(For Immediate Release – November 28, 2005) Toronto, Ontario - Markham Street Films Inc. announces today the DVD release of their Gemini Award-winning documentary RADIO REVOLUTION: The Rise & Fall of The Big 8. Available through www.radiorevolutiondvd.com, and select independent retailers in Ontario and Michigan, the feature length documentary chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the legendary Windsor, Ontario Top 40 radio station CKLW, otherwise known as ‘The Big 8’.
Written and directed by Michael McNamara and produced by Judy Holm for Markham Street Films Inc., RADIO REVOULTION investigates the international social, political and musical impact of radio station CKLW during the 1960s and 70s. In addition to the 70 minute documentary, the much anticipated DVD features bonus footage including: an in-depth look at the Big 8’s impact on the Detroit music scene, never-before seen footage from the 2002 Big 8 Reunion, anecdotes and outtakes from DJs, CKLW staffers and musical stars and a huge gallery of production photographs, vintage stills and artwork, as well as rare classic sound bites from the ‘Big 8’.
CKLW invented a non-stop, loud and brash programming style that was studied and copied in markets around the world, from LA to New York to London. With fifty thousand watts of radio power blasting out to 12 million listeners across 32 states and 4 provinces, CKLW, ‘The Big 8’, was the giant of pop radio and the most powerful single force in the American music business. But it was, in fact, on the south shore of the Detroit River in a city of 180,000 people – Windsor, Ontario, Canada. And the person in charge of picking the hits? A former CKLW switchboard operator named Rosalie Trombley who was born and raised in Windsor. In those days, young Rosalie had the transmission tower and the music industry power to make or break international acts such as Bob Seger, David Bowie, Elton John, the Temptations, the Four Tops and the MC5.
Through a combination of personal anecdotes from CKLW alumni, memorabilia and recordings, rare never before seen film and photographs of CKLW in it’s heyday, RADIO REVOLUTION sheds new insights into the unique phenomena that was the Big 8.
RADIO REVOLUTION features a powerful soundtrack that includes hits from the glory days of pop radio including music by: Alice Cooper, Funkadelic, Marvin Gaye, The Guess Who, Elton John, Kiss, Wayne Kramer (MC5), Martha and the Vandellas, Scott Morgan (The Rationals), The Ohio Players, Tony Orlando, The Parliaments, Bob Seger, Steppenwolf, The Who, and the phenomenal multi-million selling “The Americans”, as performed by the late CKLW 20/20 newsman Byron MacGregor.
RADIO REVOLUTION had its world premiere at the 2004 South by Southwest Film and Music Festival in Austin, Texas and its television premiere broadcast in April 2004 on History Television Canada. It has since appeared at The San Francisco Documentary Film Festival, The Montreal World Film Festival, The Little Rock Doc Festival and The Orinda Film Festival and was the winner of the 2004 Gemini Award for Best History Documentary.
To Order Please Visit: www.radiorevolutiondvd.com
Markham Street Films Inc. is a production company based in Toronto, Canada, specializing in documentary and feature films. Formed in 2002 by partners Judy Holm and Michael McNamara, Markham Street Films has produced such distinct documentaries as the Gemini Award winning RADIO REVOLUTION: The Rise & Fall of The Big 8 (History Television), the Gemini nominated WRINKLE (CBC), HEARING VOICES: The Lives and Times of Rich Little (CBC), GENUINE ARTICLE: The First Trial (The Documentary Channel), FLATLY STACKED (TVO & The Doc Channel) and MEET THE SUMDEES (Vision TV). Markham Street Films is currently producing a number of new television documentaries including PENIS DEMENTIA: The Search For the Perfect Penis (Discovery Health & SBS Australia), 100 FILMS & A FUNERAL (The Documentary Channel) and the 6 part series SHRINES & HOMEMADE HOLY PLACES (Vision TV).
www.markhamstreetfilms.com
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Markham Street Films Inc. Tel. 416-536-1390 info@markhamstreet.com
