INTERVIEW: Documenting the man who signed Metallica

Drew Stone has crafted one of the most matter-of-fact titles ever created for a film. His new documentary is simply called Who the F**k Is That Guy?

The guy in question is Michael Alago, a man who has been on the music scene for decades and worked with some of the best in the business. Add to that Alago signed Metallica and White Zombie, and it’s fair to say that his role in rock ‘n’ roll history is legendary.

Stone’s cinematic portrait of Alago allows for an all-access pass to the music scene in New York City. There are interviews and archival footage of Metallica, Nina Simone, John Lydon and Cyndi Lauper, among others.

The film delves into Alago’s own life as a gay Puerto Rican man growing up in Brooklyn and also includes his personal struggles, his adventures as the talent booker for the Ritz nightclub and his overall love of music and musicians.

Recently Hollywood Soapbox spoke with Stone about his new film. Here’s what he had to say:

On when he first met Alago …

“I grew up in New York City, a teenager in New York. I went to public school, and I used to go out all the time. And I would just keep seeing [Alago]. Whether I was backstage at Madison Square Garden or at a club, I just kept seeing the same guy over and over again, and he was a little out of place. You know, heavy and hard music, he was a little out of place. And I just kept seeing him, and I was like, who the f**k is that guy? And eventually I found out that that’s Michael Alago, and then, of course, he eventually signed Metallica and all that. But my first contact with Alago was just seeing a teenager in New York City going to music. I would just see him everywhere, just like in the film. And then eventually our paths crossed again and again.”

On how Antidote and the Misfits factor into the story …

“I’m a singer in one of the original New York hardcore bands, a band called Antidote, and just from being out and playing shows, I see [Alago]. And then … a band that I was managing at the time, I got them on the Misfits European tour, and Alago at that time signed the Misfits to Geffen. And I went out on the tour in Europe, and Alago was out there. And that’s when we really got to know each other a little bit, and then I decided after I finished the Boston Hardcore film [All Ages: The Boston Hardcore Film], I ran into him backstage at a Chromatics show. I thought it’s an interesting story. I had a meeting with him, and it was sort of odd the meeting because he didn’t really know me. We didn’t really know each other that well, so I had a meeting over at his apartment.”

On the meeting that hooked Stone into the project …

“So I went, and had a meeting with him and was talking to him, and at one point he said to me, ‘I just love music.’ And that really connected with me because, you know, I love music, too. … I felt in that moment, you know what, I know who this kid is. This is the kid I went to public high school with in the Bronx. I know who this person is. I can make this film. I felt really confident that I could bring this story to life.”

On how the documentary progressed …

“As a filmmaker, I don’t like to know the complete story. I like to go into it in the process of discovery. That’s why I think this film was a real journey. It’s a real journey for me. I didn’t want to know. I don’t map everything out when I do a documentary film like this. I like to keep it fresh and discover as we go along, and in this case, absolutely sure I knew he signed Metallica and White Zombie. And I knew that there was a few others but certainly didn’t know the Nina Simone part of it. I did not know. To be honest with you, I didn’t really know that much about Nina Simone. I knew vaguely who she was, but, yeah, there was a lot of information. I learned a lot about him as a person, and it just goes on and on.”

On how he grew to welcome Alago as a friend …

“I’ve got to say I’m very close with Michael now. He’s like part of my family, and he talks to my mom more than I do these days. So now I consider him like a really great friend, and that’s one of the joys of doing this sort of thing. … I chose to have him very involved in the film. … It just can’t be a bunch of people talking about how great you are. There has to be somewhat of a balance here, and I think we achieved that for the most part.”

On how Stone was able to gather so many people to talk about Alago …

“Mostly it was really people that just love him and people that he was a part of their early career, so in a certain way, it was sort of a way to return the favor type of thing, to be there for Michael. Certainly the Metallica guys fall in that category, and Rob Zombie, and Cyndi Lauper and John Lyndon, they really stepped up for Michael. And Michael was really a big part of getting those people involved. They really responded to him, and I guess that falls into why I wanted him to really be involved in the film. I’m a real independent filmmaker here. I don’t have a big infrastructure, so I really needed his involvement and him to pull these people in. And when I interview these people, it’s really just me and those people in the room. I don’t travel with a crew or anything. It’s me, my camera. I mic the people up, and I think that sense of intimacy in the interviews and throughout the film really carries on to the finished product.”

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

Who the F**k Is That Guy? is now playing in theaters and will be available on VOD and iTunes Tuesday, July 25. Click here for more information.