LOS WILD ONES EPK
SHORT SYNOPSIS
Wild Records is an LA indie music label comprised of young Latino musicians run by Irishman, Reb Kennedy. Wild is an unconventional family reminiscent of the early days of Sun Records. All of its musicians write and perform 50s Rock 'n’ Roll. If Wild is going to continue to grow and reach broader audiences, its current business model will cease to work. Reb isn't familiar with modern industry tools such as websites and social media and he’s miles behind the times with things like iTunes and new media. If he can’t figure out how to reconcile his limitations with what today’s audiences expect, Wild may not survive.
LOGLINE
Wild Records is an indie label reminiscent of the early days of Sun Records. The label is based in LA and run by Irishman, Reb Kennedy. It is comprised of young Latino musicians who write and perform 50's Rock 'n' Roll.
TAGLINE
It's a Wild World.
LONG SYNOPSIS
Filmmaker Elise Salomon chronicles Wild Records from its inception through its rising popularity in the United States and around the world. The film delivers an honest, passionate look at the label’s ethos, built and nurtured by Reb Kennedy and the highly unconventional but strongly bonded extended family to which the Irishman has given birth. Mostly comprised of Latino young men and women who have recently been compared to artists like Bruno Mars, Adele, Amy Winehouse and The Black Keys, and with Rockabilly now poised to break through into the
mainstream again, the label is at a crucial turning point. Reminiscent of the early days of Sun Records and the historical and phenomenal influence that label had on popular music, Wild mirrors that journey and could take that next step. If Wild is going to continue to grow and reach broader audiences however, its current business model will cease to work. Reb isn't familiar with modern industry tools such as websites and social media and he’s miles behind the times with things like iTunes and new media. If he can’t figure out how to reconcile his limitations with what today’s audiences expect, Wild may not survive.
MAIN DOCUMENTARY SUBJECTS (Photos upon request):
Reb Kennedy
Reb Kennedy was born in London, England in 1961. He returned to his family's homeland of Dublin, Ireland in 1967 and attended school in Dublin until the age of 16.
In late 1977, Reb formed the punk band “System X” with a small group of friends. In Dublin at this time, the punk scene was a small close-knit group of people, which included the members of U2. Reb traveled to the UK with U2 for their first ever show outside of London (the famed Acklam Hall in Notting Hill, London).
System X, became a very popular band in the Irish punk scene and Reb was approached by a television producer looking for somebody to act as the alternative voice of Dublin's youth. He accepted the challenge and appeared on numerous television shows, including The Late, Late Show and Young Line. The television shows aired on Ireland's national station, RTE. The Late Late Show was the number one talk show in 1980 and Reb had a sensational impact. He was also was a regular guest over a period spanning three years on Irish radio.
He then moved to London in 1981 and worked at Rough Trade Records and Shellshock Records. Reb soon discovered the underground UK rockabilly scene. He became a DJ and promoter on that scene for the next twenty years. In 1999, feeling that the UK rockabilly scene had stagnated, he decided to move to the US.
The year 2000 found Reb Kennedy living in San Francisco. Here, he resumed his career as a rockabilly DJ/Promoter and began the search to find the roster for his newly formed record label, Wild Records.
In 2002, having already released the first record on the label and found three of his major artists – Omar, Luis, Dustyn – Reb decided to move to Los Angeles. In late 2002, he built the first Wild Recording studio in Glendale, CA. February 2012 finds Reb Kennedy the successful owner of Wild Records with a roster of eighteen acts on his label having released thirty-two CD’s and eighteen 45’s. He continues to sign new artists to the label as well as manage all of his bands.
Omar Romero
Reb says, “Omar’s like my right hand man, if I’m a man without any hands”. This statement perfectly sums up the current status of their relationship – they are joined at the hip but there is some friction that has recently surfaced. Omar is the label’s studio engineer and Wild Record’s flagship Sun Rockabilly artist. He has been with the label since he was 16 years old and there's incredible loyalty there, but he's also trying to individuate and wishes that Reb could see him as a man instead of that "insecure kid" that we once was.
Luis Arriaga
The first artist on the label, Luis puts on amazing shows – pumping up the crowd, breathing life and real fire into the performances. He's dealing with some major issues and looks to Reb for guidance.
Marlene Perez
Lead singer of The Rhythm Shakers. Marlene comes from a dark place and her writing reflects that. She does not have a typical woman’s voice. It’s tough, raspy and strong. She and
Victor Mendez, her upright bass player, dated for several years and broke up just a few months prior to the start of filming. Marlene and Reb have a very close relationship, she relies on him for guidance and he cares for her a great deal.
Victor Mendez
He’s one of the label's most talented artists and he has real musicianship. Reb has him play anything from the upright bass to bass, to piano in the studio. Reb says he’s like a metronome.
His timing is perfect. It’s all mechanical. Victor sees Reb as a father figure.
Gizzelle
She was the label’s first female artist. “She’s like water, she should be in everyone’s life”, says Reb. Reb has pushed her creatively and she has just started to write her own material. He signed her when she was 16 years old and he has counseled her through everything from encouraging her to take vocal lessons to personal matters. She's one of his kids and if she breaks and goes mainstream, he may lose her.
SELECTED DOCUMENTARY CREW (Photos upon request):
ELISE SALOMON Writer, Director, Producer
Elise Salomon was born in Manhasset, New York and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. After attending film school, she moved to Los Angeles and began producing. With a track record of several award winning short films, she went on to produce pilot presentations and worked with some of LA’s most notable comedians.
Her first feature film, Paper Heart, which stars Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera and Jake M. Johnson, premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition and won the prestigious Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. Paper Heart received a theatrical release with Overture Films in the Summer 2009.
Her second feature Smashed, which she Co-Produced, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nick Offerman, Octavia Spencer, Kyle Gallner and Mary Kay Place, premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition.
Smashed was awarded the Special Jury Prize for producing and was released theatrically by Sony Pictures Classics in October 2012.
Her directorial debut, Los Wild Ones, will premiere in the Documentary Competition at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. Los Wild Ones is a feature documentary on the indie record label, Wild Records run by Irishman, Reb Kennedy aka Mr. Wild Records. The label is largely comprised of young, Hispanic musicians who write and perform 1950’s Rock n’ Roll.
JESSICA GOLDEN Producer
Jessica Golden has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade as an actor, writer, comedian and more recently, producer. She is best known for The Adam Carolla Show and appearances on E! (Chelsea Lately, Celebrity Oops), VH-1 (Black to the Future), Jimmy Kimmel Live, the style network and tru TV (The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest). She performs standup comedy across the country and was featured in "Best of the Fest" at The Montreal Comedy Festival (Just For Laughs).
Jessica was in Sony Pictures’ Reign Over Me and prior to that, she starred in the short film Cloud Nine (HBO). She has had prominent roles in various independent films, among them Diamond on Vinyl, which Indiewire calls one of “Five Breakouts of Slamdance 2013”. Additionally, she wrote, produced and starred in the one-person show A Light in the Addict. Los Wild Ones, which premiered in the Documentary Competition at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival, marks Jessica’s feature film debut as a producer.
RYAN BROWN Editor
With over a decade of experience, Ryan Brown is a feature film editor whose works have screened as official selections at countless film festivals worldwide, including the Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest (SXSW), the London International Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, and the Deauville American Film Festival. Much of Ryanʼs work has garnered attention specifically for his unique collaborative ability in both writing and producing, resulting in truly enhanced narrative form. On his latest feature film Los Wild Ones, a documentary look at the comple
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