Texas soul band Bastards of Soul were on the cusp of success in 2021. Director Paul Levatino was around to capture the making of their 3rd album – recorded live in the studio – but a tragic event brought it all crashing down.
This film, named for the band, becomes a celebration of what was, a reflection on what might have been, and a tribute to frontman Chadwick Murray, who died unexpectedly at the age of 45.
What was originally planned as a short promotional film documenting the process of making a record became a feature film capturing the end of a band that had burned brightly for such a short time.
As well as Murray, Bastards of Soul comprised guitarist Chris Holt, bassist Danny Balis, Chad Stockslager on keys, and Matt Trimble on drums. Their influence was from 60s soul, notably Sam Cooke, but they wrote their own songs.
This is a documentary that started with the creative process and ended two years after Murray’s death, with the band wrapped up and the recordings accepted as a golden moment in their musical history.
I hadn’t heard of this band before, but their energy, synergy, and chemistry are clear – it feels cruel that just at the point their work was just maturing, fate stamped on what the band could have been.
What could and should have been a longer story has become a four-year period that was left unfinished. There’s a period on camera where Murray’s wife, Hannah, shares her memories of his last days, a time when their baby was born and, perhaps, a connection was made over video call.
Chadwick Murray was a charismatic presence who came into his own as the frontman for Bastards of Soul. This film captures what he meant to the band both as a colleague and a person.
I’m glad this film exists for those who saw him and remember him, and for those who didn’t and don’t. It may stray slightly into sentimentality towards the end, but that’s the ‘tribute’ part to a man who is described as “one of the best dudes you’ll ever meet”.
Bastards of Soul is now available on Apple TV and Amazon and will expand to additional US markets throughout the year, released digitally via Blue Water Content and Filmhub.
It is available on Amazon Prime in the UK.