Drivin N Cryin Recording Soundtrack for Baja Race Documentary

Photo: Hed Hi Media

This past November, Drivin N Cryin played at the at the Charleston Music Hall. The show was the day after Thanksgiving, and as a special holiday gesture, Drivin N Cryin teamed up with Island Coastal Lager out of Sullivan’s Island to donate a portion of the proceeds from each can of ICL sold to the Lowcountry Food Bank.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Island Coastal Lager co-owner and friend of the band Scottie Hansen, and he told me that they were able to feed 6,000 families with money generated from the Music Hall show. Scottie was really happy to be able to give back to the community in this way, and says that ICL and Drivin N Cryin plan to collaborate for a Thanksgiving show every year for the indefinite future.

The Thanksgiving show isn’t the only way that Island Coastal Lager is working with Drivin N Cryin, though. Their most recent collaboration has to do with an upcoming documentary about a bunch of Charlestonians who got together to race the Baja 1000. If you aren’t familiar with the Baja 1000, it’s one of the most intense off-road races in the world, and it takes place annually on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.

The idea for this documentary got started when local businessman and surfer Mike Ray got his hands on a 1973 Volkswagen Baja Bug that had taken part in the Baja 1000 in years past. Mike set his mind to taking this car down to Mexico to race the Baja, and thus began the process of assembling a team. Somewhere along the way, the decision was made to film the whole thing, and that’s exactly what happened.

Island Coastal Lager agreed to sponsor the car, Tim McManus of Hed Hi Media and Macho Beach Noseriders handled videography, and professional rock climber Timmy O’Neill served as navigator. This crew didn’t have much racing experience, but neverthless they were all gung ho about the idea, and set out for Mexico to participate in the Baja 1000.

If you want to know how it went – well, you’ll just have to watch the documentary.

When word about this crazy idea reached Drivin N Cryin, they hopped on board and decided to record the soundtrack. The soundtrack will include both new original songs and some of the classics. The band then linked up with Matt Zuttell of Coast Records to record the soundtrack at Ocean Industries Studios here in Charleston. The documentary will be released this Spring.

According to Scottie, there are plans to release some footage of Drivin N Cryin as a bonus reel. Watch the trailer for the Baja 1000 documentary below, and keep an eye out for more Charleston music scene collaboration from Island Coastal Lager in the future. Scottie says they’ve got some more great ideas in the works.