It Might Get Loud

Opens NY And LA August 14. Coming Soon to a theatre near you.

Q&A

How is this film different from other music documentaries?

While there have been a lot of performance documentaries, this one is really about the relationship between these three men and their instruments. We tried to show what drives the artists, what got them passionate as players, what made them pick up the guitar in the first place.

Where did you come up with this concept?

The guitar is something I am ardent about. I was thinking how, on a global level, the personification of contemporary music IS the guitar: from video games to debates over Top 10 guitarists lists, from rock to jazz to blues, this instrument captures everyone’s imagination. It was a subject I hadn’t really seen explored on film, from that perspective.

What was instrumental in you picking Davis Guggenheim to direct?

I’ve known Davis as a friend for a number of years. He is one of the best documentarians there is (as shown in An Inconvenient Truth), and he’s passionate about music too. He was the only person I thought of for this film.

Why did you want to make this film?

As a fan I wanted to see a movie that captured the essence of why people are so fanatic about the guitar.  I wanted to tell that story through these three, particular artists.

How did you choose Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White? What was it like working with them?

It was almost like casting a movie. We wanted to show a wide range of styles and eras by focusing on three of the best players in the world, from three generations…and they said yes! Like many kids, I had a poster of Jimmy Page on my wall — he is a living legend. U2 is one of the greatest bands ever, and The Edge is a brilliant and distinctive player. Jack White is the new generation — cutting his own path but also keeping the guitar, and great guitar traditions, alive.

What do you hope audiences will experience while watching the film?

Honestly, I made this film for people like me, people who love music and the experience of a live show. When you love a band or a musician you want to know how and why they do what they do — what makes them tick. Davis was able to show this, to get inside these guys’ worlds and inside their heads in a way I don’t think any other music documentary has. I hope fans are as excited and fulfilled by seeing and hearing what he uncovered as I am.