Magic Music at the University of Colorado in 1972 (Paladin)

Successful TV sitcom writer/producer Lee Aronsohn (The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men) wanted to know “whatever happened to?” his favorite local acoustic band at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Magic Music, and find out why they never recorded their original songs he still loves. However, 40 Years in the Making: The Magic Music Movie is no Searching for Sugar Man or Two Trains Runnin’, which brought recognition to elusive performers.   

This genial documentary is more like your 50th high school or college reunion. All used to be younger, thinner, healthier, and with a lot more hair and ideals and the willingness to live cheaply in an old school bus, as long they had enough money to buy weed. There are those who have made peace with their lives, and those who have not been successful hold grudges. This is more about Aronsohn recapturing his youth in the 1970s by getting the former bandmates to play together again, as well as his wondering what would have happened if he were less ambitious in Hollywood and had stayed laid back with a peaceful easy feeling.   

Most of the bandmates, the originals and the replacements, have either stayed in Colorado or gone back to their hometowns. Each has a gimmicky nickname: George Cahill (Tode on flute), Chris Daniels (Spoons on guitar), Rob Galloway (Poonah on bass), Will Luckey (Wilbur on guitar), Bill Makepeace (Das on bass), Kevin Milburn (CW on percussion), and Lynn Poyer (Flatbush on guitar and vocals). 

After Aronsohn’s and the group members’ biographical introductions, each of the last four decades is introduced by a useful montage of headlines and iconic news photographs for context. One by one, bandmates, managers, roadies, ex-wives, producers, and music industry contacts are interviewed. Key for these white guys is that their high draft numbers kept them out of the Vietnam War.   

They had several shots at the brass ring, illustrated in Micah Brenner’s animated drawings, as an opening act on area tours and at a recording contract. They went to Nashville as a country band, to California as soft rockers, to an independent label as a folky jam band and, more recently, for a self-released reunion album. Each time, someone became stubborn, suspicious or indignant or overreached or insisted on some kind of purity until they lost out on every opportunity that they now sheepishly regret. They finally broke up in 1975.   

A couple of the guys learned from the experience to go on and pursue more education in music and music management for a steadier career choice. Others put a higher priority on family stability. There are those that allowed marijuana to lead harder stuff, while one was hit badly by changes in the music industry and the economy. Through the years, at least one would keep in contact with another, so they all weren’t hard to find. 

There is no big drama, confrontation, revelation, or insight. Instead the men maturely make the mutual decision to finally focus on the good memories and the pleasant music. Still, Aronsohn achieves his goal of replicating the band’s “iconic” photograph. The Orchard will also release the film’s soundtrack with original recordings by Magic Music that haven’t been available before, so you’ll be able to keep humming along.