Rock'n'Reel mag features The Seventh Python

“The news is 24/7. When we were young, television had the decency to close down. And peace returned to the planet. There’s no peace now; this is why I battle on about it, it’s time for individuals to come out of the woodwork and say – like the Network movie – ‘I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take any more!’ I feel like that. A lot of people feel like that. But then is it all I can do, make jokes about it?”

The Seventh Python is getting international magazine exposure along with the current buzz over its Golden Ace Award from the Las Vegas Film Festival, its choice as the Opening Selection of The Pacific Palisades Film Festival (May 14) and its special June 9th presentation (complete with Neil Innes concert) at the Wilmette Theatre outside Chicago.

The March-April issue of the UK's Rock'n'Reel magazine features The Seventh Python subject and star Neil Innes in article entitled 'Songs in the key of laughter.' It's a snapshot of the self-deprecating genius on the road and the succinct writing by Boff Whalley (lead guitarist for Chumbawamba!) manages to encapsulate Innes' career, worldview, philosophy and wit in a way that should only whet the public's appetite for the nonfiction film about him.

And of course, the article features Neil speaking about the movie:

"The Seventh Python. Its quite sweet-- but it's difficult for me to judge! And have sort of 'dodged it' for most of my life so to be labelled The Seventh Python-- what can you do? There's a lovely moment on it -- the film makers came over to ask people in Windsor, they got photographs of me and they said to people on the street, 'Do you know this man?' and nobody knew. One woman said, 'It's not that Russian who was poisoned, was it?' It's fabulous. They did it on Hollywood Boulevard, too, asking people the same question, 'Do you know this man?' And there's this lovely moment where this guy turns round and says, 'You're making a documentary about a guy nobody's heard of?' Yes! Let's have more documentaries about people nobody's heard of, because everyone's got a story to tell..."

Rock'n'Reel is a hip and handsome British publication, focusing on an eclectic music mix ("Roots, Rock, Blues and Beyond... since 1988"-- the current issue covers everyone from Grease Band/Wings' Henry McCullough to Gomez, and like all the great British music mags, comes with a free CD). It's got distribution in the United States (mainly through Barnes & Nobles and Borders bookstores). Look for it!

And a tip of the Tabloid Baby hat to Rock'n'Reel editor Sean McGhee for sending along the article...