The documentary, entitled 10,000 Maniacs: Can’t Ignore the Train to air on WRFA, chronicles the genesis and early career of the band. Submitted photo

It’s an evolution of the band as 10,000 Maniacs are set to release a radio documentary.

The documentary, entitled 10,000 Maniacs: Can’t Ignore the Train to air on WRFA, and live stream on wrfalp.com, chronicles the genesis and early career of the band.

The first episode of the documentary is set to premiere at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Emily Drew, and her late husband Aaron Perez, and their company Crying Out Loud Productions, produced the documentary along with WRFA.

The doc has been years in the making.

“My late husband, Aaron Perez, a photojournalist and documentarian, had been interested in producing a feature length documentary with 10,000 Maniacs as the subject since he was personally introduced to the band in 2016,” Emily Drew said.

Emily is the daughter of keyboardist and one of the founding members of 10,000 Maniacs, Dennis Drew.

“Their rich and enduring history paired with their current creative drive was an enticing story to tell. As the band re-emerged following COVID lockdowns, Aaron began to travel with them to east coast venues and collect footage with a feature as the ultimate goal. In 2022, Aaron was contracted by WRFA to complete a limited series audio-only documentary on the band.

That same spring when 10KM, in partnership with the Jamestown Community College Foundation, received funding for their archival inventory project, Aaron’s focus intensified on the genesis of the band and their early career. Aaron passed away unexpectedly in October 2023, so his dream of a feature will hopefully be realized in his memory some day, but in the meantime, his work will be on display for many to enjoy through 10,000 Maniacs: Can’t Ignore the Train.”

Emily Drew said the documentary begins by illustrating the environment of the Jamestown music “scene” in 1978 when The Ramones and The Runaways arrived in Jamestown. Then through interviews with the band’s peers and early collaborators, it details the subsequent six years including 10,000 Maniacs’ journey in and out of Jamestown through different sounds, identities, and lineups, culminating in the Maniacs first major label record release with The Wishing Chair.

Dennis Drew said when he listened to parts of the doc, he loved hearing former band members and fans talk about what the musical scene was like in 1981 – The Ramones, the Jamestown Community College radio station WJWK, the Fredonia State College radio station WCVF, The Generics, Still Life, and The Mills.

“There is also some incredible, rare music. Over the four episodes you can hear the band evolve. We were pretty lousy at the beginning, but you can hear that spark that carried us to greater heights. The way Emily and Aaron put it together with interviews of radio disc jockeys, radio executives, musicians, record producers and local fans is just amazing,” Dennis Drew said.

Emily Drew said the documentary also highlights how friendship is at the core of the early journey of 10,000 Maniacs. Emily added that she and her late husband worked closely together to develop the narrative of the documentary.

“Ultimately, as we worked chronologically through the band’s history it was Aaron’s decision that in order to tell the story properly, we would have to start at the beginning and limit ourselves to the period prior to 1986. As with many artist’s stories, the genesis of the group included so many characters, many of which Aaron was able to interview, each one providing their own specific insight to the band’s story,” she said.

Emily Drew added that hopefully, with the success of the documentary, that she will be able to continue Aaron’s work and tell more of the band’s story in the same format in the future.

Other episodes will follow on Aug. 2, Aug. 9, and Aug. 16 on WRFA.

Following the final episode, WRFA will host a live event 10,000 Maniacs Can’t Ignore This Train: Conversation and Reflections with the Founding Members. The panel discussion with founding members Jerome Augustyniak, Dennis DrewSteve Gustafson, and John Lombardo, will dive deeper into the band’s genesis and early evolution. The discussion will take place at the Reg Lenna’s media arts studio at 7 p.m., and tickets will allow access to a prepanel reception with archival content view. All proceeds to benefit WRFA. for more information on the discussion visit wrfalp.com.

Stay tuned.