WIREWire are the definitive post-punk band.
Whilst many of their new wave peers nostalgically trade on 70s hits, Wire refuse to look back, remaining focussed on the future and making new work which is, in the words of The Quietus "defiantly modern". For the first time Wire are collaborating on a feature documentary about themselves. Directors Malcolm Boyle and Graham Duff are working with the band to create a film that has the humour, unpredictability, surrealist edge and creative agility of a Wire song. The name of this documentary is People In A Film. 
FILM UPDATE March 2023!
The news Wire fans and Crowdfunders have been waiting for - Underground Head Films have completed the first cut of People In A Film! Graham Duff and Malcolm Boyle are just about to send it to the band. Expect more news very soon of the film being moved towards final cut and release. We're extremely excited! FILM UPDATE September 2022! Covid, warfare and cost-of-living crisis notwithstanding; Underground Head Films have at last been back out on the road doing the final shoots for People In A Film! Not just out on the road, flying back to the States to undertake thrilling shoots in Washington DC and Chicago. We had to flee New York in March 2020 as Covid swept across the city, jumping in the taxi to JFK to discover a completely empty departure lounge apart from ourselves. Trump had shut flights from the EU, America was in panic and Times Square was empty on Saturday afternoon besides a mournful street act Penguin. We had been due to go to Washington DC to interview Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi. However this was scotched once we had it confirmed from trusty camera op Matt Hickinbottom's insider mate that flights were being shut down internationally. So we fled while we could. At last, after two years, on the 10th August Matt and I went to Dischord House to conduct the postponed interview with the legendary Ian. He was as fierce, articulate and opinionated as you might hope, and has seasoned the film with a mighty dose of DC-style Hardcore Punk. MacKaye was particularly good on articulating the template and catalyst that Wire's Pink Flag had acted as for the entire DC Hardcore scene. His timeline of how that lightning had been conducted via the rod of Bad Brains into Minor Threat and thus the NYC scene via Thurston Moore and the Grunge scene via teenage DC Hardcore fan Dave Grohl was arresting and underscored the significance of Wire to the US scene. We then flew to Chicago to interview firstly Jim DeRogatis. Jim is not only the author of Kaleidoscope Eyes - the best book on psychedelic music - and such tomes as the Lester Bangs biography; he was also drummer for Ex Lion Tamers, who famously opened for Wire on their first US tour covering the entirety of Wire's debut Pink Flag, thus saving Wire the bother of playing "the hits". Oh and he just happens to be the journalist who broke the R. Kelly story, then pursued him till justice was done. That kind of guy. Lastly and quite magnificently, we spent the following day in Chicago interviewing the reputable Steve Albini. Steve had so much to say on Wire, their overweaning influence on his own musical work, and the way in which Wire affect the way in which he approaches songwriting and studio work. With this excellent and satisfying trip, we have just about completed shooting on People In A Film. The edit is already well under way. Global situation-caused delays in carrying out the USA shoot mean our first cut is more likely to be delivered mid-Autumn now. But it has gained so much in depth and breadth from what we now have, it will be well worth the delay. More news soon! CROWDFUNDING UPDATE: We did it! Our Summer 2019 Crowdfunding campaign made £60, 707! That's 101% of our target!! Thanks to all of you whose generosity has now made it possible to complete shooting. We hope to do this by Spring 2020. Read all about the campaign and our remarkable crowd at crowdfunder.co.uk/wirefilm NEW PARTNERS! Huge thanks and welcome to our new investors and partners the excellent alternative label mital-U! Their vision and generosity in combination with our Crowdfunders has ensured we can be confident of seeing this exciting project through to fruition. Read more about mital-U's involvement here, and while you're there, check out their unique discography: http:///mital-u.ch/wire-film/ GET INVOLVED You can help make this documentary about this most unique and influential of British bands happen. Initial shooting has already started, capturing Wire in the legendary Rockfield Studios recording a new album, as well as extensive in-depth interviews with Colin Newman, Graham Lewis, Robert Grey, Matt Simms and Bruce Gilbert. We've also shot footage of a special one off event which reunited Wire's original line-up. Thanks to our Crowdfunders and partners, we can now complete all shooting on the film. We're now seeking supporters to help us complete the final stage of the film. We need to complete the edit and dubbing theatre mix, and cover copyright clearances. We hope to draw together the international community of Wire fans, music documentary viewers and lovers of music and cutting-edge culture who would be fascinated to see inside a group of artists who continue to leave such a distinctive mark on modern music and culture. Our Crowdfunders have already raise over £60, 000! If you missed the campaign and would like to contribute, please donate here via this button. Your money will be put to good use! |
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