Film: Amateur on Plastic

Butch Willis is a Washington, D.C. rock legend. Born and raised in 1960s suburban Maryland, Byron Henry "Butch" Willis came of age in the late '70s post-hippie subculture. After sharing an apartment with infamous local music icon Root Boy Slim, Butch was inspired to become a rock'n'roll star himself. The unique and unusual brand of "outsider music" that Butch Willis and The Rocks created captivated the local music scene beginning with their appearance at the seminal Primitive Night in 1984. AMATEUR ON PLASTIC chronicles Butch's life and career from the beginning all the way through to present day. It features a host of Butch-appointed band managers Joe Lee (Joe's Record Paradise), Jeff Mentges (No Trend), Jeff Krulik (Heavy Metal Parking Lot), and director Mark Robinson (Unrest/Teen-Beat). Also co-starring is Al Breon, the Rocks' innovative "throat guitarist." The film combines archival footage, interviews with Butch, and performances of his hit songs "Drugs," "The Garden's Outside," "TV's From Outer Space," and "The Girl's on My Mind." Amateur on Plastic also parallels the 1990's era of seminal indie record label Teen-Beat. Behind-the-scenes glimpses of the label's concerts and private parties provide much of the background and feature members of the bands Unrest, Versus, Tuscadero and more. -IMBD

NR, 73 mins., 2020.

Special thanks to Director Mark Robinson for granting us permission to share this film.