About

SYNOPSIS

Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho is a feature-length documentary on the extraordinary life and visionary music of the American guitarist, singer and mystic Robbie Basho.

Before his bizarre death at the hands of a chiropractor, Robbie Basho was sure that his compositions would not outlast him. Orphaned during infancy, diagnosed with synaesthesia (a union of the senses that caused him to interpret sound as colour) and claiming to be the reincarnation of a 17th century poet—the Baltimore-born, Berkeley-based guitarist and singer's musical output was equally as outlandish as his persona.

In his brief and troubled life he laid the foundations for radical changes to the musical landscape of America during the 1960s and '70s but reaped little more than a sparse (if fervent) following during his lifetime.

Voice of the Eagle: The Enigma of Robbie Basho is a journey into the heart of an artist's lifelong struggle: designed to illuminate and satiate existing fans while serving as a perfect starting point for the uninitiated.

Featuring interviews with Basho's former students, contemporaries and few close friends (including Pete Townshend, William Ackerman, Henry Kaiser and Country Joe McDonald), the documentary integrates new information and anecdotes on Basho with previously uncovered archive material and photography of the landscapes and natural phenomena that informed his work.

 

PRESS QUOTES

“Inspiring” - BFI's 10 Great Documentaries About Iconic Musicians

“Excellent” - Folkrocks’ Top 10 Rock Documentaries of 2018 [#1]

“Impressive” - Mojo [4/5]

“Essential” - The Quietus

“Compulsory viewing” - Shindig! [5/5]

“A moving portrait of a tormented genius” - The Stranger

“Stunning” - Test Pressing

“Evokes both appreciation for Basho’s music and empathy for his deeply troubled life” - The Wire

 

CAST & CREW

Director, Producer & Editor: Liam Barker

Director of Photography: Justinas Vabuolas

Featuring: Pete Townshend, William Ackerman, Alex de Grassi, Henry Kaiser, Glenn Jones, Country Joe McDonald

Full listings on IMDB