entrepreneurs 21


Pictures by Angus Thomas


only way to beat them was to join them, so I went out to Hollywood and became a producer. I had the big cigar, the lilo and the big mobile phone – it was 1987/88 and we fully lived the Hollywood Hills lifestyle!


What did you make of the arrival of the DVD?


DVD was what we had been waiting for, for a long time. I remember running around to all my music friends saying “the day has come”. We had finally arrived in the digital era and brought music into home cinema, which was big business. I ran towards it as fast as I could.


What was your approach? My wife and I saw a Bowie documentary on TV


one evening and it was appalling, both factually and artistically. I then went to the BBC to discuss making factual music documentaries, using my contacts and experience in the industry; someone had to chronicle this music and events correctly and ensure this programming would also lend itself naturally and successfully to DVD.


It was clearly the right move. In 2000, Brewer brought The Fuji Rock Festival to the BBC, a 69-camera shoot, shot at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, with artists including Oasis, Eminem, Alanis Morissette and others. That was followed by an authorised documentary on Michael Hutchence of INXS and a documentary marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain.


Having set up Cardinal Releasing, a distribution/sales company for the productions for their other companies, Brewer went on to direct and produce “The Classic Artists Series”, described as “rockumentaries” featuring many of the legends of rock music, including Cream, The Moody Blues, Yes and Jethro Tull in series one. His vast range of contacts and reputation ensured that he was given “access all areas” to the bands, their music and their archive material. Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills and Nash and Jim Morrison are among the featured artists who appear in series two of the collection, while his powerful 2012 film on the legendary BB King was launched in cinemas last October and then on DVD. Two years in the making, the theatrical film BB King: 'The Life of Riley', tells the life story of the blues superstar, from his early days working as an orphan in the cotton fields through to worldwide recognition and sales of over 40 million records. Brewer also directed a 14-camera shoot at The Royal Albert Hall of BB King’s 2011 performance and was responsible for bringing Slash and Ronnie Wood and Mick Hucknall to the stage.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MARCH 2013 How did the BB King film come about?


I met him in 2005, when I was making the Cream documentary. He gave me an interview backstage and I had never experienced anything like it in my life. I was very impressed and when I spent time with him, he made me feel a little more devout and divine than I really am. In the US, he is an icon and his manager had already been approached by so many people to do a film, but we just connected and within 24 hours we had the contract in place and I was off and running.


The only way to do it was to get to know the man himself; he was coming on tour to the Royal Albert Hall and Glastonbury so we were able to film him there; what was going to be a small documentary became a major feature theatrical release carrying with it the weight of some of entertainment's biggest names and a live concert multi-platform release accompanied by a 'Life of Riley' soundtrack CD release.


After such a “showbiz” lifestyle, how did you end up in the English countryside?


I had lived in Farnham for over 20 years, later moving in to London and homes in US, but I always loved this part of the world. I also loved playing polo.


We were driving the back roads of the Cotswolds one day, stopped at a country inn for dinner and ended up staying for almost three months. While still living in London, I saw a photo of the woods but nothing of the actual house. When we came to see the place it was a thatched haven, perfect for a family and room to grow the business. wonderful place to call home.


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