In a special bonus interview feature in the Blu-Ray version of the upcoming documentary film Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes (January 15, 2021 Cleopatra Entertainment), Holmes speaks in loving tones of his late, long-time friend and fellow guitarist Eddie Van Halen.

Says Holmes: “The one who inspired me a lot was Eddie Van Halen. You know, not as just a guitar player but just as a human being, the way he was to other people. Eddie used to borrow some of my equipment even. I had crashed a motorcycle one time and was laid up in the hospital and he came in and asked me if he could borrow my guitar for his new album (Women And Children First) I said yeah, just go by and tell my mom that I said that you could borrow it and he went over and picked it up.”

Adds Holmes’ childhood friend Jack Van Furche: “It [Holmes Ibanez Destroyer] had just that right raunch and crunch and there it is - we all hear it - it’s on the album.”

Cleopatra Entertainment recently secured the North American, UK, Australian, New Zealand and South African distribution rights to Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes.

Written and Directed by French filmmakers Antoine de Montremy and Laurent Hart (whose Music production career includes televised interviews with Scorpions, Deep Purple, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses and more), Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes was a project that was born in 2014 after they had an opportunity to meet and direct Holmes in a music video for the Holmes-penned song “Let It Roar” in Cannes, France. At that time, the former W.A.S.P. guitarist had more or less disappeared from the music scene, leaving his home in the US.to seek a new beginning with his wife Sarah in France. Not content with merely directing a music video for the re-born Holmes, de Montremy pursued his bigger dream of writing and directing a documentary film about this iconic metal guitar legend and for the next several years shadowed him throughout Europe while filming everything from band rehearsals, to recording sessions to live performances.

By creatively combining archival footage, interviews with past and present band members and musical peers, family members and childhood friends - interspersed with beautifully filmed concert performances of Holmes’ current solo band - Director de Montremy skillfully portrays the story of an iconic guitar player who has lived a life of extreme highs and lows. After losing the publishing rights of his own songs and combatting dangerous addictions, the legendary W.A.S.P. guitarist is shown starting over from scratch while living at his mother-in-law’s in Cannes, France as he puts together with his wife a brand new band and a brand new musical role as not only the main guitarist, but now as the actual lead singer of this newly-born musical project aptly named Mean Man.  

Watch a trailer below.

Quotes de Montremy “Over the last five years, I’ve had the privilege to establish a true relationship with Chris Holmes and to follow him throughout Europe. I was impressed by his charisma, his approach towards life, his multiple experiences and taste for simplicity which have actually altered my own vision of existence. In fact, he has almost become a spiritual father to me, in the way that he inspired me in many of my own decisions. “

Cleopatra Entertainment’s plans for release include a stand-alone DVD Home Entertainment version and a Blu-Ray version chock full of bonus goodies not available on the Digital VOD version which will follow the DVD and Blu Ray Release this November, just in time for the Holidays. A US west coast theatrical premier is being discussed as well, pending the revision and/or relaxation of the current local State Government’s restrictions on movie theaters operating during the Covid pandemic.

The year 2020 will be remembered for a long time as a very difficult year for the economy and more particularly the entertainment world. Government provisions and their applications did not allow us, "the artists" to perform in concert.

All our shows being postponed to 2021, Chris Holmes has decided to take advantage of this period of non-live activity to offer you new projects.

The end of 2020 will see the release of a DVD / Blu-ray documentary that is sure to get you excited and heralds Chris's comeback in 2021! Participating in this campaign will allow Chris to bring you a new high quality album for the year 2021. You can therefore make a donation in exchange for a consideration such as a CD or guitar picks, you can even acquire Chris's leather jacket with its personalized paint or see your name inscribed in the booklet for the new album.

Along with the album, you'll be able to pre-order a collector’s collection of gorgeous never-before-seen photos embellished with Chris’s thoughts to help you get to know him better. The book will be in very limited quantities, numbered and signed by Chris himself.

All the products offered in the Indiegogo campaign are new and exclusive. Now is the time to join the adventure and acquire limited edition coins that you will never see again. There is no small donation, all donations are important so that Chris can realize his projects and share them with you "the Fans" through new music.

Visit the Indiegogo page here, and watch the video below: