A political thriller with a classic rock band in the crosshairs
Documentary feature film, What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? will be released theatrically in New York and Los Angeles March 24th, before expanding across North America and Canada via Abramorama. The truth-is-stranger-than fiction film blends political intrigue, social commentary, and a mystery involving one of the biggest rock bands of the late 60s and early 70s.
Blood, Sweat & Tears, known for hits such as “Spinning Wheel,” “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “And When I Die,” headlined the legendary Woodstock Festival and won multiple Grammy Awards, most notably 1970’s win for Album of The Year, beating The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Johnny Cash Live at San Quentin. This is the incredible never-before-told story about a top rock band that was unknowingly embroiled in a political rat’s nest involving the US State Department, the Nixon White House and a controversial concert tour of Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland, countries that were behind what was then known as the Iron Curtain. As a result, they found themselves in the crosshairs of a polarized America -as divided then as it is now – and became an early victim of cancel culture.
Written, produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker John Scheinfeld (The US vs. John Lennon, Chasing Trane, Who Is Harry Nilsson…?), produced by Dave Harding (Herb Alpert Is…), and executive produced by James Sears Bryant, the film was created with the full cooperation of Blood, Sweat & Tears. The film features never-before-seen film and photos of the band, as well as present day interviews with five of the nine band members including distinctive lead singer David Clayton-Thomas, sax player and musical arranger Fred Lipsius, innovative bass player Jim Fielder, outspoken guitarist Steve Katz and drummer and band leader Bobby Colomby.
“It has been fascinating for me to re-live these incidents of some 50 years ago,” states Colomby, “through the footage, documentation and, incredibly, the live performance tapes John and his team discovered through some very deep and tireless digging. I believe the music we made then holds up today.”
The film’s soundtrack, What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? – Original Soundtrack, featuring 10 recently discovered and remastered live performances from BS&T’s Iron Curtain concert tour will be available via Omnivore Recordings on CD and digital April 21st, as well as the digital-only release of What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears? – Original Score, composed by founding member, Bobby Colomby and arranger/musician David Mann.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAjGQ9eI-GA&ab_channel=Abramorama
