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Scruffy the Cat: Goodbye to You

On June 12, 2011, legendary Boston rock & roll band Scruffy the Cat performed together for the first time in 21 years at a benefit show for frontman Charlie Chesterman, who'd been battling cancer.

Charlie Chesterman: lead vocal, guitar
Stephen Fredette: guitar
Burns Stanfield: keyboard
Randall Lee Gibson IV: drums
Jim Faris: bass

Live at TT the Bear's Place, Cambridge, MA

So long Charlie. We're all gonna miss you. Thanks for everything. —John & Jeff

  • John Soares
    Director
  • Jeff Mellin
    Director
  • Charlie Chesterman
    Key Cast
    "Lead vocal, guitar"
  • Stephen Fredette
    Key Cast
    "Guitar, vocals"
  • Randall Lee Gibson
    Key Cast
    "Drums"
  • Jim Faris
    Key Cast
    "Bass"
  • Burns Stanfield
    Key Cast
    "Keyboard "
  • Joh Soares
    Cinematographer
  • Jeff Mellin
    Cinematographer
  • Jeff Mellin
    Editor
  • Jeff Mellin
    Producer
  • John Soares
    Producer
  • Scruffy the Cat
    Music
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Music Video, Short
  • Genres:
    Rock and roll, indie rock, live performance
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 21, 2013
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - John Soares, Jeff Mellin

It’s not often that award-winning artists are able to collaborate without getting in each other’s way, and even more rare when those collaborations develop into a creative partnership that lasts for decades.

John Soares and Jeff Mellin met way back in the 20th century when John was shooting portraits of rockstars and Jeff was designing for record labels and art magazines. John’s distinctive photographic approach, a balance of geometry and humanity, was a perfect match for Jeff’s kinetic, story-driven art direction. Their shared love of music, retro aesthetics, kitschy humor, and respect for their subject matter, sealed the deal.

They continue to collaborate, and their collaborations continue to evolve. John brings his portraitist eye for light, color and environmental composition to his cinematography, complimenting Jeff’s musical, dreamlike narrative editing style. They both love a well planned concept and pay meticulous attention to detail, but have the good sense to let it all go and make do with the resources at hand. And they both know that, often, that’s when you get the best results. The stuff they make is fun but thoughtful, retro-inspired but experimentally aspiring, both outré and introspective.

Their works have been shown at the New York City Independent Film Festival, Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, and the Arlington International Film Festival.

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