But the reaction all day has been great, she says, and we’re looking forward to any future endeavors Harrington pursues regarding “Hello Cleveland!”
“I graduated in 2009 and this thesis film was created with the idea in mind that I’d use it to seek out finishing funds to complete shooting and editing the larger story,” she explains. Rock ‘n’ roll is eternal in our fair city, and Harrington has a phenomenal foot in the door in terms of telling that tale.
One YouTube commenter notes in earnest: “This should be playing nonstop at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”
We couldn’t agree more.
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Originally posted at 9:04 a.m. April 25
“Hello Cleveland!” is making the rounds online, presenting a magical era of our city’s past. The documentary highlights the unique elements of Cleveland’s music scene in the 1970s. The Agora and WMMS both figure into the storyline heavily.
Director Ashley Harrington is was a student at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Her film offers a great deal of context behind the now hazy years of rock ‘n’ roll’s ascent in Cleveland.
Interview segments round up the best of the local personalities who had a hand in really pushing Cleveland to the forefront of national music culture – think Agora owner Hank LoConti, concert producer Buddy Maver and WMMS program director John Gorman. Each of them tells firsthand stories about how Cleveland’s renown came to be.
Check out the film below, and pass it on.
This article appears in Apr 24-30, 2013.
Mr. LoConti has no idea (or hopefully he does) as to how much the Agora shaped the landscape of American music and concert going in the 70’s…I think he was a visionary breaking So many well known artists Springsteen? Bowie?…
“mms was more well known for their disc jockies than the music they played….
WYSU out of Youngstown was playing all the punk and post punk that came from Cle and other parts of the music world but ‘mms was not…
You NEVER heard Devo or The Clash on ‘mms until they got big and that was AFTER Combat Rock or Are We Not Men…
‘mms was great for being the first to air the likes of Michael Jackson or Donna Summer…
I would be hard pressed to say that ‘mms EVER aired anything coming out that was local sans Devo or The Pretenders…although I was pleased to hear Chrissy say “Fuck off” in Precious while riding with my mom to the mall one evening!!!
Cleveland is awesome. That’s all you need to know.
Ashley Harrington pulled the film; I did see it about a year ago and it is phenomenal. I grew up with all of it and would love to have a copy of her documentary. Any info on how to make contact, buy…??