RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD

America has often left Native Americans and their rich culture out of its historical narrative. Music is just one area where their contributions have been largely ignored. RUMBLE: THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD aims to change that, documenting the roots of Native American music and its incredible influence. Everything from blues, rock, hip-hop, and even heavy metal have been shaped by its unique sounds and rhythms. Those power chords you hear in rock ‘n’ roll were developed by Link Wray (a Shawnee), one of the only musicians to have an instrumental song banned by the government, for fear its blistering feedback and disruptive guitar stabs would lead to chaos. That rebellious sound was the result of years of oppression. Despite government campaigns to sanitize their culture, Native Americans have persevered. This spectacular documentary features interviews from fans including Martin Scorsese, Tony Bennett, Steven Tyler, and Iggy Pop, passionately recalling how icons with Native American heritage such as Wray, Mildred Bailey, Jimi Hendrix, and Robbie Robertson inspired their music. In this film these groundbreaking artists finally get the props they deserve. —E.F.