Determined to beat the preppie douchebags in his high school's Battle of the Bands in 1987, a geeky new kid and his music-obsessed misfit friends must resort to enlisting his reclusive alcoholic dad, a washed-up drummer from a has-been 70's British Prog Rock band. One band to rule them all.

Finalist in:

Quarterfinalist, Austin Film Festival, '21
Semifinalist, ScreenCraft Comedy Competition 2021
Quarterfinalist, PAGE Awards - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Competition 2021
Quarterfinalist, WeScreenplay Feature Contest 2021
Quarterfinalist, Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards Fall 2020

Top 3% rated scripts, Coverfly.

SYNOPSIS:

Drummer Charlie Shae is an uber nerdy, Progressive Rock (Prog-Rock) obsessed new kid who has moved into a new town in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan in 1987. His father, Declan, is a washed-up British musician with a drinking problem, whose income has dried up - forcing them into squalor. Charlie’s first day at his new high school introduces him to the preppy-ruling class, including douchebag ring-leader Chris Kay – who ridicules Charlie for his love of geek-rock bands, too-tight powder blue Journey concert t-shirt and trapper keeper file folder covered with hand-drawn band logos. Soon, Charlie finds his place with loveable geeks and fellow musicians Ted and Tracy, who have both secretly followed Charlie home in hopes to jam and form a band.

When a flier announces the annual Battle of the Bands, Chris Kay reveals his plan to win for the fourth year in row, by performing a Rick Astley song with his Pop band “REAGAN” - driving Charlie to form a Prog-Rock band called “Aftermath” with Ted and Tracy in hopes of beating Chris for geek redemption – “one band to rule them all.” With time running out to prepare for the battle, Declan offers to help Charlie win – as his bandmates are unaware that Declan is actually an ex-famous drummer of 70s British Prog-Rock band, “Hoc Tuey” (the phonetic sound of expectorating and spitting). But Charlie declines his help because of Declan’s drinking problems and unreliability – further straining their relationship and Declan’s self-worth.

After trying out and barely making the final competition, Charlie and his band of misfits find Declan unconscious and injured at the bottom of his home’s basement steps from binge drinking, forcing him to get professional help to beat his addictions. Now with some perspective, Charlie realizes Declan’s many sacrifices to raise him after his Mother’s untimely death – including ditching his music career - and finally accepts Declan’s help to train his band to win the competition. BUT – Chris Kay sabotages their plans, when he encourages his ill preppy girlfriend, Dana, to make out with Ted – getting him sick and unable to sing for the final showdown. When Ted shows up to the Battle unable to sing, Declan encourages the band to rise to the occasion and still perform. In a flash of brilliance, the band realizes they can perform a Hoc Tuey instrumental that Declan had taught them a week before. In the finale, the band performs brilliantly with Declan in the pit-orchestra, madly conducting them to exhaustion.

IN THE END, they DO NOT win the competition – nor does Chris Kay - both losing to an all-girl goth band. However, Charlie reconciles with Declan, and the band DOES WIN the adulation and respect of the school’s fellow geeks, preps and administration - the most triumphant and satisfying “win” of their teenage lives. Now heading into the 90s and changing musical landscape, Charlie’s bandmate, Ted, shows up at school weeks later with a SubPop t-shirt, talking about some band from Seattle called Nirvana that sounds – Grungy.

BAND FREAKS