American house grandee Lil’ Louis has released the first official trailer for his long-awaited house music feature film, The House That Chicago Built, due out later this year.
Louis worked on the movie-documentary for an incredible seven years, interviewing over 180 DJs, producers and industry heavyweights to help tell the definitive story of Chicago house – a sound that is currently back in vogue with much of the modern-day dance scene. Contributors include fellow Chicago legends such as Marshall Jefferson, Larry Heard, Farley ‘Jackmaster’ Funk, DJ Pierre and the recently departed Frankie Knuckles; not to mention a wider sweep of international stars like Pete Tong, David Guetta, Avicii, Boddika, Kode9 and Theo Parrish.
Louis hits fabric London this weekend, 05 April, to showcase material from his first studio album in six years; he also ‘previews’ at the Sub Club, Glasgow, on 12 April.
Elsewhere, New York dance pioneer Nicky Siano has just released his own club documentary, Love Is The Message: A Night At The Gallery. Directed by US contemporary artist Jim Bidgood, the film focuses on exclusive footage from a night at The Gallery – one of New York’s most influential clubs – in 1977. The Gallery is widely held up alongside David Mancuso’s The Loft and Larry Levan ‘HQ’ Paradise Garage as an important catalyst for the rise of disco throughout the decade.
The film features contributions from Mancuso and Knuckles. “I feel as if I have worked my entire career for this moment” Siano explains, a contributor himself. Love Is The Message was actually unveiled at an event in London four years ago but has only been officially released now, as a double-DVD box-set.
Further details on the release can be found at www.loveisthemessagemovie.com.
Siano has also posted the movie’s unedited interview with Knuckles on his Facebook page. “Two days ago I spoke with my good friend and protégé Frankie Knuckles as he was leaving for London to play” he writes. “We talked about the move, and the interview he did for the film, which I am now so glad I included in full. I am devastated...this is a very sad day for the dance music community. RIP my good friend and greatest protégé a man could have asked for.”
