Rock stars have long been a staple of the movies and the latest addition to this long list of bands behaving badly is Aldous Snow and Infant Sorrow, stars of Apatow latest laugh-out-loud comedy, GET HIM TO THE GREEK rocking its way onto DVD and Blu-ray on November 1st.
Reuniting Jonah Hill and Russell Brand with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller, GET HIM TO THE GREEK is the story of a record company intern with two days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert.
As the countdown to the concert begins, Aaron must navigate a minefield of London drug deals, New York City brawls and Vegas lap dances to deliver his charge safe and, sort of, sound. He may have to coax, lie to, enable and party with Aldous, but Aaron will get him to the Greek.
With Aldous Snow being the latest in a long line of fictional film rockers, we thought we’d take a look back at the other fictional axe heroes that have been battling it out to stake their claim as the ultimate fictional rock god in film.
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Dewey Cox Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Dewey’s is an epic tale of humble roots, musical acclaim, success, failure, drugs, drink, women and accidently cutting your brother in half with a machete which in no way mirrors the life of Johnny Cash. Honest. Did The Man In Black ever write protest songs for dwarfs or marry his 12-year old girlfriend? No, I thought not. Johnny could have learned a lot from Dewey Cox.
Wyld Stallyns Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
There’s a lot of pressure in passing a history report without finding out that if you fail, your band - which will one day bring an end to war and poverty, align the planets, bring them into universal harmony and allowing meaningful contact with all forms of life is toast. It’s just as well that these two San Dimas dunces had future dude Rufus to lend a helping hand. Oh, and a time-travelling phone box. Party on dudes.
Dewey Finn - School Of Rock
If you want to learn to rock, you gotta start learning young that’s the philosophy wannabe rock star Dewey Finn took into the classroom when he conned in way into a teaching job. And who better to help him achieve his dream but his impressionable young students and thus School Of Rock was born. When did power sliding get added to the National Curriculum?
Aldous Snow Get Him To The Greek
The very definition of rock n’ roll excess, Aldous Snow doesn’t do anything by halves. He’s got more drugs than Boots, drinks like a fish and his song African Child was labelled "the worst thing to happen to Africa since the apartheid". Still he’s got a softer side he loves his young son Naples and his dear old Mum and he sure knows how to win over a crowd, putting on the sort of show that would make Freddie Mercury proud.
Spinal Tap This Is Spinal Tap
These British icons were filmed for a documentary during their 1982 US tour which was a shambles to say the least with the band getting lost en route to the stage and a cock-up over the size of a Stonehenge stage prop just two of the highlights. But they’re still going strong today and even played Glastonbury just last year and are without doubt the greatest rock band to ever ply their trade on the big screen.
The Dan Band The Wedding Crashers / Starsky and Hutch / The Hangover
Event bands are usually harmless enough but this bunch of LA musos certainly liven up any birthday or Bat Mitzvah they’re hired to play. And when we say ‘liven up’ we mean either perform the most inappropriate song possible or drop a smattering of swear words into an popular classic while no-one is looking, like their hilarious take on Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart Coz I Fu*&ckin need you here tonight, I Fu*&ckin need you more than ever!. Book them at your own risk!
Marvin Berry and The Starlighters - Back To The Future
Who knew that a kid from mid-‘80s California invented pop music? Well if Marty McFly hadn’t popped back to 1955 and got the band playing the local prom to pick up a blues riff in B, watch me for the changes and just try and keep up, we may never have discovered rock n’ roll. And thank God bandleader Marvin had the presence of mind to call his cousin Chuck and let him listen down the phone.
Strange Fruit - Still Crazy
After years in the wilderness, this aging bunch of prog-rockers reformed to give it one last go in the late ‘90s despite the apparent death of inspirational guitarist Brian. A low key European tour was beset by all kinds of trouble but the Fruits finally found their groove and Brian, who’d been holed at a mental hospital - at the Wisbeach Festival where the rain held off and the crowd demanded four encores. Ah, we do love a happy ending.
Vesuvius The Rocker
After twenty years in the business, hard rockers Vesuvius were at the top of the game. Legions of fans, countless gold records and more spandex than can be considered healthy, their induction to the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame was to be their crowning glory. Until it became obvious they were miming and the crowd turned against them. Bad Vesuvius.
Sex Bob-Omb Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
What do you get when you mix a trio of post-punk rockers and an evil genius who’s controlling an army of evil exes? Well a kick-ass Battle Of The Bands, that’s what. As well as rocking some sweet tunes, Sex Bob-Omb took the Katayanagi twins to school during their epic showdown and provided the backing music as Scott faced off against nemesis Gideon Graves. Sex Bob-Omb = Pretty Awe-Some.
GET HIM TO THE GREEK Available to buy on Blu-ray and DVD from 1st November 2010.
