A documentary YouTube premiere, posthumous Rock Hall induction & vinyl repressings are detailed
UMe celebrates the life and music legacy of Joe Cocker with the premiere of the documentary and concert film, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, on YouTube in its entirety for the first time tomorrow (Thurs, Nov 6th). The premiere coincides with the late Grammy Award-winning icon’s posthumous induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025 this weekend. The ceremony takes place on Saturday, November 8th, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and it will be streaming live on Disney+ beginning at 8 pm ET.
Helmed by director Pierre Adidge, Mad Dogs & Englishmen originally debuted in theaters on March 29, 1971. The film famously followed Cocker on his 1970 North American tour, accompanied by Leon Russell.
It unfolds as a captivating time capsule of the seventies, bottling the sights and sounds of the decade within its two-hour runtime. A split-screen displays Cocker’s full-bodied renditions of classics like “Delta Lady” and “Feeling Alright.” Drenched in sweat, he projects his bold, bluesy wail with wild-eyed intensity and manic emotion backed by an elite cohort of musicians and Russell’s loose six-string sorcery as sold-out crowds can’t turn away. The film introduces key characters like tour manager Sherman “Smitty” Jones and infamous figures a la “The International Butter Queen.” It jumps between moments in tour buses, vans, and on planes and pulls the viewer into the middle of a pre-show huddle led by Russell, who urges, “Feel the energy in the room, circling for a landing”—just until he leads a sing-along of “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)” to warm up his comrades.
Some of the most poignant moments include backstage interview footage. Speaking off-the-cuff, Cocker recalls with a laugh, “I used to sing in front of the mirror with a tennis racket…full of shit I am,” he chuckles.
However, he also delivers words of wisdom: “If you really want results, you have to forget everything you have of your old self, let’s say, and just surrender to what’s going on.”
Additionally, three timeless records from Cocker’s catalog were notably reissued on vinyl in October. With A Little Help From My Friends [1967] and Joe Cocker! [1969] were both re-released on new 1 LP standard black vinyl. Meanwhile, his live album, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, was reissued on 2 LP standard black vinyl just last week.
Cocker introduced himself as a generational voice on his full-length debut, With A Little Help From My Friends, which arrived on April 23, 1969. It boasted covers of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like a Woman” and “I Shall Be Released” as well as his signature reimagining of “With A Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles. Of course, Cocker’s performances of the latter at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival 1969 were legendary, but the studio version later famously soundtracked the opening credits of the classic TV series The Wonder Years. In 2001, “With A Little Help From My Friends” earned induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and the album received a Gold Certification from the RIAA. Thus far, the song has gathered over 200 million Spotify streams and counting.
Barely seven months following his first album’s release, he unveiled Joe Cocker! during November of 1969. For his sophomore outing, he brought soul and spirit to his own renditions of “Dear Landlord” by Dylan, “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” and “Something” by The Beatles, and “Delta Lady” and “Hello Little Friend” by Leon Russell, among others. Not to mention, he penned “That’s Your Business Now” alongside co-writer and regular collaborator Chris Stainton. Maintaining his momentum, Joe Cocker also went gold.
Meanwhile, Mad Dogs & Englishmen captured Cocker in top form as a vocal powerhouse and showman, chronicling his 1970 tour with rapturous live recordings. Following its initial release in 1970, the double-album picked up a gold plaque and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Over the past year, Cocker’s YouTube has transformed into a haven for sought-after live footage. Clips have included “Albion Intro From The Anglo Saxophone (AKA Mad Dogs & Englishmen Theme)” from Mad Dogs & Englishmen, “You Can Leave Your Hat On” from Night of The Proms in The Netherlands on October 16, 1992, and more.
