Did you know that a lot of those super famous instrumental solos may not have been played by your music heroes but instead may have been played by a ‘hired gun?’ “Hired Gun” is the story of the musicians who are responsible for the most famous instrumental solos in the world, but whose names you haven’t heard of until now. These “hired guns” have mastered their craft and performed on the greatest stages and in high-intensity recording sessions, yet rarely receive credit for their work. In the vein of the 2014 Academy Award©-winning doc “20 Feet from Stardom,” “Hired Gun” details the highs and lows of touring life, the demands of session schedules, and the dedication required to play backseat to some of rock’s most iconic musicians.
The film features interviews with some of the most respected ‘Hired Guns’ in the world and global stars that they have played with, including Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, David Foster, Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot), Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Justin Derrico (Pink), Ray Parker Jr. (“Ghostbusters” theme song), Jason Newstead (Metallica), Eric Singer (KISS), John 5 (Rob Zombie) and Jason Hook (Alice Cooper).
The feature-length documentary, which has been screened to both critic and audience acclaim at SXSW Festival, Glastonbury Festival, MIFF, Calgary International and Noise Pop, introduces music fans to some of the world’s unsung heroes of the music industry through exclusive interviews and performances.
The original score for the film was composed by The Crystal Method.
You can catch “Hired Gun” in Austin at the Regal Arbor 8 at Great Hills on June 29, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. Find tickets here.
Catherine grew up watching action flicks at a very young age which led to her love of film. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors in Radio-TV-Film in 2012. Always the adventurer, Catherine traveled and lived in Sydney, Australia for a year where she took a selfie with Brad Pitt. She runs Shuffle with passion, lots of caffeine and tacos. When she’s not editing or writing you can find her crafting and planning her next adventure.