My record collection
[280] Radio Free Steve (DVD)

In 2008 I came across a post on “mixtape sharing” website Mixwit that offered a Luna “starting point” and as well as lots of the familiar and the expected was listed a song called Westbound and Down that meant nothing to me. My first thought was that it was not going to be our Luna, but no - that was clearly Dean’s voice there.

'Radio Free Steve' DVD

I posted to the mailing list to see what I could find out and a couple of folk recognised the song as a re-working of Eastbound and Down from Smokey and The Bandit. Sean then got in touch with me to fill in some details:

This was something I agreed to do for a friend in Austin Texas, who came to Luna shows. His brother had made a low-budget movie called "Radio Free Steve", and they wanted a cover of this song with lyrics slightly changed for the last scene of the film.

I play the bass and all guitars on the tune, Lee's on drums, and of course Dean is singing.

Email from Sean Eden, 18th August 2008

A year later Elaine got in touch and said that Kiek had bought a copy of the film on DVD for himself, and one for me. It was duly sent over but with the advice that I really shouldn’t watch it since it was particularly bad. Around the same time someone else got in touch to say that they had seen the film and also advised that I shouldn’t watch it!

My copy arrived and, because I trusted people it remained in its cellophane wrapper unwatched… for sixteen years! But now, because I said I’d listen to (and watch) everything while doing this series it’s about to come out of its wrapper… I’ll see you on the other side! In the meantime you can at least listen to Luna’s Westbound and Down…

Luna - Westbound and Down

… OK, I think watching twelve minutes of this juvenile nonsesne is as much as I’m willing to give to this series. It looks awful, it sounds awful, and even after twelve minutes I could see that it was a bloody mess and going nowhere. I skipped to the end, briefly heard Luna’s contribution and it is now back in its box just another artefact in my AHFoW collection.

Luna credit on 'Radio Free Steve'

I know I ignored some very trustworthy people and decided to try and watch this film but now I’ll add my voice to theirs. If you get the chance to see this… find something else to do… anything else.

• Catalogue Number: AHFOW 13/019
• Title: Radio Free Steve
• Notes: Feature film
• Packaging: DVD case
• Format: DVD
• Sent to me as a ‘gift’.