Tales From The Tour Bus: On-Demand Stories

Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus is an American animated docuseries that premiered on Cinemax in 2017. The series is presented as a biographical oral history of musicians, with each season focusing on a specific genre. The first season covers country music stars of the 70s and 80s, including Johnny Paycheck, Jerry Lee Lewis, and George Jones and Tammy Wynette. The second season moves to the likes of James Brown and P-Funk. The series is narrated by Mike Judge and features anecdotes from family, bandmates, and close associates. It has received positive reviews from critics, with a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The show's creators

Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus is an American animated docuseries that premiered on Cinemax on September 22, 2017. The show was created by Mike Judge, along with Richard Mullins and Dub Cornett, who also executive produce the series. Bob Engelman serves as co-executive producer, while Mullins produces.

Judge is an Emmy-winning animator and producer known for his work on "King of the Hill," "Beavis and Butt-Head," and "Silicon Valley." He is also a musician, and his roots in music inform "Tales from the Tour Bus." The series is narrated by Judge and chronicles the adventures of country music legends through interviews with former bandmates, friends, and associates.

Richard Mullins and Dub Cornett are also creators and executive producers of the show. Mullins has been involved in the film and television industry for many years and has worked on various projects. Cornett is a writer and producer known for his work in television.

In addition to the three creators, the show has had several other producers and directors join the team throughout its run. For example, Mark Monroe joined as a co-executive producer for the second season, and Nelson George came on board as a consulting producer.

The show's premise

Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus is an American animated docuseries that premiered on Cinemax in 2017. The show is presented as a biographical oral history of musicians, with each season focusing on a specific genre. The first season covers country music stars of the 70s and 80s, while the second season shifts to the likes of James Brown and P-Funk.

The series is narrated by Mike Judge and features anecdotes about star performers as told by their families, bandmates, and close associates. The interview subjects are presented in rotoscope, with their anecdotes in a contrasting cel animation style. This is interspersed with performance footage and news clips.

The first season of the show focuses on the raucous adventures of country music stars such as Johnny Paycheck, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Jones, and Tammy Wynette. It showcases their rise to stardom, infamous bar fights, and tumultuous relationships. The season also covers the story of Billy Joe Shaver, whose outrageous adventures included a bar fight that sparked a media frenzy and inspired a song.

The second season of the show continues the theme of musical legends' wild journeys, this time focusing on funk icons. Episodes feature artists like Morris Day and The Time, as well as James Brown, whose stories are brought to life through animated reenactments and archival performance footage.

Season 1 episodes

Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus is an American animated docuseries that premiered on Cinemax on September 22, 2017. The series is presented as a biographical oral history of musicians, with each season focusing on a specific genre. The first season consists of eight episodes and focuses on country music stars of the 70s and 80s.

Episode 1 - Johnny Paycheck: This episode chronicles the rise to stardom of outlaw country singer Johnny Paycheck and the infamous bar fight that inspired one of his greatest hits.

Episode 2 - Jerry Lee Lewis: The episode follows the epic journey of Jerry Lee Lewis, a wild rock and roll pioneer who transitioned to country music but never lost his "Killer" edge.

Episode 3 - George Jones and Tammy Wynette (Part One): The episode explores the beginnings of the tumultuous relationship between the country music power couple, George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

Episode 4 - George Jones and Tammy Wynette (Part Two): This episode delves into how the musical partnership between George Jones and Tammy Wynette endured their turbulent breakup and stood the test of time.

Episode 5 - Billy Joe Shaver: The outrageous adventures of country songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver are showcased, including a bar fight that sparked a media frenzy and inspired a song.

Episode 6 - Waylon Jennings (Part One): The rise of outlaw country music and its beloved rebel, Waylon Jennings, who cheated death multiple times and captivated the country music world.

Episode 7 - Waylon Jennings (Part Two): The success of the enigmatic Waylon Jennings, who forged his own path and played a pivotal role in creating country music's outlaw movement.

Episode 8 - Blaze Foley: The season finale unveils the little-known story of singer-songwriter Blaze Foley, a country music rule-breaker whose life and career were tragically cut short, leaving behind an anthem for the ages.

Season 2 episodes

Season 2 of Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus aired in 2018 and shifted the focus from country music to funk legends. The season premiere, "George Clinton", explored the career of the funk legend, whose influence is still felt today. Clinton's journey began with singing a cappella in a barbershop, and he eventually chased Motown glory with his band, The Parliaments. His introduction to LSD took him to a new level, as he built a funk empire with outrageous costumes, frequent name changes, and occasional nudity.

The second episode, "Rick James (Part 1)", chronicled the rise of the self-proclaimed "King of Punk Funk", who defied expectations to become a rock superstar. James's humble beginnings in Buffalo and his connection with Neil Young in Canada were pivotal moments in his career. His penchant for pyrotechnics, glitter, custom boots, and marijuana reflected his unique style. The follow-up episode, "Rick James (Part 2)", delved into James's fall from grace due to his rivalry with Prince, cocaine abuse, and legal troubles.

The fourth episode, "Bootsy Collins", focused on the legendary bassist who worked with James Brown and George Clinton before achieving stardom in the P-Funk empire.

The subsequent two-part story, "James Brown", examined the rise, fame, and challenges of the man regarded as the hardest-working in show business. His infectious voice and dance moves, along with his ruthless business acumen, built an empire. However, his perfectionism and daring attitude often alienated those around him.

The season's seventh episode, "Morris Day and The Time", told the story of Morris Day's rise to funk superstardom and his complex relationship with Prince Rogers Nelson. Day's band, Morris Day and The Time, skyrocketed to fame with hits like "Jungle Love", but the success was tainted by resentment and rivalry.

The season concluded with "Betty Davis", honouring the Queen of Funk, who exploded onto the music scene in the early '70s. A small-town Southern girl, Betty Davis's career began in New York as a fashion model, and her brief marriage to Miles Davis helped launch her musical career.

Where to watch

Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus is available to watch on a few different platforms. The animated docuseries, which chronicles the hell-raising adventures of some of country music's greatest artists, premiered on Cinemax on September 22, 2017. As of 2023, it is still available to watch on Cinemax.

The series is also available to stream on The Roku Channel for free with ads in the United States. Additionally, you can buy episodes as a download on Amazon Video.

For those with YouTube TV, the series is available to watch live with a subscription.

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