Title: ‘TIL YOUR MAINLINE COMES
Produced by: Steve Coleridge (UK)
Directors: Steve Coleridge
Documentary Series
Length: 45″min
Format: .MOV
Shoting Camera:Sony XXXXX – 70mm
‘TIL YOUR MAINLINE COMES
A long journey through the veins of Lousiana in the USA, narrated and lived in 1989 by Steve Coleridge, in a discovery through the mysteries and reveal the true story behind the life of artists of the Swamp Blues.
Synopsis
In 1964 I saved up my 32 and six and bought the Rolling Stones first album. We’d been talking about it at school for weeks. One of the things that intrigued me once I got home was the first track Side Two, I’m a King Bee. I read the back of the album like an archaeologist who had just discovered the Rosetta Stone, not one detail escaped me. However, some 25 years later I still knew nothing of the mysterious Slim Harpo, writer of the song. Consequently I wrote a letter to the editor of a magazine suggesting I should do some research into this mysterious figure. But I had no idea what I would find there, in Louisiana – birthplace of the blues. Between 1989 and 1992 I saw it all, and captured the journey of blues in this documentary: the legends, the history and the artists behind the scenes of the real blues music that nobody knows..
LOUISIANA:
THE LAND OF THE SWAMP BLUES.
Swamp Blues is a subgenre of blues music that originated in the swamps and bayous of Louisiana. It’s characterized by its raw, gritty sound and often features harmonica, guitar, and vocals with lyrics that reflect the struggles and experiences of the people in the region. Some notable artists associated with this genre include Slim Harpo, Lazy Lester, and Lightnin’ Slim. On the journey ” ‘Til Your Mainline Comes ” you will discover this music running through the veins of Louisiana and producers like Mike Vernon and Jay D. Miller gives us exclusive interviews about their lives and experience at the time when they found and brought to the world golden artists that influence remains today and is clear in music from, like, The Rolling Stones and many more great artists. The documentary included plus a d authentic interview with Clarence Edwards, Tabby Thomas and Slim Harpo’s wife, Lovelle Casey Harpo.All of this brings us a clear look behind the curtain of this unique atmosphere, where these characters reveal the real stories and the journey of the artists that helped to create the world-renowned Louisiana Swamp Blues sound. You will never listen to the blues the same way.
Reasons for “‘Til Your Mainline Comes”
Its been 35 years since this film was created and the biggest reason this production is alive is the fact that the Blues has never stopped bringing influence and dictating directions to the music industry. Many blues mysteries have only existed and died in Louisiana, and this film
brings them to life. In addition, this trip being a watershed in understanding information about Slim Harpo and his songs, and having exclusive interviews from great music producers such as Jay D Miller (who helped create styles like Cajun Blues, Swamp Blues, and Swamp Pop recordings that influenced American popular culture) and Mike Vernon (who produced artists like Bluesbreakers, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, John Mayall). This documentary also reveals artists such as Clarence Edwards, Tabby Thomas and others, bringing an understanding of where the Blues are making their way from Louisiana to the world.
Word from the Director’s
“The Swamp Blues is more than a genre of blues music, it’s a creation of legends that I had the privilege of making my journey through.
Louisiana was my destiny for long years and still brings to my desire to discover more and more, because this is pure music history as you can see in this documentary.”
SOLUTIONS:
- Exclusive Interviews with Jay D Miller, Mike Vernon, Tabby Thomas, Clarence Edwards.Lovelle Casey, Jesse Kinchen and more artists from Louisiana that reveal behind the scenes of Swamp Blues and history about the legend Slim Harpo. ● Copyright images and interviews authorizations.
- Original Soundtrack recorded by SideTrack Record – Steve Coleridge with Clarence Edward, Paul Orta, Cora Jefferson and more local artists.
- A large network in Louisiana to extract more content, information and complements. ● Possibility of new shots, testimonies from Steve Coleridge and Mike Vernon to remake all journeys.
PACKAGE OF PLUSES/PROPERTY
Soundtrack : Side Track Records – Original Songs – Copyright
Interviews: Jay D Miller, Mike Vernon, Tabby Thomas, Clarence Edwards, Lovelle Casey, Jesse Kinchen.
FORMAT/AUDIENCE/SECTOR
All content is shot, we have a lot of archival footage, plus we are using footage from the history between 1989 to 1992. There are interviews that will be an extra treatment and impact in the film. The soundtrack is already recorded and available in the soundtrack. The cinematography style will be a mix of vintage (interviews) and cinematic footages. ● Format: Documentary Série .
- Audience: Music, Entertainment, Journalism, History.
- Sector: Streaming, BBC, Vimeo, Festivals (IDFA, Reel, Sheffield, Open City)
EPISODES
Each episode of Till Your Mainline Comes focuses on a different history from the artist legends of Louisiana when Steve gather evidence, interview witnesses, and ultimately records from these artists. The documentary series will also explore the personal lives and relationships of the characters, providing a deeper understanding of their motivations and stories.
Interviewers Quotes:
In this documentary it is possible to go through history and many points of view to draw your own conclusions through the facts. And many are delivered in each chapter..
Chaper 1: 4”53′ – Mike Vernon
“Swamp blues was used generally back in the day to cover musical endeavors from the west of Louisiana to the east of Texas. It covered a number of different genres; there was strictly blues, rhythm and blues, zydeco, cajun, a little country and western, and there was also Swamp Pop. It could’ve been Jay Miller who first coined the phrase (Swamp Pop), or Mike ledbitter or John Broven, who were all part of Blues Unlimited in the late 60s and into the 70s. It had a distinctive sound about it; Jay used a lot of reverb and delays. With the help of people like Lazy Lester who was very good at doing percussive work, he created a sound that was totally unique.” – Mike Vernon
Chapter 2 – 11:06 – Jay D. Miller
“I went to Los Angeles, Hollywood, and he (Slim Harpo) had just done Rainin’ In My Heart which did well. I gave him 25%, and the thing hit. You hear all kinds of stories about that; he wrote it and I stole it. I bought his 25% that I’d given him. Nobody wanted him before, nobody had even taken the time to listen to him. Frankly speaking, what sold him was his gimmick, that nasal sound.” – Jay D Miller
Chapter 2 – 11:37 – Lovelle Casey Harpo
“Rainin’ in My Heart…yeah..well…the man (Jay) really wasn’t straight. He knew all about the business. He admitted this is gonna be a gold record. I don’t know what he told James, but that particular time when he went for the recording session I didn’t go with him, but I remember telling him: ‘Please, don’t give Miller Rainin’ in My Heart’..” – Lovelle Casey (Harpo`s wife)
Chapter 2 – 6:27 – Clarence Edwards
“I love the blues, I always have. Blues has got a meaning to it. But you really can’t sing blues unless you have had some kind of problem down through life. That’s why I can really sing the blues; I’ve been up and down, you know.” – Clarence Edwards.