The 2018 Raindance Film Festival’s most popular screening is ‘Rise: Story Of Augustines’ which not only sold out two performances but was also moved to The Vue Picadilly’s largest theatre. The film itself is a journey which dips in and out of both personal desperation and semi-commercial success. The Augustines and William McCarthy’s triumph, however, is in their story. ‘Rise’ is no Motley Crue Rock Star romp through bright lights, strippers, coke and lear jets, sorry, this story is disturbingly real. The cracks of life are easy to fall in to but almost impossible to escape from and this film will dangle you over the edge by your shaking ankles, so as a viewer you get to see what’s down there in the murky mists below without getting your feet wet.
The (We Are ) Augustines debut album ‘Rise Ye Sunken Ships’ remains a bona fide masterpiece of cathartic release which still causes hairs to stand and eyes to moisten, it really is the most heartfelt record I’ve ever heard. How and more importantly why was it was made holds all the silver screen chaos that unfolds in place and leaves you somewhere between pride, hope and heartbreak. William McCarthy’s brother (James) & mother both committed suicide, James died in the infamous Folsom prison after five years in solitary confinement and Mcarthy’s mother in a halfway house. During the making of ‘Rise’ director, Todd Howe’s wife Jessica tragically passed away from cancer a fact that adds even more Augustinisms to a story which was already creaking under heavy dark emotional clouds. Life can be crueller than any movie dare suggests, but the human spirit, as witnessed on and off screen, is unbelievably strong. (In May 2018 former touring companions Frightened Rabbit’s frontman Scott Hutchinson took his own life, and as the film credits roll we learn that ‘Rise’ is also dedicated to both Jessica and Scott.) In Britain, the Augustines success surfed with the rise of BBC 6 Music, which is still the only “Adult” radio station that doesn’t have presenters joking about what they did last night, then playing the same middle of the road dross on rotation. They’ve always played an eclectic mix of sounds and bands. It may be that the reason the majority of their (Augustines) audience is over a certain age and as loyal as any bunch I’ve ever brushed shoulders with, some tonight have travelled to London from Manchester, Wales, Liverpool and the even The States.
OriginalRock.net’s Guy Shankland caught up with director and former Boxer Rebellion guitarist Todd Howe at the worldwide premiere in London’s West End for a candid Augustine interview. After countless photo’s, handshakes, hugs and a standing ovation from the first of two sold-out sittings it’s down to business.
OriginalRock.net. What was the drive or reason behind making ‘Rise’?
Todd Howe. I left The Boxer Rebellion and I moved to America because I got married to an American girl. I didn’t want to do production or anything musically but I still had that creative urge. I was like, I wanna make a film…And the Augustines story, people will want to know this story. The (Augustines) story itself is so compelling, so vast, uplifting and inspiring, it just ticked all the boxes as well. I mean you’ve got guys who can articulate themselves and they ’re captivating on camera. The story is incredible almost unbelievable and their music’s f**king great too. All I had to do was not fuck it up!
OR. How hard was it for you to complete ‘Rise’ after going through your own experience?
TH. It was really tough. There were long periods of time where I wasn’t present, generally. I certainly wasn’t present in even wanting to make the film because everything else was more important or everything else was insignificant to what I was dealing with. I took two months off afterwards, I was absent other than focusing on myself. I just got myself into a routine generally and then I was like I’m going to finish this film and that then took another year.
OR. Do you think the film in some way helped you and gave you something else to focus on?
TH. It was definitely a motivator for me. I had a reason to finish the film personally as well as just for the sake of finishing the film. More than anything I’d never created anything outside of being in a band with a bunch of guys before. And Mike (Baum) was just, invaluable… there’s no way I would have been here, this may not have got done. Personally, just to get what’s in here out… I was just really unsure, full of self-doubt the whole way through until, but you just keep going and keep going and eventually it will be done. I mean I had so many people that were supportive of me, really it’s not just my film, it’s not. Before Jessica passed away, I don’t know many versions of that film she saw sat through and said that’s a piece of shit or wow, that’ll work or whatever it’s constantly checks and balances to whether something is good or not, that feedback.
OR. And it has to be honest feedback.
TH. It has to honest yes. I mean the one thing I did do was search for that, especially towards the end. You have to embrace the brutality of criticism.
OR. When you were making the film and you started delving into William McCarthy’s past how much came out that you didn’t know…
TH. There are probably twelve hours of interviews, the film is seventy-nine minutes. Bill and I sat and spoke for the whole week. There are just stories that are anecdotal and stuff that is relevant to the music and the record (Rise Ye Sunken Ships.) There’s probably four bonus DVD’s worth of just Bill’s interviews, plus Erics (Sanderson) interviews and Rob’s (Allen) interviews. Then Tim Lockyear, who grew up with Bill, his interview is amazing and Eric’s brother we didn’t even mention. We didn’t mention the fact that Augustines had to change their name to We Are Augustines, there’s only so much you can tell.
OR. Cards on the table, I truly believe that the (We Are) Augustines debut album ‘Rise Ye Sunken Ships’ is possibly one of the greatest debut albums of all time…
TH. Yeah, I think it’s Bill’s defining work.
OR. ‘Rise Ye Sunken Ships’ was so strong and so intense, did everything Augustines released after that and I hate to use the word, sound slightly “weaker”…?
TH. No, I can definitely see a lot of people would have felt that. I just think that Augustines are purely a live force. No matter what songs from which album come into their live set it’s just… the live show is really where it’s at for them. I think that (debut album) was just a moment in time when they connected with something and they connected with that album.
OR. Soundtrack?
TH. Is there going to be a soundtrack, to the movie, no! There might be a Spotify playlist. The next documentary I’m going to write the score myself, no fan footage, no contracts (laughing).
OR. The economics of the music is constantly changing, why were a band so important as Augustines unable to tip the balance from selling out venues such as Brighton’s Concorde 2 and London’s Roundhouse to not playing larger venues such as Hammersmith Apollo? (The band did book Brixton Academy for a gig but ended up at The Roundhouse due to ticket sales).
TH. There really is no music industry, people do not buy records. So how do you make money? Music existed on multiple revenue streams, so you had to sell records then you had to tour live and then you had synchronisation of TV and in film. Now there’s none of that, so people don’t expect to have to pay for music and also there’s nowhere near as much new music on film and TV and for my band it was Radio, we didn’t get on the Radio. You can’t exist on just touring live, the economics do not work and when Augustines broke up there were at least another dozen well-known bands, The Maccabees, who just couldn’t afford to be in music. It’s a classic case, who loses out? Everybody.
OR. They were a very cheap band to watch, who also had cheap merchandise…
TH. It would never have made a difference, it’s all about record sales.
OR. So you’ve done ‘Rise’ it’s finally done, the premiere tonight is finished, how are you feeling at this moment in time?
TH.I feel relieved, fantastic, I’m just glad that people are going to see it. It doesn’t really worry me what people say but deep down, I mean I know there will be people that like and people that don’t, I’m just glad that we made a film that was the best that we could make and really does tell the bands story. We can live and die by the sword of this film.
OR. They are a band that just keeps on going,
TH.I always felt that before any of this ever happened so it’s bought me so much joy that other people were hearing this.
After the interview cast, crew, band and fans head off into the West End night for a celebratory beer or five. ‘Rise’ is pure Augustines, their lives, achievements, heartbreak and music. Todd Howe, Mike Baum, the band and everyone involved in this captivating project can be justly proud of the final product. If by some bastard quirk of fate ‘Rise’ puts the band back on the commercial map then their ghost ship would have truly risen from depths, strange days indeed.
For more information, screenings, to watch the official trailer and to purchase ‘Rise: Story Of Augustines’ go to https://rise.film/
‘Juarez’ video.
Find William McCarthy info at https://www.williammccarthy.org/
Augustines news & merchandise at https://www.facebook.com/weareaugustines/