2015
A MILLION MILES FROM HOME
Luke Gasser, a Swiss Rock 'n' Roll musician, joined up with the legendary Scottish rock band "Nazareth" and toured West-and East Europe in the summer of 2015. Luke intended to make a little road trip movie about his tour and experience with his band and Nazareth. I followed Luke on his tour and during that time we met folks from all different income backgrounds, places and political views and everybody was concerned with the happenings around the world and in Europe. Luke Gasser is well established in the Rock 'n' Roll scene and his songs are packed with powerful messages about religion, politics, wars, rebellions, revolutions, right-and-wrongs and humanity, just like most of the Rock 'n' Roll songs are. However he is at no means a politician and wouldn't see himself fit into a political circus, because he is a rebel himself. He would stir up politics too much and his outlet is music. During our trip it was astonishing to see the overwhelming amount of distrust in the world's governments and at the same time Greece was falling apart, Europe was overrun with hundreds of thousands of refugees, Syria fell into a full blown war and the British people started talking about a possible Brexit. Luke asked me "what the fu$%^ is going on buddy?" and I was just as speechless as everybody else.
After our return from the tour we analyzed the footage to create a "behind the scene tour"-video and Luke and I looked at each other and realized that there is a complete other story to tell. The world has always seen revolutions, demonstrations, war and unrest. This is no different than in 1968 or the 70's or the 80's and Rock 'n' Roll was always a part of it. Rock music is sort of poetry and in a poetic way gives the people a voice, a way to express themselves and let out their feelings. Songwriters can share their political views without prosecution and evoke reactions in listeners.
Luke Gasser's film is a portrait and reflection of this kind of poetry, of the synergies between Rock 'n' Roll music and politics. The film talks about the past issues and revolutions and observes the current state affairs, not just in Greece, Germany, the European Union or the British "Brexit", but beyond European's borders of the turmoil in the Middle East, the American Political Circus and the unrest everyone is feeling....
We hope to have sparked your interest in this political-driven poem and narrative documentary from the view-point of Luke Gasser.