Wavy Gravy

(Current) ST. MISBEHAVIN' : THE WAVY GRAVY MOVIE

We want to let you know that Wavy's film, 'St. Misbeavin': The Life & Time of Wavy Gravy' will premier at SXSW on March 14th, 2010. Additionally Wavy will participate on a panel discussion with Michael Lang, Producer of the Woodstock Festival & Barbara Koppel, Academy Award winning documentary director.

The film, 10 yrs in the making, follows Wavy as he in his quite unordinary world, including archival footage from his days in The Village, to the mnts. of the Himalayas, to Camp Winnarainbow & of course Woodstock. The film sound track makes use of Wavy's song 'Basic Human Needs' & includes vocals from Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Bob Weir, Dr. John, Steve Earle, David Crosby, Graham Nash & others.

St. Misbehavin' has also been accepted to the prestigious Full Frame Film Festival in Durham N. Carolina in April & with luck a Bay Area premier at the SF Film Fest in late April.

Synopsis:
Saint Misbehavin' will reveal the true story of cultural phenomenon Wavy Gravy -- a man whose life proves that you can change the world and have fun doing it.

Wavy Gravy is known in some circles as the MC of the Woodstock Festival, a hippie icon, clown, and even a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor. He is all those things, but in Saint Misbehavin' we meet a true servant to humanity who carries his message through humor, love and a special song he sings where ever he goes, 'Basic Human Needs'. As the song goes, "wouldn't it be neat, if the people that you meet, had shoes upon their feet and somethin' to eat and wouldn't it be fine if all humankind had shelter."

In the tradition of the great fools throughout history, Wavy Gravy uses his foolery for the common good. As the Village Voice declared, 'Wavy Gravy will make as big a fool of himself as is necessary to make a wiser man of you.'

Saint Misbehavin' will weave together intimate veritÌ© footage, reflections from an array of cultural and counter-cultural peers, and a rich collection of archival material to tell a story that is bigger than the man himself.

Like few others of his generation, Wavy Gravy (born Hugh Romney) has been at the center of most major American cultural movements. Wavy fostered the Beat generation by bringing poetry and folk music to the legendary Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village. He helped start the influential Hog Farm commune who provided free food and support to 400,000 at the Woodstock Festival. As MC of Woodstock and star of the Woodstock film, Wavy instantly became a spokesperson for the emerging counterculture. And he was just getting started.

Wavy has worked tirelessly in support of the poor and suffering people of the world. Along with the Hog Farm commune, Wavy journeyed in rainbow colored buses everywhere from small town America to the Far East. They took their way of life on the road and left an indelible mark on every community they reached.

Wavy co-founded the Seva Foundation with Dr. Larry Brilliant. Through his legendary benefit concerts Wavy has helped to bring sight to millions of people in the developing world and health care to Native Americans. Wavy also founded Camp Winnarainbow, a circus and performing arts camp, which passes on his ideals -- love, compassion, and that we are all in this together!

With these stories and so many more, Saint Misbehavin' will excite and inspire audiences who are unfamiliar with his story as well as those who have admired Wavy for years.

The film features archival materials, home video, and photos from Wavy's personal archives. The filmmakers have exclusive access to this truly unparalleled collection. Woven throughout the film will be scenes of Wavy's life today, including Wavy in his home at the Berkeley Hog Farm, running the Seva benefit shows, at protests collecting arrests, and with the campers at Camp Winnarainbow. Music is central to Wavy's story. Saint Misbehavin' will be driven by a soundtrack featuring musicians such as Jackson Browne, Odetta, Bonnie Raitt, The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Arlo Guthrie, Santana, Joni Mitchell and many more.In 2009 people around the world will be commemorating, celebrating and reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock festival. Saint Misbehavin' will help kick off this year-long exploration of the Woodstock legacy.

"Good Morning... What we have in mind, is breakfast in bed for 400,000 people"
(Hugh Romney, Stage Announcement, 16 August 1969)

In 1969, Hugh Romney served as chief of the Please Force at the Woodstock music festival, where the Hog Farm administered the free kitchen and bad-trip/freak-out tent. He was captured in the movie "Woodstock" that propelled him into the world press. Hugh became a good-humored peacemaker and purveyor of life support at major rock festivals and political demonstrations of the sixties and seventies and changed his name to Wavy Gravy at the Texas Pop Festival.
(Reference: “A Quick Sketch of My Thumbnail”, by: Wavy Gravy Courtesy of WavyGravy.net)

We Must Be In Heaven, Man

Wavy at the Woodstock Monument and Yasgur’s Farm - 2005
Photos Courtesy of:
Double M Music Management
5265 Locksley Ave.
Oakland, CA 94618
510/420-1776

Wavy Gravy at the Woodstock Monument - 2005

WavyGravy.net

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