The Waterboys documentary 'A Wild and Beautiful Ride' to premiere exclusively on Night Flight Plus on Friday, May 9

It's fantastic to hear that a music documentary focused on the creation of The Waterboys' latest album is going to premiere this weekend. Be sure to read my review of the album "Life, Death and Dennis Hopper" HERE...Robert Kinsler

The Waterboys Documentary A Wild and Beautiful Ride to Premiere Exclusively on Night Flight Plus May 9

Film Chronicles the Making of the Critically Acclaimed Album Life, Death and Dennis Hopper Featuring Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Steve Earle, and Taylor Goldsmith

(May 7, 2025) — A Wild and Beautiful Ride, a new 48-minute documentary exploring the creation of The Waterboys’ latest album Life, Death and Dennis Hopper, will premiere exclusively on Night Flight Plus (nightflightplus.com) on Friday, May 9. The film will be released globally on YouTube the following Friday, May 16.

Directed by Mick Puck and Duende Visions, A Wild and Beautiful Ride takes viewers behind the scenes of a bold musical and spiritual journey. The film includes music from the album, location footage shot in New Mexico, and intimate reflections from the band’s lead singer and guitarist Mike Scott, who spent four years crafting the record.

Released on Sun Records on April 4, Life, Death and Dennis Hopper is a 25-track epic that traces the arc of a cultural icon while tackling the deeper questions of existence. Written and produced primarily by Scott alongside bandmates Famous James and Brother Paul, the album features guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Steve Earle and Taylor Goldsmith.

“It begins in his childhood,” says Scott. “It ends the morning after his death, and I get to say a whole lot along the way—not just about Dennis, but about the whole strange adventure of being a human soul on planet Earth. The arc of his life was the story of our times. He was at the big bang of youth culture in Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean; the beginnings of Pop Art with the young Andy Warhol. He was part of the counterculture, hippie, civil rights, and psychedelic scenes of the '60s. In the '70s and '80s, he went on a wild 10-year rip, almost died, came back, got straight, and became a five-movies-a-year character actor—without losing the sparkle in his eye or the sense of danger or unpredictability that always gathered around him.”

The album has received widespread acclaim in the U.K., Europe, and the United States — just ahead of The Waterboys launching a worldwide tour on May 2 in support of the release.

Night Flight Plus, the exclusive streaming home for the documentary, is a premium subscription service inspired by the legendary 1980s TV series Night Flight, created by Stuart S. Shapiro. Described by Pitchfork as “the Punk Criterion Collection” and named “the best overall value among the subscription streamers” by The New York Times, Night Flight Plus offers a curated trove of cult classics, music documentaries, and hard-to-find cultural gems.

For more information on the film, visit nightflightplus.com. For more information on The Waterboys and dates for their 2025 tour, visit mikescottwaterboys.com. 

About Sun Records: 

Established in 1952 by Sam Phillips, Sun Records is renowned for discovering music legends including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The label moved to Nashville in 1969 where it continued cultivating acclaimed artists Jeannie C. Riley, The Dixie Cups, Linda Martell, and many others. As a member of the newly-formed Sun Label Group under Primary Wave, Sun Records continues to foster musical innovation while honoring its rich history of shaping American music culture.

For more information, visit https://sunrecords.com.