Drawing upon meticulous research and exclusive access to Lavelle’s rare/unseen personal video library (as well as DJ Shadow’s), debut director Matthew Jones assembles archive footage, stills and original interviews.
Key focus is given to James’ pioneering, taste-arbiting label Mo’Wax, his relationship with DJ Shadow and their chart-topping UNKLE project, which included collaborations with Thom Yorke, Richard Ashcroft, Ian Brown, Josh Homme and Kool G Rap.
‘The Man from Mo’Wax’ is an exhilarating, fascinating and insightful insight into the transient nature of creative peaks and music industry success. A puff piece it most definitely is not.
The narrative arc follows a trajectory from the cooler-than-cool golden teenager’s ascension, tough and arid later times, to the beginnings of salvation.
The film is an honest and unflinching portrayal achieved by the protagonist’s brave and candid permission for nothing to be concealed. Musical, familial and romantic relationships are also explored, as is his battle with drugs.
Flourishing in a fertile period alongside fellow iconic labels Metalheadz, Ninja Tune, Warp, Junior Boys Own and Strictly Rhythm, Mo’Wax was most synonymous with trip hop, which culminated in the release of DJ Shadow’s peerless classic ‘Endroducing’ and his first seminal UNKLE album ‘Psyence Fiction’, recorded in collaborative partnership with Lavelle, in August 1998.
Other Mo’Wax classics of the aforementioned genre included tracks by DJ Krush, La Funk Mob and The Psychonauts, but its reach and remit was far wider, releasing still-fresh-today music by Air, Carl Craig’s Innerzone Orchestra, Special Forces (Photek), Urban Tribe, Autechre, Source Direct, Black Dog Productions, Jungle Brothers, Skull (Trevor Jackson), Dillinja, Liquid Liquid, Motorbass, Plastikman (Richie Hawtin), Luke Vibert, Andrea Parker, Blackalicious, Money Mark and Peshay.
With not only a keen focus on forward thinking, groundbreaking sounds but also high aesthetic standards and visual identity, Lavelle’s label model paved the way for many imprints that followed, from Brainfeeder, Lobster Theremin, Eglo, Apron, Monkeytown, Rhythm Section, Plug Research to Ghostly International.
Sonically, it’s easy to hear the legacy of Mo’Wax in the soul, jazz and hip hop infused grooves of Flying Lotus, Bonobo, The Avalanches, Ras G, Gonjasufi, Fatima, Tenderlonious, Kamaal Williams, Gorrilaz, Matthewdavid, Steven Julien and Lone.
The film will be released in selected cinemas nationwide on the 31st August – celebrating the 20th anniversary of ‘Psyence Fiction’’s release. Following that the DVD/Blu Ray will be released September 10th with TV streaming TBA.
Vinyl tracklist:
A 1 Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal & Charles Dutoit — Holst: ‘The Planets, Op.32 - 2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace’ (edit)
A2 Zimbabwe Legit — ‘Doin' Damage in My Native Language’ (Shadow’s legitimate remix)
A3 Marie 'Queenie' Lyons — ‘See and Don't See’
A4 The Wild Bunch — ‘Friends & Countrymen’
A5 RPM — ‘Food of My De-Rhythm’
B1 Hioshi Fujiwara + KUDO featuring DJ MILO— ‘Return of The Original Art Form’ (D.J mix)
B2 La Funk Mob — ‘Ravers Suck Our Sound and Get Fuck’
B3 Attica Blues — ‘Contemplating Jazz’
B4 Dr. Octagon — ‘Blue Flowers’
B5 DJ Krush — ‘Kemuri’
C1 UNKLE — ‘Back and Forth’
C2 DJ Shadow — ‘What Does Your Soul Look Like’ (part 3)
C3 RPM — ‘Flow’
C4 DJ Shadow — ‘Organ Donor’ (extended overhaul)
C5 UNKLE featuring Thom Yorke — ‘Rabbit In Your Headlights’
D1 Blackalicious — ‘Swan Lake’
D2 UNKLE featuring Ian Brown — ‘Reign’
D3 Queens Of The Stone Age — ‘… Like Clockwork’
D4 DJ Shadow — ‘What Does Your Soul Look Like’ (part 1)
Includes official film illustrated artwork by Ken Taylor
Includes special inlay
CD tracklist:
1 UNKLE — ‘Back and Forth’
2 Zimbabwe Legit — ‘Doin' Damage in My Native Language’ (Shadow’s legitimate remix)
3 Marie 'Queenie' Lyons — ‘See and Don't See’
4 The Wild Bunch — ‘Friends & Countrymen’
5 Hioshi Fujiwara + KUDO featuring DJ MILO— ‘Return of The Original Art Form’ (D.J mix)
6 RPM — ‘Food of My De-Rhythm’
7 Blackalicious — ‘Swan Lake’
8 La Funk Mob — ‘Ravers Suck Our Sound and Get F**k’
9 Attica Blues — ‘Contemplating Jazz’
10 Dr. Octagon — ‘Blue Flowers’
11 DJ Krush — ‘Kemuri’
12 DJ Shadow — ‘Organ Donor’ (extended overhaul)
13 UNKLE featuring Thom Yorke — ‘Rabbit In Your Headlights’
14 Queens Of The Stone Age — ‘… Like Clockwork’
15 UNKLE featuring Ian Brown — ‘Reign’
16 DJ Shadow — ‘What Does Your Soul Look Like’ (part 1)
Includes exclusive 16 page booklet with photography, artwork and director’s notes
Download / stream tracklist:
1 Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal & Charles Dutoit — Holst: ‘The Planets, Op.32 - 2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace’ (edit)
2 The Wild Bunch — ‘Friends & Countrymen’
3 Attica Blues — ‘Contemplating Jazz’
4 DJ Krush — ‘Kemuri’
5 DJ Shadow — ‘Organ Donor’ (extended overhaul)
6 UNKLE — ‘Back and Forth’
7 DJ Shadow — ‘What Does Your Soul Look Like’ (part 3)
8 UNKLE featuring Thom Yorke — ‘Rabbit In Your Headlights’
9 UNKLE featuring Ian Brown — ‘Reign’
10 DJ Shadow — ‘What Does Your Soul Look Like’ (part 1)
A film about important beats maven James Lavelle, featuring interviews by DJ Shadow, Thom Yorke, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja, Ian Brown, Giles Peterson, Futura and Grandmaster Flash.
Launch event at BFI Southbank on 30st August 2018:
- Screening + Q&A with James Lavelle and director Matthew Jones
- Exclusive preview of 3 tracks from UNKLE's new album ‘Lost Highway’ with Pitch Black
- James Lavelle DJ set. tickets
Select previews on 30th August and main nationwide cinema release from 31st August. tickets
DVD/Blu Ray released September 10th. pre-order
Soundtrack: ‘The Man from Mo’Wax (Music From The Motion Picture)’
Soundtrack on Island/UMC featuring DJ Shadow, UNKLE feat. Thom Yorke and Ian Brown, Dr. Octagon (Kool Keith), Queens Of The Stone Age, Marie 'Queenie' Lyons, The Wild Bunch, DJ Krush, Blackalicious, Attica Blues and more
2LP coloured vinyl – 1 disc red, 1 disc blue
1CD card digipack with 16 page photo booklet, including director's notes
Download
Stream
