Rockin' Superstar

By Les G. Masterson / Staff Writer
Thursday, May 27, 2004

Musicians, filmmakers update a classic

Sal Clemente and Alan Ware grew up on either side of the Atlantic. Clemente was raised in the western Pennsylvania city of Erie while Ware was brought up in London, England.

The two were reared in different continents, but have been friends for a decade and share a love of "Jesus Christ Superstar."

"My mom and dad had the recording and I swiped it when I was 8 or 10 years old," recalled Clemente. "It was just one of those seminal records for me."

Raised Catholic, Clemente heard the stories from the Bible, but didn't connect. Listening to "Superstar" and learning about the characters allowed him a new look at the Biblical figures. "It was a new way to see these people," said Clemente.

Though they love the original, Clemente and Ware decided they wanted to update "Superstar" and give the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical a more current, rocking sound.

They started rehearsing four years ago and began recording. The duo eventually scrapped the idea until Clemente picked up the recordings three years later on vacation. "Sal listened to the discs and called me up and said, 'Dude, this sounds great,'" said Ware.

"I got away from it for a while, but when I put it in, I was amazed," said Clemente. The musical team jumped back into "Superstar" buoyed by the recordings.

"I said 'we have to finish what we start," said Ware. "'If we start, we have to promise each other we are going to finish." Clemente said they wanted to reinterpret "Superstar" while keeping true to the music.

"The rhythm section is not really prominent (in the original)," said Clemente. "One thing we said right away was we needed to put in a groove because it doesn't really have one...

"I'm a big fan of Joe Cocker and what he did with Beatles' songs," said Clemente. "It was a fresh interpretation. You were hearing someone else playing it in a new way." Even with the more rocking, groove-infused production, Clemente said his "Superstar" is still true to the original.

"It is something that legitimately compliments the original," he said. In addition to recording the music, they scheduled a concert at the Regent Theatre to perform the more rocking "Superstar" songs.

However, word of their production made it across the Atlantic and into the offices of Webber, whose people put a stop to the full performance, saying Webber needed to hear the music before allowing the production. The office eventually agreed to allow Clemente and Ware's musicians and singers to perform five "Superstar" songs (any more would tell the audience too much of the story, they said).

In order to play more, they needed Webber's OK. "We can respect that. We're writers as well. I don't want to offend any writers," said Clemente. Eighteen singers (including Clemente) and eight musicians (including Ware on drums) performed the five songs along with some Queen and The Who songs at the Regent earlier this month.

The sold-out show tapped into the Freddie Mercury music bag with "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Somebody to Love," "Love of My Life" and "Death on Two Legs." "I knew (Queen songs) would be perfect for this kind of night," said Clemente. "The Who songs are rock opera songs (from "Tommy") and the Queen songs should have been in a rock opera."

During their world tours, Queen would play the first and last thirds of "Bohemian Rhapsody," but would leave the second part ("Thunderbolts and lightning, very, very frightening") to the studio performance.

Clemente and his 18 singers and eight musicians instead played the full five minutes and 55 seconds at the recent performance. He said "Bohemian Rhapsody" wasn't as difficult for the singers because it has become "genetically imprinted onto people's brains." The more obscure "Death on Two Legs" was a little more difficult for the younger singers, some of whom had never heard of Queen before hooking up with Clemente and Ware.

Though the concert highlights "Jesus Christ Superstar," Clemente also kicked off the show with the Queen classic "Tie Your Mother Down" - complete with the over-the-top guitar intro and gong.

Continuing to look to the other side of the Atlantic, Clemente's musicians performed The Who's "We're Not Going to Take It," "Pinball Wizard" and "I'm Free." With the concert behind them, the musicians and singers are still working in the studio. There is also still the issue of whether Webber will like the songs.

During their hiatus from "Superstar," Clemente and Ware made short films. Solidifying their Renaissance men status, they are also filming the production, complete with behind the scenes struggles, as a documentary.

They will deliver the music and documentary, including the duo's own rock opera piece called "Will We Rock You," which tells the story of their "Superstar" journey, to Webber's office. Clemente and Ware hope the music legend appreciates their updated rendition, but if not, the whole tale will make for an excellent documentary, Clemente said.

"If Andrew Lloyd Webber likes it, we win. If he hates it, we still win because he gets to be the villain in our movie," Clemente said with a grin.