Prime Rocks

9:30pm Monday, December 10 on Prime

Documentary

Behind The Music

This episode features the corpulent singer/actor, who rose to fame in the 1970s and fell off the radar for two decades before incredibly rebounding in 1993, with the sequel to his successful album “Bat Out of Hell”. His wife and daughters are interviewed, along with Todd Rundgren, producer, and other associated musicians. While not delving too deeply into the ‘missing decade’, following Meat’s nervous breakdown, we see a triumphant return to superstardom after he reunites with “Bat” creator, Jim Steinman.

9:30pm Monday, December 3 on Prime

Documentary

Behind The Music

Blondie emerged from New York’s famed 1970′s punk scene. Led by the incredibly appealing and talented Deborah Harry, Blondie hit it big with classics such as “The Tide Is High”, “Heart Of Glass”, “Rapture”, and “Call Me”. Tonight we go back to the beginning and trace the path to success and destruction, leading up to their 1999 reunion album.

9:35pm Monday, November 26 on Prime

Documentary

With 45,000,000 copies sold and five consecutive number one hits, BAD is a legendary album. This tribute documentary, from award-winning director Spike Lee, celebrates the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s landmark album and tour. Witness never before seen footage and learn the story behind the music, with appearances by Martin Scorsese, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow and Justin Bieber.

Monday 26th November 10.40pm

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE: SPIKE LEE

Lifestyle Series

Internationally acclaimed director, producer and actor, Spike Lee has built his career on chronicling the African-American experience in his films. But for all of his knowledge about African American history, he knew very little about his own family history. Determined to find out more about his family’s slave origins he soon sets off on a journey which takes him back through emancipation, the American Civil War, his slave roots and ultimately to the identity of the slave master who owned his family.

9:35pm Monday, November 19 on Prime

Documentary

Behind The Music

They were pin-up pop idols, who seduced the world with elegance, style and new wave glamour. Duran Duran were five English heart-throbs who packaged good looks, catchy pop hits and exotic music videos to create a global phenomenon. The frenzy of their fans recalled the passion of Beatlemania. But by the year 2000, only Nick and Simon remained, and it was all or nothing when the five original members reformed. The gamble reaped huge rewards, but Andy Taylor left the band for a second time amid acrimonious recriminations. This documentary looks at the wild boys who defined the sound and vision of pop music for more than a generation – Duran Duran, the story behind the music.

9:35pm Monday, November 12 on Prime

Documentary

Behind The Music

Charismatic, enigmatic Michael Hutchence was the personification of the classic rock star who, seemingly, had it all. His untimely death in 1997 robbed the world of a unique and fragile talent. We follow his tragic descent into addiction and eventual death of his partner Paula Yates, the rescue of their daughter Tiger Lily and the continuation of his powerful musical influence.

9:35pm Monday, November 5 on Prime

Documentary

Classic Albums: Damn The Torpedoes

The third album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, released in 1979, has long been regarded as a classic – it demonstrates the musical and songwriting virtuosity of a great front man and his amazing backing band. A mix of rootsy American rock ‘n’ roll and the best of the British invasion, of jangling Byrds guitars and Stones-like rhythms, ‘Damn The Torpedoes’ was the album that took Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers into the major league, and re-defined American rock.

This documentary tells the story behind the conception and recording of this great rock ‘n’ roll album and the dramatic transformation in the band’s career that took place following its release. Using interviews, musical demonstration, acoustic performance, and archive footage, and returning to multi-tracks with the main protagonists, we discover how Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Ron Blair and Stan Lynch created their songs and sounds, with the help of co-producer Jimmy Iovine and engineer Shelly Yakus. Additional comments from key journalists and other notable producers and musicians help tell the story, and put the album into its rightful place in rock history.

8:30pm Tuesday, October 30 on Prime

Documentary

Magical Mystery Tour

Riding the crest of the wave of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, in August 1967 The Beatles decamped to the West country to make their third feature film, and first as writer/directors: Magical Mystery Tour. A surreal celebration of Northern working class culture and inspired by everything from French new wave cinema to the wit of British comedians like The Goons, Magical Mystery Tour has a loose narrative which follows a charabanc of British revellers en route to a seaside holiday. During the tour, a group of magicians, played by The Beatles themselves, incite sequences of eclectic and eccentric activities, punctuated by performances and musical interludes of some of the fab four’s most iconic numbers, including ‘The Fool on the Hill’, ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ and ‘I Am the Walrus’.

9:35pm Monday, October 22 on Prime

Documentary

Behind The Music

Fleetwood Mac started life as a small blues band in England in the late ’60s, but after some line-up changes they produced a hit album and, within a few years, became one of the biggest bands in the world. They were a band whose compelling on-stage hits have told the story of their equally compelling off-stage love affairs. The documentary includes the final departure of Christine McVie from the band, the revised line up’s new album and their on-going determination to keep the show on the road and filling stadiums.

9:35pm Monday, October 15 on Prime

Documentary

Behind The Music

Poison were the MTV staple of the late ’80s, known for songs like ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’. This documentary compiles never-before-seen footage and interviews with the glam metal band.

9:35pm Monday, October 8 on Prime

Documentary

Days Of Our Lives – Part Two

Part two of Days of Our Lives follows the incredible, emotional roller coaster ride that Queen embarked on over their second decade – once again full of stunning musical performances, previously unseen and rare footage (including Freddie’s last filmed moment), and intimate interviews. With the ultimate showman in Freddie Mercury and a string of rock anthems to their name, Queen smashed attendance records with a series of stadium shows across South America. But the band quickly learned that if reaching the top is tough, staying there is the biggest challenge of all.

A loss of focus in the studio, the decline in popularity with North America, increasing internal tension and a blossoming desire to pursue solo projects, it seemed as if the band had had its day. Then came that performance from Freddie at Live Aid, and their record breaking ‘Magic’ tour in 1986. Queen were rightly propelled back amongst the very best. Rejuvenated, the world was once again at their feet, but then tragedy strikes and threatens to tear the band apart.