Super Star Dumb

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The field hollers and work songs of American slaves morphed into the blues, which evolved into rhythm and blues as technology advanced. Field Hollers Yield Dollars tells the uniquely American story of the marketing scheme that whitewashed rhythm and blues to create rock and roll.

Episode 5:

The finale of Field Hollers Yield Dollars! Jim speaks about the Soul music of the 1960s, with its deep roots in the passionate gospel songs of the past, and tells us why record labels continue to be relevant despite; file sharing, internet self promotion, and the occasional artist, like Jimi Hendrix, whose talent is impossible to reproduce. Marquise concludes the series by asking Jim about his personal definition of success.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes to get the full series delivered straight to your computer or mobile device!

And be sure to look for Jim in the upcoming DevlinPix music-comedy Super Star Dumb.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes

Previous episode   Next episode

The field hollers and work songs of American slaves morphed into the blues, which evolved into rhythm and blues as technology advanced. Field Hollers Yield Dollars tells the uniquely American story of the marketing scheme that whitewashed rhythm and blues to create rock and roll.

Episode 4:

Jim discusses how the music in the United States at the end of the 50s became lifeless under the control of the music industry. Teen idols were churned out of the machine and onto television, and all the while, young people across the pond were discovering a treasure trove of American blues records from cats like Muddy Waters. The Rolling Stones and the Beatles bring America’s music back to America, but Jim tells us how they ended up managing their careers far better than Elvis did before them.

Check back Tuesday, May 31st for the series finale! Or you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes to get the next episode as soon as it's available!

And be sure to look for Jim in the upcoming DevlinPix music-comedy Super Star Dumb.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes

Previous episode   Next episode

The Blues traces its musical roots to the artists enslaved in the cotton fields of America. In the 1940's and '50s, the Blues evolved with new technology to become Rhythm & Blues. Field Hollers Yield Dollars tells the uniquely American story of how Rhythm & Blues was whitewashed to become Rock & Roll.

Episode 3:

Many consider Rocket 88 to be the very first Rock & Roll record. Jim sheds some light on a period where Sam Phillips was recording this style of raw R&B, with young inexperienced musicians, and reveals what he believes to be the first record that truly deserves the label of Rock & Roll. In this context he also discusses the co-opting of Elvis and how his musical heros were left unremembered, flat broke and busted.

Look for new episodes each week. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or re-visit us for more videos of the series.

And be sure to look for Jim in the upcoming DevlinPix music-comedy Super Star Dumb.

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes

Previous episode   Next episode

The Blues traces its musical roots to the artists enslaved in the cotton fields of America. In the 1940's and '50s, the Blues evolved with new technology to become Rhythm & Blues. Field Hollers Yield Dollars tells the uniquely American story of how Rhythm & Blues was whitewashed to become Rock & Roll.

Episode 2:

While recording R&B legends in his Memphis studio, Sam Phillips discovers his
meal ticket in a marketable white fan named Elvis Presley. Elvis begins his career
reinterpreting his favorite R&B songs, but his emergence begs the question: What was
the first Rock & Roll record and who was the first Rock Star?

Look for new episodes each week. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or re-visit us for more videos of the series.

And be sure to look for Jim in the upcoming DevlinPix music-comedy Super Star Dumb.

Next episode

Take a tour inside Jim Wood's famous Record Room in this exclusive clip from the upcoming Music Comedy by DevlinPix, Superstardumb.

This is the setting for our new series, which we're very excited to launch today.  Field Hollers Yield Dollars is the uniquely American story of how Rhythm and Blues was whitewashed to become Rock and Roll.

With profound love of the music and encyclopedic knowledge of the era, Jim Wood adds insight, surprises, humor and controversy to a frank discussion of a history you only thought you knew.   In this first episode Jim talks to Marquise Stillwell about the transition from early “race” records to Rhythm and Blues music, and we meet Little Walter and hear his amazing electric harp!

Look for new episodes each week. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or re-visit us for more videos of the series.

And be sure to look for Jim in the upcoming Super Star Dumb.

Next Episode  Previous Episode

How fantastic to be able to find anything! Who wouldn’t want a pair of those glasses? But the temptation to find lost youth can be bittersweet.

A few friends of the director, Paul Devlin,  made the music for The Eyes of St. Anthony.  Rob Wagner and Billy Donohue of The Blasés composed and performed the jaunty guitar and piano music associated with Tony including the poignant piece during the attic scene. John Kayne, guitar player for The Loaded Poets, composed and performed the eerily, etheral music associated with Shah and the glasses.  And Tony’s mother’s house was actually the home of Jim Wood, also of Loaded Poets and star of Paul Devlin’s upcoming movie Superstardumb.

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Posted by Paul Devlin:

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High-energy, lot’s of fun and a sense of humor.  Love this video!

The Deal are good friends of mine from high school.  In fact, I was the one who put the band together by introducing them to one another – their first rehearsal was in my parents’ basement.  They’re still together, now as the Loaded Poets, and are the subject of my next project Super Star Dumb: A Music Comedy.  Check out the intro here.

This video was edited by my brother Ted Devlin “aka Tom”.  Rockin’ Brunswick was the first project I ever edited on video.  I started spending all my time at the University of Michigan’s Media Center, learning the old 3/4” tape-to-tape equipment from scratch. Starting out with a one-hour documentary was ambitious, and I soon became overwhelmed.  Ted offered to help out by editing a couple videos at MIT where he was going to school.

He did a really great job!

Stay tuned next week for more  Rockin’ Brunswick as we introduce The Nullset!
The DVD of the complete movie is also available here!

Posted by Paul Devlin:

Watch this introductory clip from our work-in-progress, Super Star Dumb.

I’ve been friends with the main character Jim Wood since kindergarten. He’s a dynamic personality – one of those guys we all know who’s so talented that he should be famous. I tried to develop a character based on him in a script. Then I realized – why fictionalize him? I’ve got the real thing right in front of me. I started shooting 10 years ago.

It’s been fascinating to watch the narrative threads that emerge when following a gifted friend over 10 years – the life changes in his music, career, and family develop into universal themes that resonate for all creative people who struggle with the tension between pursuing art and pursing fame.

We’re deep into the edit of Super Star Dumb and will continue to post clips as they emerge.  Stay tuned and watch the story develop!