Leavell and Farst on Documentary

the Almond Brothers, Eric Clapton so many more. He is on the phone and Buller, Georgia. He's also founder of mother Nature Network. It's a source for environmental news. Also with us and also acclaimed Alan Farrest, director, filmmaker and contour photographer. He has covered the world of action, sports, music, documentary films so much. Alan is the founder of Niche Productions and he's with us on the phone and date

in Ohio. So, gentlemen, welcome, welcome to Boomberg Radio. I'm so delighted to have you here with us, and I want to start off with how this came together for for the two of you and Chuck. Let me start with you, well, First of all, Carol, thank you so much for inviting a song. I really appreciated it. At an earthly here um. Alan and I had known each other for a number of years because he had asked me to play on a guitar player UM session that he was managing and promoting, and so I went up

to o'hao for the session. Everything went fine. Then there was this long gap where I didn't really talk to Alan, and we had this concept to do a documentary and we were in Las Vegas to do a show with the Rolling Stones, which unfortunately got canceled because Met got laryngitis, and allan happened, just happened to be in in um, Las Vegas and out of the blue, call me up

and we do the show. But let's get together and say hey, And we talked about this documentary concept and he said, man, you know, is there any chance you left me to consider me for the project. And I said, well, yeah, sure, So we talked about it. He convinced me that he really really wanted it. I'm so glad that we got together and did this and we shot over three and a half years, and he just did a masterful job, not only of shooting during all that time, but of

weaving the stories together, so very very pleased. Well, let's talk about that, Alan, because you know, right at the top, at the top, you know, there are the three storylines of Chuck's life, his musical life, his life as an environmentalist, and for our folks here watching on YouTube was just seeing some of the environmental work that Chuck does. But also you wove in his personal life and his love for his wife. How did you think about weaving those

stories together? Because it's really cool. You go from kind of making bacon to talking about the Almond brothers. You go from talking rolling stones and seeing Mick, Keith and Ronnie and then talking about setting burns and horrists. It's really wonderful how it's all woven together. Alan. Oh, thank you,

Carol Um, thanks for having us a one. You know, I think Chuck's story I knew from the outside just when he was wanting to do this, and I really wanted to do it, you know, I knew he had a great story, uh to tell, and it was just kind of it just needed to come out, you know, and Uh, this this opportunity I wanted to take and make this film as unique as as he is, you know,

and he is as salt of the earth kind of guy. Uh. He never takes more than what he he needs, um, but he gives back way more uh than the common guy. You know, and not only musically, but also with his forest life. And also his marriage is kind of works the same way. I mean, it's it's a real testament to be in the rock and roll business and have a marriage of forty seven years, uh, you know what

I mean. But and he also met in a very unique way at Capricorn Records, so um, you know, Rose Lane worked there right when you walked in the doors, and he met her at such a young age, and they they fall in love and they've been together ever since. As the movie says, you know, yeah, it actually you know, sets goals for all of us in a relationship. It's

really it's really lovely, Chuck. I mean, what did you think about I mean three three and a half years, as you said, the process of it, what what was it that you hoped ultimately was shown as you worked

with Alan on this. You know, my main motivation, Carol, was to wind up with a document for my family, for grandchildren, for future grandchildren, great grandchildren, up the road, and not only of my life or you know, myself and my wife rose Lane, but also for the times, you know, to to have a document of what the touring was like with the Stones at this particular point

in time. Uh, talk about some of the things we did in the past with the Almond Brothers band and you know, some of the other musicians and artists that I've just been so privileged to work with. If you had Eric there, and you know Eric oh Man, I had a great couple of years with him and David, David Gilmore and others. So really that was my motivation was to have this document that would kind of show a picture of the times and something for the family. Alan.

You know, we've got about a minute and then we're gonna take a little bit of a break and then we'll come back and talk some more. But I imagine that there had to be some serious logistical issues during filming. I mean, how do you travel the world recorded interviews with I think some eight people during a lockdown. Well it's it was we we kind of finished right before

lockdown happened. But but you know, for for those three years, yeah, you're right, we went you know, Europe like seven eight times and back and forth, and you know, one day you're with Clapton, the next day you're with Gilmore. I mean it was like living Chuck's life on warp speed going, uh, you know, back with all the people he had played with, which which you were trying to bring that into the story,

you know. So it's it's always a challenge when you're when you're traveling with three thousand pounds of gear on a smaller crew to try to save money because you know, we knew we were going to interview well, we could have potentially interviewed eighty people, um, and we really got them all, you know, So it just we had to kind of stretch the budget out to make it happen. But that was that's kind of how we did it.

To check. I gotta ask you because, as we talked about earlier, woven through the film is your love of the environment. Uh And you talk about it a lot. Where did that all come from it? And I know you talk about in the film when your wife inherited a farm. Um, but just talk to us a little bit about this and what you're hoping the message you're hoping to get out to people. Yes, Well, it is definitely all my wife's fault because you guys always blame us,

that's always what happens. But you know the fact is that Rose Lanes family has been connected to the land literally for generations as farmers tending cattle and livestock, attending forest land and road cropping. And you know, when we first got together, and as we pointed out earlier, it's been forty seven years now, uh, I began to get a field for the passion to love, the dedication of

the land that this family had. And in nine she inherited some land from her grandmother, and it became our responsibility to carry on what I saw is a heritage of stewardship. And so I went on a little, you know, journey, educational journey, going to library, checking out books on land use and so forth. And the short of it is that I had kind of an AHA moment when I realized, well, where does that thing that has given me so much

joy in such a great career come from. The piano, of course, had comes largely from the resource of wood, and as does most other musical instruments, so I have personal connection and I really wanted to study forestry and learn more about you know, long term sustainable forestry and incredible gives us. Yeah, and it's certain certainly I think we're losing your phone a little bit, so hopefully it comes back. Um. It's certainly something very near and dear

tall of us. And I think this year of dealing with the pandemic, dealing with inequities, but also you know, seeing the environment, Um, you know what happens when the economy shuts down and the skies are blue again and you can see mountain ranges, but also watching those terrible fires in California. I mean, Alan, I feel like in so many ways this film is just spot on. Yeah,

you know, four years ago and we started it. We we didn't really know that the California fires were gonna take off and be so much in the news in

the last year. And I think some of those practices that Chuck talks about with fire breaks and some of that stuff, um, you know, I think, you know, you're hoping that environmentalists can take a uh, you know, maybe step back and look at some of those practices and you know, you might have to give a little to keep a lot, you know sometimes, And I think that's kind of the message of of the film. And you know, I think if your listeners want to check it out,

you know, they can. They can find it on v O D now, which would put them into like iTunes, Apple iTunes or Amazon and they can just search the tree Man. But I think Ce and Chuck's story, um, and watching what he brings to the table with the environment. Um, it's just a big piece of the movie, uh that

you don't really see coming, you know. You you know, he has this uh, just giant body of work that he's done, not only on um, you know, hits and helping other bands, but then these other, you know, humongous bands. He's been touring with them, playing with from the Almond Brothers to the Stones. It's just incredible because if you had just one of those in your career, it would have been a monumental career. But he's done his time and time again. Yeah, and to hire all of them.

Just talk about how great you are talking. It's really you know, just a real person and really humble and uh and just so appreciative of kind of what the world has has brought your way. I want to do because we're running out of time and hopefully we can get you guys back again in the future. I want to do a quick kind of word association with you, Chuck, if I can just briefly, if I say rolling Stones,

what comes to mind? Fun? I bet there are stories? Well, can I tell you A colleague said to me that they once heard that Ronnie would start his day with four Guinnesses. Is that true? Oh no, listen, Ronnie has been clean and sober for a long time now, and he's got a wonderful wife, Sally, and they have to two beautiful twin daughters that are just adorable. And Ronnie has got it together. I mean, it's amazing. And don't forget he's probably the most popular contemporary visual artist in

the in the world today. Yeah, that's actually, that's actually a really good point as well. Um, Allman Brothers, what comes to mind? Oh? And Southern rock, Um, you know, paving the way for a new kind of music. Clapton, Oh wow, impeccable, Uh, gentleman, Um, generous and awesome. Southern Yellow Pine. Southern Yellow Pine is everything to me. It's where I am, That's who I am, It's where I live.

And Rose Lane, love, love and more love. Well, I gotta tell you it's a great film, and I think, you know, in a time when we're all feeling first of all, we all want content, but just needs something to maybe bring a smile to our face. Uh, it's just a great thing to watch, and and the music and it is just incredible. Chuck, thank you so much, Allen, thank you so much. Stay safe, be well, and uh you're welcome back any time. And I wish you good luck with the with the documentary and the film. I

really appreciate it. Chuck Lavel, singer, songwriter, musician, on the phone from Bullard Georgia Ellen Forrest, director, filmmaker and photographer. Check out their documentary. It is called The tree Man, and it really is weaving together so many aspects of Chuck's life, including of course his great musical career, but also his love of his family, his wife, and then what he's been doing really when it comes to sustainability

and sustainable forming in particular. Again, it's called The tree Man. And we're going to go out with a song certainly familiar to Chuck and I bet to all of our listeners something he played on Jessica with the Almond Brothers.