Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World a must-see film
Earlier this spring while driving, my hand reached for the radio to switch from FM to my beloved AM Buffalo oldies that I prefer unapologetically. Before reaching the button, the menacing, instantly recognizable strain of Link Wray ’s Rumble blasted out of the dashboard.
I found the selection curious. The playing of original rock and roll on mainstream radio is usually reserved for the passing of veterans of the genre and Wray died in 2005. After the brilliant vibrato fade out the announcer talked about a new documentary film,
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World.
I’ve been a huge fan of this stand-alone innovator whose songs my band always includes in our setlist. I feel fortunate to have seen him twice. On his 69th birthday at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto he put his rhythm section, one-third his age, through a gruelling night’s endurance test starting and ending with Rumble,
the commanding title for this truly inspiring, must-see film.
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World is a documentary film about more than Wray and his life-changing instrumental. It includes earlier recording artists, featuring fascinating information about bluesman Charlie Patton.
In the 1920s Patton laid down a mess of sides, 78’s full of veinbulging intensity, songs of heartbreak and humour, attributes of the greatest blues. He is best known for being an originator, a man renowned as one of the pillars of the delta blues, and a mentor to Howlin’ Wolf. Robert Johnson’s blues of the following decade were built on Patton’s blue print.
The film also finally grants some recognition to Jesse Ed Davis, guitarist extraordinaire who played with everybody, making contributions to the work of ’60s and ’70s icons such as Taj Mahal, John Lennon, and George Harrison and as a member of The Faces.
Some might not be aware of the native heritage of a guitar slinger known as Jimi Hendrix. A highlight of Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World is the commentary from Buffy St. Marie and archival footage showcasing her incredible talents. Redbone, featuring brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas, did very well in the world of top 40 rock, scoring hits, making albums and successfully touring for years.
Through a series of interviews and commentary by native and non-native musicians, it appears this is not a subject for dry anecdotes. The insights of Robbie Robertson especially relate to a musical and cultural history that happened so close to home.
While speaking of the music the musicians in this film lean forward in their chairs, hands clenched and in many cases eyes edged with tears. This is generally out of love more than sadness as the producers Steve Salas and Christina Fon wanted a film of pure celebration, dancing a fine line between an important political statement and the joyful abandon of music at its best.
Caught in the grip of hearing Rumble, latter day heroes such as Brother Wayne Kramer and Iggy Pop help put in perspective the far-reaching consequences of the sounds, stitching together a narrative inclusive of delta blues, jazz (the film includes a great section on Mildred Bailey) through to punk and beyond.
A film couldn’t be long enough to do justice to the contributions made and uncredited. It could run
24 hours and just scratch the surface.
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World uses crisp new footage combined with a treasure of historic performances to maximum effect. It’s a thoughtful, engaging and very entertaining film. The pleasure is infectious.
It was directed by Montrealbased filmmakers Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana. Bainbridge had previously produced Reel Injun about the portrayal of Native Americans in movies and on television. Salas and executive producer Tim Johnson collaborated on an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian called Up Where We Belong.