West Seattle's Jamie Chamberlin films Seattle rockstar Duff McKagan's band through EuropeReality show, possible book in the works
2011-07-09
West Seattle filmmaker Jamie Chamberlin who toured Europe with ZZ TOP in 2008 for his documentary Double Down Live on that band's double DVD of the same name, just returned from another European tour. This time he documented Seattle legend Duff McKagan and his band Loaded. Other band members include guitarist Mike Squires, drummer Isaac Carpenter, and bass player and West Seattle resident Jeff Rouse.
While Chamberlain has been filming Loaded around West Seattle and in L.A. which will contain 10 songs from their new releasee, The Taking, he joined them on their European tour June 1 to June 24 to document them, and to crew on a new reality TV show pilot called "King of the Roadies".
"It's like 'Deadliest Catch', but this is about guys who live behind the scenes of the rock tours with drama, personalities, guitar techs, pushing cases, moving stuff," said Chamberlin, with three new arm tattoos, two basic, thick crosses and a third, a more ornate cross, he grabbed in Lille, France to add to his muscle-bound menagerie.
"The main character or the reality show is Tom Mayhue, a really well known tour manager who has been with Guns N' Roses," Chamberlin said. "I was shooting 'B-rolls' capturing street scenes, old churches and monuments of the towns for the show while Loaded and other bands were performing in those cities and towns That gave me the opportunity to shoot B&W stills, too. One of my primary accomplishments while on the tour was reentering the world of still photography. Compared to handling a lot of video gear, the still camera is a simple way to find those moments."
The tour began in Albania, and with no legal minimum drinking age in that nation, Chamberlin said it was odd seeing a 10 year-old kid hanging out with a 50 year-old guy drinking beer together.
Loaded toured Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and others. Venues ranged from 400-seaters to colosseums filled with 160,000 fans, he said, adding that the June tour evoked Lollapalooza.
Loaded were in the line-up with JudasPriest, Iron Maiden, Ozziy (Osborne), Whitesnake, Mr. Big, Korn, and other hard rockers. He said he occasionally met big music stars, "But my general demeanor is a fly in the wall," he revealed.
"The day would escalate like Lollapalooza," said Chamberlin. "If we're heading the same direction from, say, somewhere in France to somewhere in Austria, you'll see the same bands and crews. They're just fanatical over there. I think that the Europeans go really crazy for the American bands. They love American rock and roll. They freak out. I had the same experience with ZZ Top. How does a little southern band from Houston translate to fans at European festivals? They'd play with Thin Lizzy and Ted Nugent. When ZZ Top got on stage fans freaked out because it was a real slice of Americana.
"With a band like Loaded, obviously a lot of Europeans know Duff McKagan from Guns N' Roses, so they might not be super familiar with his (Loaded) catalogue of music but he had a really strong show that carried itself," said Chamberlin. "They did one or two Guns N' Roses songs and that's when its the mosh pit and crowd surfing and the whole thing, playing "Attitude" then "It's So Easy". People would just explode. Mike Squires is an amazing guitar player and did Slash proud on all the solo work."
And West Seattle's own, Jeff Rouse?
"Jeff's a real showman, a gentleman in a lot of senses," said Chamberlin. "When he's on the road he is super focused, and doesn't divert too much from his daily regiment, get enough sleep, prepare for the show, put out 200-percent energy on stage, then just kind of chill. Don't get into any trouble.
"It's a business and they understand that. For those 24 days something goes on in their mind that clicks, 'OK, now I'm working.'"
"King of the Roadies" sample Online:
http://www.gmatter.tv/ftp1/kotrsoft/index.htmlhttp://www.westseattleherald.com/2011/07/09/features/west-seattles-jamie-chamberlin-films-seattle-
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