Music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Journey, Van Halen.....you get the idea. Classic rock and metal was the soundtrack to my life, no question about it. Working as a music journalist now I am introduced to new music every day, and there is no shortage of bands trying to make it in the industry. This has always been the case, but the changing industry landscape has altered the course for how bands navigate this tricky business. What would the bands today do if their only road to industry success was based upon signing a major label deal?
The story of Tuff Luck begins in the mid 80's, a time when rock and metal bands flourished.....hell, they owned the industry during that time. So when a group of four guys in South Florida put yet another hard rock/metal band together in 1985 it is hard to imagine what could have made them stand out among the crowd. The answer is simple: pure talent. Virtuoso guitarist Dave Scott could rival any of the top guitarists of the era. Young, hungry and determined bassist James Marino was a true prodigy. Frontman Kenny Monroe was all charisma, balls and talent. And then there was Todd Kelly, truly gifted behind the kit and voted Florida's Best Drummer on multiple occasions. With a lineup like this, what could go wrong? As the movie unfolds, that is a question that is answered all too completely.
The man behind this brilliant film is Andrew Klein, the brother of Tuff Luck's talented drummer. His reasons for telling the story of this band on the verge of being the next big thing are simple. At a time when the band was feeling most inspired, tragedy struck and Todd Kelly was killed. This is not a big spoiler as it is something addressed early on in the film, but to witness the rise, struggle, fall and then resurgence of this band only to see it cut short due to tragedy is something that will stay with you for a very long time. Andrew not only paid great tribute to his brother by making this film, but he truly celebrated the legacy of a band that by all measures should have been one of the biggests acts to come out of the rock and metal 80's era.
I said in the beginning of this review that Tuff Luck was much more than a rockumentary. It's a film about music, desire to succeed, the struggles a band faces in the industry and tragic loss. It's about friendship and perserverance. This is a movie that every up and coming band should watch without question, but every fan of rock music will appreciate this story and want to rewatch it again and again. And for those who aren't music fans, or band members....this is just a really great story to watch unfold. Don't miss it.
Watch the trailer for Tuff Luck here: https://youtu.be/7SBHJc2wMH0
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