Rock 'n' Roll Guns for Hire: The Story of the Sidemen

A revelatory documentary that brings long-overlooked session musicians into the spotlight, tracing how a handful of gifted players became the backbone of countless legendary recordings. Through candid interviews, rare archival footage, and performance excerpts, it maps the careers of these "guns for hire"—talented, often anonymous collaborators whose riffs, rhythms, and arrangements quietly reshaped popular music. Viewers get an insider's look at studio life, the high-pressure demands of touring and recording, and the creative chemistry that produced some of the era’s most enduring sounds.

Beyond celebrating musical achievements, the film digs into the human stories behind the music: the sacrifices, the racial and economic hurdles, the fight for credit and fair pay, and the bittersweet mix of recognition and obscurity. It acts as both a corrective to music history and a moving tribute, arguing that the true measure of influence isn't always found on marquee bills but in the grooves of records and the memories of those who heard them first.