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Lives Of The Artists:Follow Me Down Trailer

• 12th Aug 2010

Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down is the latest cinematic adventure and highly anticipated edition of the groundbreaking film series by Relentless Energy Drink.

This feature-length documentary captures the no half measures approach of a legendary group of artists and their focused, determined and no compromise attitude which the Relentless Energy brand embodies.

Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down delves deep into the psyche of James Lavelle of UNKLE fame, plus legendary backcountry snowboarders Jeremy Jones and Xavier De La Rue (star of the first Lives Of The Artists film), as they explore virgin territory and pioneer new routes within their respective inspired disciplines.

From the evolution of UNKLE as a sonic collective – both in the studio and on tour in stadiums across the globe; to the world’s most progressive freeriders completing first descents in the last uninhabited continent of Antarctica: both journeys, while at first seeming sharply contrasting, mirror each other in demanding the complete focus, courage, determination and drive that has defined the trio as unrivalled authorities within their spheres of snow and sound.

The film explores a theme that all those driven by immeasurable passion will recognise: there are no easy rides in life. Via breathtaking action from the frozen desert of Antarctica, to stunning live footage of Lavelle, who soundtracks the film, and in-depth, insightful interviews, the film documents the creative minds behind these high profile personalities. United by their vision, ambition, struggle, sacrifice, obsession and triumph – irrespective of domain, whether mountain or amphitheatre – these artists all share the uncompromising attitude: to push their art to its highest potential.

We embark on a three week expedition to Antarctica with our two riders, as they spurn the clichéd ‘heli-drop and ride’ big mountain approach for raw adventures. Instead, they search for more visceral rewards, as Jeremy and Xavier scale and ride near-vertical faces, with the permanent risk of avalanches, entire faces slipping away underneath them or drowning in the iceberg and seal littered seas below at the forefront of their minds – and while almost three days away from the nearest hospital. Captured via jaw dropping helmet camera footage, Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down allows you to experience this tension and life-threatening thrills first hand, as if you were climbing and navigating these cliff-faces yourself.

After months of planning and anticipation, Jones and de La Rue begin their adventure in November 2009, setting off from Ushuaia, Argentina’s most southerly point, to undertake a six day crossing via Drakes Passage – renowned as the roughest seas on the planet. Yet, this alien, hostile environment, full of unknown dangers and far from civilisation, belies a personal mission for the pair: a blank canvas for them to write history with the most pioneering expedition ever seen in snowboarding.

“When you’re dropped by a helicopter on a peak, you’re exposed to danger for a couple of minutes; when you’re hiking you’re exposed for hours,” explains Jones. “After hiking you’re already on a 4 hour buzz, then you add on top of that the endorphins from dropping in and adrenaline from riding – it’s a cocktail of chemicals: the best drug in the world.”

It may be a natural high, but it comes with immeasurable risk: the unpredictability of these most harsh mountains meant that several incidents during filming almost had fatal consequences:

“There were a few moments where I questioned whether we should turn back – sometimes you should listen to fate,” remembers de La Rue. “We’re in a very hostile environment and I want to feel welcome. I don’t want to feel like I’m coming here with my big feet and disrespecting the place. We’ve seen both sides of Antarctica – the beautiful and the nasty.”

The Relentless Energy film crew didn’t compromise either: shooting in film rather than digital, they carried thirty kilos of equipment on their backs enduring mechanical difficulties including frozen lenses and cameras, to achieve an end result which is cinematically breathtaking.

Interwoven with this, join James Lavelle and UNKLE as they tour Tokyo, Moscow, St. Petersburg and London, immersing the viewer in the sounds and beliefs of a pioneering musical outfit that has strived to pushed artistic expression exponentially, while retaining total integrity for close to 20 years. Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down is the most in-depth film produced on James to date and provides an exclusive insight into previously uncharted areas to set the record straight once and for all.

Through a number of close up, highly personal interviews, set against the backdrop of UNKLE’s live tour, Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down provides a window into James’ career as musical and cultural pioneer who’s had success on a rollercoaster, hitting immense lows, then reinventing and picking himself up again. Despite being surrounded by chaos, disloyalty and controversy, he has discovered his own unique voice and taking charge of a company, label and band. This is his personal voyage via collaborations and creative visions made reality, through personal obsession, sacrifice and ultimately a tumultuous, long term relationship with his first love: music.

“This is a tough environment,” explains Lavelle. “You’re constantly pushing yourself and your own boundaries. Testing your own motivation and drive; going on a journey through your own mind; and what comes out is a piece of art.”

UNKLE will be creating a soundtrack for Lives Of The Artists: Follow Me Down, influenced by the cinematic backdrop of the film. An exclusive teaser track will be available for members of The Order – Relentless’ online community, to download for free at link from 16 August 2010. The remainder tracks will be available at launch of the full film.

The full film will be out early September 2010 in the meantime you can now view the film trailer and find out more at: https://www.relentlessenergy.com/films/view/lives-of-the-artists-follow-me-down-trailer