★★★ out of four stars
Rating: PG.
Theater: Lagoon.
The success of the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" about backup singers may have reopened the door for "The Wrecking Crew," a rock doc about the anonymous Los Angeles studio musicians who played on "Good Vibrations," "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' " and scores of other hits of the 1960s.
After 12 years of work, director Denny Tedesco — son of Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco — finished the film in 2008 but ran into a roadblock: It would cost more than $300,000 for the rights to use parts of more than 130 songs by the likes of the Beach Boys, Byrds, Monkees and Phil Spector. Tedesco raised the funds via Kickstarter, enabling the film to finally get widespread distribution.
The crisply edited film features old clips and photos but mostly recent interviews with members of the Wrecking Crew — including guitarist Glen Campbell, pianist Leon Russell and drummer Hal Blaine — and such recording stars as Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Cher and Herb Alpert. A must-see for liner-note readers.
