Skip to main content

Cameron Crowe, J.J. Abrams to collaborate on Showtime series about rock band roadies

cameron crowe will direct new showtime series on roadies
JStone / Shutterstock.com
Cameron Crowe’s next project will delve into the life of rock music’s unsung heroes: the roadies working behind the scenes. Entitled simply Roadies, the one-hour ensemble comedy will spotlight a fictional group of backstage workers who make rock shows happen every day for an arena band. The Oscar winner certainly has rock cred (director of the classic coming-of-age rock film Almost Famous) but his big name co-exec producers — J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk (both of Lost, Fringe, Person of Interest) as well as Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life, Wicked)  — haven’t spent too much time in rock ‘n roll.

“I’ve long wanted to work with J.J. and Winnie, and coming together to tell these stories has been beyond a blast,” said Crowe in a statement. “Showtime has a great track record with music-based projects, and they’ve been wonderful partners. The actors are all so passionate about music too, and the whole show has the feeling of stories and music shared between friends. We can’t wait to bring it all to life in 2016.”

It’s certainly a different take on the rock ‘n roll tale, which usually focuses on the wild antics of a band. But the band, in this case called The Staton-House Band, will play second rung to the backstage stars in Roadies. Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School) stars as the band’s tour manager alongside production manager Carla Gugino (San Andreas, The Brink). They have a “unqiue” relationship, and considering their difficult jobs (and the “bosses,” a rock band), we’re certainly not surprised.

Crowe will co-write and direct the ten episode-long season with Holzman. The ensemble cast slated for Roadies includes Imogen Poots, Rafe Spall, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Peter Cambor, Colson Baker and Ron White.

This news comes on the heels of another recently-announced er rock-themed series recently, a series adaptation of NYC punk hero Patti Smith’s hit memoir Just Kids.

Editors' Recommendations

Chris Leo Palermino
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Chris Leo Palermino is a music, tech, business, and culture journalist based between New York and Boston. He also contributes…
All the Saw movies, ranked from worst to best
Billy the Puppet from the Saw franchise.

This weekend, Saw X is out in theaters and the latest sequel is keeping the legacy of Jigsaw alive. Or we could call it a "midquel" if you prefer, because the film's story is set between Saw and Saw II. Since the first movie's debut in 2004, Saw has proven to be one of the most resilient and best franchises in horror alongside The Conjuring and Insidious. Not even killing off the main character has prevented Lionsgate from revisiting Jigsaw and his apprentices again and again. The movies have even made Jigsaw's puppet, Billy (pictured above), into one of the franchise's most iconic creations.

Now that Saw X has arrived, this is the perfect opportunity to rank all 10 of the movies in the Saw franchise. There's definitely a dramatic drop in quality from the worst film to the very best. But it's also worth saying that Saw X offers some promising signs that the filmmakers may have finally recognized why the franchise was floundering and come up with some ideas as to how it might continue beyond its 20th anniversary next year.
10. Saw V (2008)

Read more
The 10 most popular shows on Max right now
A promotional image from HBO's Savior Complex.

The latest update of the 10 most popular shows on Max has arrived, and for the third week in a row, the original animated series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake is No. 1 on the list, thanks in large part to a fresh episode of the show. However, this week marks the first time that three of the AMC+ shows on loan to Max have dropped out of the top 10. So Killing Eve, Interview with the Vampire, and Gangs of London are out, while TLC reality shows like Welcome to Plathville and Sister Wives are in. That really puts the Discovery in Warner Bros. Discovery.

This week's biggest addition is the HBO documentary Savior Complex, which debuted at No. 3. Meanwhile, the racy British dating show Naked Attraction remains near the top spot at No. 2. Never say that sex doesn't sell, because it clearly does. As of September 29, these are the 10 most popular shows on Max right now.

Read more
Where to watch the 2023 Ryder Cup: live stream golf for free
Logo and trophy for golf's Ryder Cup.

The most exciting golf tournament in the world heads to Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup. The competition between Team United States and Team Europe will be held at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy. Team United States is the defending champions, having won the 2021 Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.

The Ryder Cup is a three-day tournament with 12 golfers from the United States and 12 golfers from Europe. The first two days are dedicated to foursomes and four-ball matches, all featuring two players from each team. Day 1 and Day 2 follow the same schedule: four foursomes matches in the morning and four four-ball matches in the afternoon. The third and final day consists of 12 singles matches to determine the champion.

Read more