Vintage Annals Archive Visionaries and Outsiders Podcast V.A.A Visionaries and Outsiders Podcast

Chris White Directed Short Promoting Acceptance and Community as a Cure For Loneliness Epidemic Set to Lost Lyrics Originally Penned by ‘Jesus Music’ Pioneer Larry Norman
An intriguing combo of beloved actor and comedian Fred Armisen, indie rocker Daniel Smith (Danielson), Jesus Music pioneer Larry Norman, and award-winning filmmaker Chris White join on a new song and short music-film COME AND SAVE ME releasing worldwide April 26, 2024. The song and film, originally written for White’s feature film ELECTRIC JESUS, celebrates themes of acceptance and community as a cure for the loneliness epidemic and sees Armisen playing the character of ‘Hugo’ desperately trying to connect with other humans in a world that seems designed to exclude him.
“The post-pandemic world suffers from a residual loneliness epidemic,” says director Chris White. “It was important to Daniel, Fred, and me to make a film that not only served the song, but also served its audience in a meaningful way. ‘Come And Save Me’ reminds us that the mental, emotional, spiritual relief so many of us seek can be found.”
The song came from White and Smith’s collaboration on the film ELECTRIC JESUS, released in 2021 by 1091 Pictures after a long and award-winning film festival run. The accompanying soundtrack, written and performed by Daniel Smith, was released by Joyful Noise Recordings.
The lyrics in “Come and Save Me” are from the ‘lost’ papers of legendary rocker and Jesus Music pioneer Larry Norman who died in 2008, and contained words for several never finished songs. The papers were discovered by Norman biographer Gregory Alan Thornbury (Why Should The Devil Have All the Good Music?), who interviewed Smith for his book.
“Late in his life, Larry Norman heard my band (Danielson) and reached out to me via email, which led to several meaningful exchanges,” Smith explains, “Later, when Greg was interviewing me for the book, he mentioned he had these unpublished Larry Norman lyrics and would I be interested in looking at them. He sent me several songs and I connected with “Come and Save Me.”
Of Armisen’s participation White notes, “Fred Armisen is a comedy legend. He’s also a longtime Danielson fan. As I imagined this Jacques Tati-inspired, alienated Everyman at the center of our story, Fred was the obvious choice.”
Shot on location in White’s home state of South Carolina, the film was produced by Studio Fifteen and Cargo. Influencer and rising actress Andie Marie Tillman plays the role of a food delivery person, for whom Hugo’s journey from isolated loner to cherished family member is framed. .
COME AND SAVE ME is available to stream on the ELECTRIC JESUS YouTube page
www.youtube.com/@ElectricJesus 
beginning April 26, 2024.
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ELECTRIC JESUS, a coming-of-age rock-and-roll comedy following the ill-fated exploits of a religious hair metal band during the summer of 1986 starring Brian Baumgartner (The Office) and Judd Nelson (The Breakfast Club, St. Elmo’s Fire) is streaming everywhere.
STREAM IT: https://amzn.to/4cxF5xX,
OWN IT: https://amzn.to/49hQOOb,
THE MUSIC: https://amzn.to/4cGXp7C
Fred Armisen is an American actor, comedian, and writer. After having begun his career as a musician for groups such as Trenchmouth and the Blue Man Group, he would get his big break as a comedy actor when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live in 2002, having remained with the show until 2013. This led to Armisen collaborating with fellow SNL alum Bill Hader and Seth Meyers on the television series Documentary Now! for IFC and would also collaborate with Carrie Brownstein on Portlandia for the same network. He is also known for his roles in various films and shows such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, and Easy A, alongside voice roles in The Looney Tunes Show, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, The Lego Ninjago Movie, and Final Space, among others.
   

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Ep. 99: Rich Wexler (Introduction and Two Year Reflection on the Podcast and Page)



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Interviewed and edited by Richie Wexler




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Ep.98: Ryan Cassata (he/him) (Musician/LGBTQ+ Activist)



Ryan Cassata (he/him) is a multi-talented artist signed to Kill Rock Stars. As an award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, performer, published writer, LGBTQ+ activist, and transgender motivational speaker, Ryan's music and story has been showcased on prestigious platforms, including The Larry King Live Show, The Tyra Banks Show, CNN, GRAMMY.com, Rolling Stone, Billboard, The New York Times, Newsweek, and The NY Daily News. 

Ryan Cassata has built an impressive career with a remarkable track record of hundreds of national and international performances. He has released seven original and critically-acclaimed musical albums of original music. Notably, Ryan made history as the first openly trans performer at the Vans Warped Tour and has graced renowned stages such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Global Pride, and SXSW.  The Advocate Magazine hailed him as a "Transgender singing sensation," while Paper Magazine included him on their list of "50 LGBTQ Musicians You Should Prioritize." LOGO's New Now Next recognized Ryan as one of the "9 Trans Musicians You Need To Get Into." Acknowledging his impact, Billboard Magazine referred to him as a "true force in the industry." They also featured him on their list of "11 Transgender & Non-Binary Musicians You Need to Know," and premiered his award-winning music video "Daughter," which has amassed over 2 million views on YouTube and 2.8 million streams on Spotify. Ryan's music has been played on Sirius XM Radio and BBC Radio 4, reaching listeners worldwide. In 2019, he proudly received The ASCAP Foundation's Mariana and Paul Williams "Sunlight of the Spirit" songwriting award for his original composition, "Jupiter." His 2021 self-written and self-produced album, Magic Miracle Mile charted on the iTunes Alternative Charts. Ryan's talent has garnered the endorsement of prominent names in the industry, including Ovation Guitars, Marvin Guitars, Figurehead Guitars, Breedlove Guitars, Grover Allman Guitar Picks, Daredevil Pedals, and Equator Coffee.

Ryan has been at the forefront of the transgender liberation movement since his early teens, appearing on the Larry King Live Show at 15 years old, the Tyra Banks Show at 17 years old, and speaking at schools and conferences to educate people on the importance of diversity and equality. With a Masters of Art in Social Transformation (MAST) from the Pacific School of Religion, Ryan was honored with the prestigious 2023 Marcella Althaus-Reid Award for his efforts in queering theology and his work thus far for the Transgender Liberation Movement. Ryan's journey as a transgender activist began at 13 when he joined the LGBT Network's Safe Schools Team after being severely bullied in middle school. Since then, he has become an influential speaker, delivering impactful speeches and sharing his experiences at numerous Middle Schools, High Schools, and Universities nationwide. Notably, Ryan achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest keynote speaker in the history of the Philadelphia Trans Health [Wellness] Conference. Ryan has shared his research and experience at esteemed institutions like Harvard University and the U.S. Capitol. His groundbreaking accomplishments have earned him recognition, including being the inaugural recipient of the Harvey Milk Memorial Award in 2011 from Bay Shore High School (Harvey Milk's alma mater) and receiving a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress in 2019. In June 2023, he was invited to The White House, where he engaged in a taped conversation with Admiral Rachel Levine, leaving a lasting impression on national platforms. 



https://www.ryancassata.com/

https://linktr.ee/ryancassata

https://www.instagram.com/ryancassata

https://www.facebook.com/ryancassata

https://www.tiktok.com/@ryancassata



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Ep. 97: Antoine Haywood (Community Media Maker/DJ)



Bio

I am a doctoral candidate at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. I have a B.A. degree in English from Morehouse College, an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School, and an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. I study community access television, local media ecosystem dynamics, participatory media-making practices and experiences, and media activism history. My dissertation is an multimodal autoethnographic exploration of African American cultural experiences in Philadelphia community access television.

Before Annenberg, I spent fifteen years directing community engagement programs at public access media centers at People TV in Atlanta, GA, and PhillyCAM in Philadelphia, PA. I have served on boards for community media organizations such as the Alliance for Community Media and Radio Free Georgia, and I am currently a member of the Independence Public Media Foundation's board of directors. I have experience writing grants for public educational programs, developing community outreach initiatives, facilitating participatory community documentary film projects, and curating community media events. Along with his professional and academic experience, Antoine enjoys playing guitar, collecting and spinning vinyl records, and producing original video projects. Antoine is a proud father and native of Palm Beach County, Florida.



https://www.instagram.com/cratebeats

https://www.facebook.com/antoine.haywood.54/

https://antoinehaywood.com/



Credits 

Produced, Research and Interview by Rich Wexler  

Edited by Otter Castro



Music  

Richie by B.J Snowden

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bjsnowdenmusic.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 



I Never Feel Alone Instrumental by Stephen Bluhm 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.stephenbluhm.fun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 



Website

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Ep. 96: Gary Monroe (Photographer)



Bio

Gary Monroe, a native of Miami Beach, received a master's degree in fine arts from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1977. Upon returning home, he photographed the old world Jewish community that characterized South Beach for a decade, until it vanished. From 1984 through 2000 he photographed throughout Haiti, and later looked at tourism across Florida, especially the "rite of passage" of vacationers at Disney World. Gary Monroe has always photographed throughout Florida and also "wanders aimlessly" to photograph in other countries – Brazil, Israel, Cuba, India, Trinidad, Poland, England and Egypt to name a few. At the turn of the millennium he photographed the landscape, focusing on the transformation of place due to corporate-driven planning. In 2020 he began photographing digitally. Gary Monroe's life's work is housed at Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Library.



https://www.garymonroe.net/

https://www.instagram.com/gary_monroe_photography/



Credits 

Produced, Research and Interview by Rich Wexler  



Music  

Richie by B.J Snowden

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bjsnowdenmusic.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 



I Never Feel Alone Instrumental by Stephen Bluhm 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.stephenbluhm.fun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 



Website

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Ep. 95: Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story (Documentary - Directed by Jennifer Takaki)



For 50 years, Chinese American photographer Corky Lee documented the celebrations, struggles, and daily lives of Asian American Pacific Islanders with epic focus. Determined to push mainstream media to include AAPI culture in the visual record of American history, Lee produced an astonishing archive of nearly a million compelling photographs. His work takes on new urgency with the alarming rise in anti-Asian attacks during the Covid pandemic. Jennifer Takaki’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the lens.

Corky Lee was born in 1947 in New York to Chinese immigrants who owned two laundries in Queens. He majored in history at Queens College and became a community organizer in Manhattan’s Chinatown in the 1970s. Over the next five decades he photographed countless protests and cultural events in the Asian American Pacific Islander community. Lee’s photographs documented the birth and growth of the Asian American movement for social justice and he became known as “The Undisputed, Unofficial, Asian American Photographer Laureate.” His death in 2021 at the age of 73 due to Covid was mourned in the press worldwide.

Filmmaker Jennifer Takaki is a fourth generation Japanese American from Colorado. She began her career in journalism at a Denver TV station and later moved to Hong Kong to work with Encore International. In Hong Kong she produced English-based news programming broadcast in China, India, and the Middle East via Rupert Murdoch’s STAR-TV. In New York, she produced and directed “Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story” which premiered at DOC NYC and was supported by the Ford Foundation and The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). She was awarded the prestigious Better Angels Lavine Fellowship in 2023.Running Time: 87 minutes / Language: English / Not Rated

Documentary Feature (USA)

The film will have a nationwide US television release, premiering Monday, May 13 at 10/9C on PBS (check local listings) and on PBS apps to follow, timed to Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May, 2024).



Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imLE17IgWHc



Credits 

Produced, Research and Interview by Rich Wexler  

Edited by Otter Castro



Music  

Richie by B.J Snowden

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bjsnowdenmusic.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 



I Never Feel Alone Instrumental by Stephen Bluhm 

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.stephenbluhm.fun/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 



Website

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vintageannalsarchive.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  


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