John Waite is an obvious subject for a new documentary. He has a long history in the music world, both as a solo artist and member of a band. The new film will cover all of his five-decade career. Including his work with The Babys and as part of the 80’s supergroup Bad English with Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. The documentary, called “JOHN WAITE – THE HARD WAY” was announced by Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company.
The footage from the documentary was mostly shot during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many artists, including Waite, couldn’t tour. There are lots of candid interviews with Waite, taken while he was dealing with the social isolation that came with the shutdown. Rockatnight.com says the interviews are raw, emotional and very personal. The documentary focuses on the effects of a nationwide shutdown when your life revolves around live music.
In “JOHN WAITE – THE HARD WAY”, Waite recalls his struggles in the commercial music business. In trying to convey the authenticity of the film, Waite said “Opening the front door at the crack of dawn in my boxers to a film crew signified how the documentary would go. It’s an unvarnished take on my life, just the cold hard truth” (Rockatnight.com).
Mike J. Nichols is the writer, director and co-producer of “JOHN WAITE – THE HARD WAY”. Nichols is known for the films ZAPPA, Echo in the Canyon, and The Play at Shea. When talking about his work on “JOHN WAITE – THE HARD WAY”, Nichols says “the underscore of The Hard Way is about ‘shared experiences or, more specifically, the ‘lack’ of shared experiences due to our recent times. To have something so human, raw, and beautiful come from such an ugly situation makes me so proud to finally be sharing this film with audiences. You don’t need to be a John Waite fan to enjoy this film, but I bet you’ll be one by the final credits” (Rockatnight.com).
The documentary will be out December 6 on various streaming platforms. It will also be available for purchase on DVD and Blue-Ray (ahem….Christmas gifts). Check out the trailer.
–Wendy Rush, 96.3KKLZ Las Vegas
Follow us! Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.