Gracie Otto & Cody Greenwood On New Film “Under The Volcano,” Montserrat, George Martin, The Police, AC/DC & Future Projects
Under The Volcano is the untold story about a recording studio that changed the world from an isolated island paradise. Directed by Gracie Otto (The Last Impresario) and produced by Cody Greenwood, the film charts the rise and fall of AIR Studios Montserrat, a recording studio at the center of the pop universe in the 1980s. Built by Beatles producer Sir George Martin in 1979, AIR Studios Montserrat was a custom-built, state-of-the-art recording facility tucked away on a Caribbean paradise. In the shadow of an active volcano, the studio yielded recordings on many of the top artists of the 1970s and 1980s, including The Police, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Dire Straits, Elton John, Duran Duran, Eric Clapton, Culture Club, Black Sabbath, Earth Wind & Fire, and Phil Collins.
Just as important as the recording artists were the people of Montserrat, and in particular those who worked in and around the Studios, helping to create the unique atmosphere that would characterise the studio’s legendary status. This includes George the Chef and Desmond the Bartender, who played their parts in the AIR Studios story and brought a unique perspective to its telling for this film in 2020. As more from Gracie Otto and Cody Greenwood: “While making the film, we identified thematic veins that we wanted to tap into throughout the narrative. These included themes such as isolation and its impact on creative freedom, the nature of celebrity, nostalgia, and the impermanence of existence… Its isolation, its starkness, its black sands and its now post-apocalyptic landscape — all of these provide a background to the creation and ultimate destruction of AIR. And of course, the volcano on the island is an ever-present backdrop to the action. It stands as a reminder of the power of nature, and the impermanence of our existence — the fleeting nature of fame, fortune, and even life itself — and will be a recurring metaphor throughout the film, culminating in its final destructive act.”
On August 25, 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with both Gracie Otto and Cody Greenwood via Zoom, as embedded below. Beyond Under The Volcano, we spoke about future projects for both of them and whether AC/DC is truly an Australian band. More on Under The Volcano, its filmmakers and AIR Studios Montserrat can be found by clicking here, here, here, here, here, and here.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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