The Key To The Trap Door

So it is now complete. My very first feature length documentary film “The Key To The Trap Door-From The Medway To The Mersey” follows Kent’s finest pop band, The Lovedays, from rehearsals, interviews and photo sessions in The Medway Towns through to their triumphant return to Liverpool’s Cavern Club on May 30th 2010.

The Lovedays had played at the International Pop Overthrow Festival the previous year where, according to eye witnesses, “they tore the place apart”. I wasn’t there in 2009 and alas, aside from a few You Tube clips and the magnificent photography of Medway Eyes artist Phil Dillon, there is little in the way of hard evidence that this tumultuous event ever happened.

O.K I’m being a little playful here but it did occur to me there should have been a film. So when I heard that the band had been invited to return this year I suggested to Lovedays Head Honcho Ben Jones that he get several fans to film the gig on compact cameras, mobile phones or whatever, get the sound recording from the mixing desk, give it all to me and I’ll edit a 10 minute “highlights” for You Tube perhaps. “Actually”, said Ben, “we were thinking of asking you to come along and film it anyway”. I didn’t need to be asked twice. “I could make it into a documentary” I said without really thinking it through.”Wicked idea!” said Ben.

And that was that. I’d fallen through the trap door. No way out. I’d committed myself making a full length documentary. Which is a bit of a bugger considering I hadn’t the foggiest idea what I was doing. My disclaimer to the band was this:

“You WILL have a film but I can’t guarantee that it will be any good.”

Filming began in early April with a photo shoot in Rochester and continued with rehearsal sessions and interviews over the following weeks whenever I had my camera handy. I shot sound checks, gigs and off guarded moments. There were happy accidents and moments of serendipity along the way. I came across some old cine film I had shot in Liverpool in 1983-a grey,crumbling, depressing place then (as pointed out by Paul Moss in the film)-and I found the Cavern Brick (complete with the Royal Life verification plaque) that I bought for a fiver (all proceeds went to charidee, mate) all those years ago. These small touches fit nicely in the film.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I hope the film serves as a small reminder to whoever watches and enjoys it-including The Lovedays themselves-that this is what pop music is all about. If you have forgotten what a pop group is, watch this film. Great songs, great performances, joyous, life affirming and brilliantly executed. But is the FILM any good? That’s up to the viewer but one thing is for sure-it captures a moment and I think that is all that matters. And the gig? Well, they tore the place apart, of course.

I know because I was there.

Glenn Prangnell 25th June 2010

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