Poster for the movie Joe Cocker: Mad Dog with Soul

Joe Cocker: Mad Dog with Soul

2017 • 90 minutes
DocumentaryMusic

The turbulent life of soul and blues singer, the late Joe Cocker. A former gas fitter from Sheffield, catapulted to world stardom in 1969 at Woodstock with his legendary performance of the Beatles song, "A Little Help from My Friends". But in the early 1970s, Joe Cocker's inner demons nearly killed him. Overcoming his struggles with alcohol and drugs, he rebuilt his reputation as "one of the great primal rock and roll vocalists of all time" (Billy Joel's description). The film mixes Joe Cocker's own words, with rare archive. His wife (Pam Cocker) & family, friends and the legendary songwriters and musicians he collaborated with, tell Joe Cocker's story. The film has raw, historic, electric performance footage throughout. Extensive interviews of key people through his life include: Pam Cocker, Ben Fong-Torres (Rolling Stone magazine editor), Randy Newman, Jimmy Webb, Billy Joel, Rita Coolidge, Deric Dyer, Glyn Johns, and numerous others.

Picture of Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker

Self (archive footage)

Picture of Pam Cocker

Pam Cocker

Self

Picture of Vic Cocker

Vic Cocker

Self

Picture of Rita Coolidge

Rita Coolidge

Self

Picture of Billy Joel

Billy Joel

Self

Picture of Randy Newman

Randy Newman

Self

Picture of Jimmy Webb

Jimmy Webb

Self

Picture of Ben Fong-Torres

Ben Fong-Torres

Self

Picture of Deric Dyer

Deric Dyer

Self

Picture of Glyn Johns

Glyn Johns

Self

Picture of Michael Lang

Michael Lang

Self