This is rather exciting news via an e-mail from Pink Flag today. Wire are looking into producing a documentary about Wire.
If they're looking for funding (as mentioned in the message), I'm sure some of us would be willing to, to coin a phrase, 'cough up' a bit towards it. I know I would.
I'll be glad to contribute financially. But I'd also like to point out that there should be footage of Wire in Bologna (Palazzo dei Congressi) of a concert during the Ideal Copy tour. I remember distinctly Red Ronnie having a cameraman shooting at least part of the concert. I don't know whether Wire have any contact with Red Ronnie (I don't), but I remember having the impression that this was agreed with the band (the camera was in the middle of the seating area.. professional look to it all). This should be the time when Robert Grey had a very minimal kit (bass drum, snare, hi-hat) if I remember correctly.
I think it's a great idea - rather than the typical Rockumentary approach it's Wire by Wire (or maybe WIRE X WIRE?) I'm sure a Kickstarter or Pledge thing would work, maybe do the tried and tested thing to with incentives to get a credit on the film or pre-order a signed copy of the DVD/Blu Ray, extra material or whatever for in return for kicking some dollar into the pot. I'm pleased Wire have resisted crowd-funding their albums - to me it puts the fans in the Record Company/A&R role and that doesn't seem appropriate for Wire - but for a project like this it makes sense.
I'd guess if you were making a traditional doc some of the the biggest challenges would be getting certain footage and music cleared for use in the film. I'm aware that's either massively delayed or killed off similar projects but given Wire's roots in fine Art I'm sure they can come up with novel ways of working around whatever material they can use (and hopefully not resorting to using stock footage - that 'Oil City Confidential' thing has been done to death).
Clearly we're not going to get The Beatles Anthology with a comprehensive career overview and all the footage we could wish for (or are we??!) but what I'd like is for this thing, whatever it turns out to be - to reflect not only the music but the humour and and the artiness and strangeness of the band that reeled me in the first place. The best music documentaries tell an interesting story and/or get the uninitiated fascinated in the subject - that's all it needs to do really.
Colin has a copy if the footage I made of the I Saw You gig as Wir at Clapham Grand Graham has S-VHS footage of them recording Bell is a Cup and the US tour that followed So all that could be put in the mix
Apologies that I am late to the ball here, but I'd suggest Pledge Music would be an ideal place to help sub and then develop real pledge money and interest in this project. I would also not be against the idea of special CD pledges for an album if the band wanted to develop this also. I have recently pledged for serveral band projected albums and received special editions, signed copies etc. Whilst I have also pldeged for the Stranglers documentary DVD due out this year. A Wire docu pldedge is worth some consideration.
There some issues with customers not getting what they paid for from the recent Ladytron pledge thingy. I've seen a statement Pledge Music put out talking about cash flow problems.
You may all wish to know that tickets for the 'Pledger's Party' are now available on Wegottickets. Free to attend, but you need to reserve. They'll be showing footage on the day.
I think this is going to need a boost somehow, judging by the amount raised so far. I'm sure we've all made our pledges, but it's still nearly fifty grand short.
Perhaps folks (unlike me) who use some of the more high profile 'social media' platforms can post something about it on those to make it more widely known?
I wonder whether the debacle surrounding Pledge is putting people off crowdfunding campaigns. As someone still waiting for Pledge products I know I'm reluctant to get involved again
Yep - I totally agree. I almost certainly will contribute, but I'm just a touch wary following the Pledge mess. What do other people think? Of course I want to see the film made, but...
So, presumably, not meeting the target just means less money available to make the film that will be produced regardless? There's still the launch party coming up to give it a shot in the arm. And to be honest, Wire could do worse than stick it prominently on the Pink Flag home page, rather than the 'Latest News' being about the Harvest trilogy reissue.
Interesting. Looks to be an error though. You can get the 154 Bruce/Graham EP test pressing for a grand or two grand with no discernible difference between the two as far as I can tell. It's two grand for the Colin/Robert test pressing so maybe the one grand version should be something else entirely?