture legends that run the gamut in terms of their musical stylings and decades of influence. The entire narrative of Stars on Guitars is set in motion and deeply enriched by these entertaining and enlightening interviews with musical stalwarts such as Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (fabled guitar player who pushed the envelope with his work on The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan), Billy Bob Thornton (Oscar winning actor, sure, but his musical prowess is deeply proficient as well), John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival’s central figure) and Marky Ramone (the keeper of the beat, i.e. the drummer for The Ramones). The gifted filmmaker even scored the insight of the man who penned one of the greatest theme songs in pop culture history, Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible)—whose perspective adds dimensions to The Ventures and their place in the vastness that is modern music’s landscape. Priceless insight also arrives with fresh viewpoints with music’s next generations—Ruiko of The Whys, Liz Brasher, The Neptunas and The Surfrajettes.
Color commentary, for lack of a better phrase, magnificently aides Wilson’s storytelling effort. For example, there’s Del Casher. He adds luminescent contextual hues to a doc about a band who pushed the envelope of what the guitar can bring to any musical endeavor. See, Casher is the inventor of the wah-wah pedal and after experiencing his wisdom, you will never look at the guitar the same way again. Talk about Stars on Guitars!
Another essential interview comes from Pleasant Gehman, aka The Princess of Hollywood. She was the Surfing and Spying album cover model, and as such brings a unique viewpoint to what made The Ventures so special to the public at large. Gehman also humanizes the band with her ability to play both sides of the insight coin—one side as a fan and the other as a participant in the group’s epic journey.
If crafted correctly, documentaries should deeply inform even those who may possess vast knowledge about a subject. Stars on Guitars does that continually. Even the most well versed musical fan can’t help but sit in awe of this progressive musical entity that is The Ventures. These guys have written over 1,000 tracks and recorded over 3,000 songs. Those are some busy bees.
With the palette Wilson was given, what with her star-studded and titanically talented talking heads, it is no wonder that the filmmaker painted a picture that is so boldly enriched with love, the supremist of appreciation and admiration. There is also a shocking amount of historical resonance that had me rethinking what I thought I knew about the progression of rock and roll. Specifically, the exponential evolution of the musical genre map from the last seven decades. After inhaling The Ventures: Stars on Guitars, side effects may include immediately downloading their hits, including Walk, Don’t Run, Hawaii 5-0, Pipeline, Wipeout and Perfidia, as well as trips down memory lane with some of your favorite stars on guitars with that newly discovered link between The Ventures and your favorite guitar-driven groups.
It is an oft utilized phrase in musical circles, heck it was even used in This Is Spinal Tap—the quintessential parody music doc. That is, “We’re big in Japan.” What is so striking in Stars on Guitars,is just howenormous Wilson’s band was and is in the Land of the Rising Sun. There’s big in Japan and then there’s Ventures big in Japan! For example, The Ventures outsold The Beatles for a solid stretch in the Asian country.
If you are a fan of music of any kind, one must seek out Wilson’s film. It’s premiering at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival (HRIFF) on February 12 at 6:15 p.m. In fact, this rock doc rocks so bloody well that the filmmaker Wilson can proudly already announce that her film won Best Documentary Film at HRIFF.
Another thing I’m sure of is that the filmmaker will achieve something truly extraordinary that we may not know about for years … it will happen organically. The thing about film and music is once they are released into the world, they are forever. They are a timeless piece of cultural history that no one can take away. Long after this generation passes and even the next, The Ventures music will be playing somewhere and a boy or girl in some corner of the planet will pick up a guitar or even the drums (hello, Wipeout!) and the world will be gifted another slice of musical genius.
What the filmmaker firmly establishes with her love letter to her father’s band and their richly-earned place in music history, is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ensemble whose influence over music is seismic. After experiencing Wilson’s The Ventures: Stars on Guitars triumphant creativity, my mind went down an It’s a Wonderful Life rabbit hole. I thought, “what if The Ventures never come together and strummed those guitars in the manner with which they did, how vacant would the musical scenery of 2020 be today? One cannot emphasize enough that the band’s shadow looms large over a who’s-who of rock and pop music—and that’s just the musicians! For example, consider The Ventures’ place on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. It would be easy to conclude that certain parts of Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiecewere written with The Ventures blaring somewhere. How different would QT’s film be if Wilson and his mates not picked up their guitars.
The gifts for The Ventures continue long after filmmaker extraordinaire Wilson decreed, “That’s a wrap.” Her father, Don, recently received the Music for Life Award (a lifetime achievement) at the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show 2020.
Grade: A