Lembit Öpik stars in Hackney band’s movie
Starman: Lembit Opik with Adam and the ASBOs
The infamous former politician Lembit Öpik is set to star in a forthcoming rock ‘n roll movie, featuring the tongue-in-cheek Hackney-based rock ‘n roll band Adam and the ASBOs.
The film is called Adam and the Asbos: The Movie and features Öpik as the villainous emperor of the galaxy, bent on capturing Planet Earth and enslaving humanity.
Öpik’s latest adventure is a further embracement of pop culture for a politician perhaps more famed for his one-time engagement to Gabriella Irimia of the Cheeky Girls than for his work as a Liberal Democrat MP, and he seems to be relishing the new challenge.
“The character I play is horrifically egotistical, though I should say that no animals were harmed in the making of this film,” says Öpik, clearly embracing the film’s rather incongruous plot.
Adam and the ASBOs: The Movie sees the band travel into space to confront the Emperor of the Galaxy. Describing the film, which is being entirely produced by the band themselves, Öpik says: “It’s a classic case of good triumphing over evil – and in that sense everyone in the country ought to watch and admire the message.”
Singer and guitarist, Theodore Preston enlisted Öpik after meeting him in a bar. Preston considered him perfect for the role.
The band says the decision to embrace the medium of film is not a move away from music, but rather is indicative of the quest to find “a perfect vehicle of artist expression.”
Guitarist and singer ‘J-Bone’ ponders this: “Unlike Coldplay, we don’t have faces for radio, so we’ve chosen a more suitable medium to exhibit our extensive range of talents,” he jests.
Shooting for the film has taken place across Hackney at locations ranging from band member Kilgore’s flat near London Fields to the Deepsee studios at Dalston Junction.
“That’s where we go to rehearse when we feel like it, although, as you probably know, rock’n’roll has little to do with music,” J-bone explains. “Our songs are obviously great but that’s because we’re great. Our music is basically a sonic manifestation of our personalities.”
J-bone says he hopes the film’s premiere will take place in Hackney, and judging by the band’s plans it should be a typically low-key affair. He informs the Hackney Citizen of their desire to arrive in monster trucks and says they are currently looking into smoke machine rental prices, which is likely to attract widespread interest from their legions of adoring fans.
The actress Susanna Cappellaro has been added to the cast, with Aurélia Marines drafted in to direct. According to the band, Cappellaro was the model professional, unfazed to be in the company of such big stars, having moved up from working with the little-known American actor, Johnny Depp.
“Where other females would have been overawed in our presence, she managed to perform her role perfectly and was hardly distracted at all by the aesthetic delights that we, the band, presented,” says J-bone, clearly impressed.
Öpik gives a clear indication of the scope of ambition behind the film. “This film is probably the closest any band has come to celebrating the best of Flash Gordon, Lost in Space, Bill and Ted, and Star Wars all rolled into one,” he says. “Adam and the ASBOs are set for galactic greatness – may the farce be with you!”