In the new documentary Jingle Bell Rocks! Christmas music junkie Mitchell Kezin hits the road to track down musicians, DJs, critics and collectors as he uncovers the tales behind his most cherished seasonal songs. It’s “a quest to unearth the stories behind 12 of the wildest, weirdest and most poignant Christmas songs you’ve likely never heard” according to the film synopisis. Along the way he discusses off-the-beaten-path tunes with everyone from Chicago rock promoter Chicago rock promoter Andy Cirzan and New York hip hop archivist/ writer Bill Adler to Run DMC’s Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons and Schoolhouse Rock creator (and Miles Davis’ “Blue Xmas” collaborator) Bob Dorough. Of course no film on alternative yule would be complete without an appearance by Low, the slow-core duo behind the Christmas album central to every indie Christmas mix of the past decade and a half. He also pays a visit to Oklahoma for an exclusive conversation with the rock band that has done the most to explore the multiple meanings of Christmas . . .
…The Flaming Lips!
Jingle Bell Rocks! world premieres November 24th at the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (check here for show times and other details). Unfortunately its theatrical release isn’t until Thanksgiving 2014, but there’s a few opportunities to catch it between this weekend and then. First it will screen across Canada starting December 6th. Next it will play big and small US and European film fests throughout 2014.
In the meantime follow updates by “liking” the film’s facebook page and joining the mailing list at jinglebellrocks.com. Below sneak a peak behind the scenes at Mitchell’s visit with the Lips last March:
The Future Heart 
Each image is definitely an absolutely different picture, a truly different side of you with the absolutely different backdrop. I say occasional because that you do not want your students to create a story filled with similes.
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