In case you didn’t catch the premiere of HBOs new “Rolling Stone: Stories from the edge,” there is still time to tune in and see what you’re missing. We think that this is going to be the network’s next big hit. If you’re a fan of bizarre documentary type shows, then we have some things to tell you about the show that just might grab your attention. Here are five things about the new series that you probably didn’t know, but should.
1. The show is an Alex Gibney/Blair Foster documentary
Gibney is an Oscar winning director and is joined by Emmy winning Blair Foster as they team up to bring us this remarkable new show that just happens to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of Rolling Stone magazine. The magazine has brought us decades of high quality journalism. While many equate the name with all things music, there is much more to the show. Just as the magazine was keen on publishing stories related to politics and current events, the four hour documentary stays in line with this format. It’s an informative piece that maintains the standards and quality set forth by the print version of Rolling Stone, so if you’re an avid reader, you’re almost certain to enjoy watching “Stories from the Edge.”
2. You’ll find out more about Jann Wenner and the origin of the magazine
You’ll see the founder of the magazine Jann Wenner make appearances throughout the documentary, even though the magazine is currently up for sale. We can’t imagine that the quality of the publication would change, even under new ownership. The show begins with the humble beginnings of Rolling Stone magazine when Wenner is just 22 years old and working out of a tiny office in San Francisco. He started the now famous magazine fifty years ago from a small loft. Wenner was a Berkely student, but dropped out of college. He believed that there were interesting stories in the music industry that needed to be told from a unique perspective. We now know that he was right because fans devoured each edition of the magazine because of the quality content that told the stories with accuracy and attention to important and newsworthy details.
3. Wenner had to borrow money to start “Rolling Stone”
Wenner started the magazine on a shoestring budget, borrowing $7,500 to bring his vision into a tangible form that he could share with the world. The first story, written in 1967 was the coverage of a gathering of naked groupies, and included quotes from Tina Turner in an interview in she and Ike’s home, as the feature story to a piece on Jefferson Airplane and their affluent lifestyle. The early days of the magazine were a far cry from what it evolved into through the decades, but it was a start, and a good one at that.
4. The show documents how Rolling Stone helped artists achieve success
There are several music artists who can look backwards in time and realize that they owe at least part of their tremendous success to the coverage that they received in Rolling Stone magazine. The Clash and Bruce Springsteen were fortunate to have feature stories ran on them, which gave them the additional exposure to the public that was needed to launch their careers into the stratosphere. It was a big deal to find out more about your favorite musicians, and even better for the up and coming stars when people who had never heard of them were reading things of interest. It’s some of the best advertisement you can get when you’re trying to make a name for yourself in the industry.
5. Most of the big stories don’t even relate to music
Rolling Stone magazine was astute in its depth and breadth of journalistic coverage. For example, when heiress Patty Hearst was kidnapped in 1974, the magazine provided excellent coverage of the story as it unfolded. This was a historic event that showed how the counter culture that had been under the radar for years in the United States was beginning to surface. Everything from major political events to fallen evangelist Jimmy Swaggart’s disgrace were covered thoroughly and expertly by the magazine. Then there was the music. It was a full rounded publication and remains so to this day. The documentary “Rolling Stone: Stories from the Edge” is a compilation of some of the most amazing journalistic pursuits in the history of the magazine. It is a show that is well-worth watching and we recommend that you tune in to HBO to catch a replay while it’s still being offered.
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