PRNewswire (www.prnewswire.com) has issued the following report:

VH1 will launch VH1 Rock Docs, an all new slate of high-end feature-length programs in 2006. Each of the docs will reveal an untold story in the history of rock and hip-hop music, combining never-before-seen footage with a unique and unconventional narrative approach.

The documentaries will tell some of the most unique stories of the artists and music from a wide range of genres, styles, and musical perspectives. The VH1 Rock Docs slated for premiere in 2006 include The U.S. vs. John Lennon, The Last Days Of Lisa Lopes, DMC: The Real Me, and a four-hour definitive history of heavy metal. Additional documentaries will be announced shortly.

"This new franchise is a living dynamic visual history of some of the most important artists and movements in popular music," said Brian Graden, President of Entertainment, VH1 and MTV.

"By tapping into the sounds of each decade and creating unique ways to tell these stories, we're confirming our commitment to being the destination for adults who are passionate about

music."
"John Lennon, Run DMC, and TLC were the voice of their generations. The music that sprung from them defined whole decades," said Michael Hirschorn, Executive Vice President, Programming and Production, VH1.

"This kind of filmmaking is important to our viewers and important to VH1."

The following has been issued on the upcoming Story Of Heavy Metal doc:

Heavy: The Story of Metal (title tbd)

What Ken Burns did for jazz, VH1 does for heavy metal - only a lot louder. This four-part documentary traces the evolution of heavy metal music and culture from BLACK SABBATH to WHITE ZOMBIE, from LED ZEP to DEF LEP, from MOTORHEAD to MASTODON. In the same vein as VH1's critically acclaimed 2004 hip-hop chronicle, And You Don't Stop, this documentary series will use interviews, verite moments and vintage footage to bring metal's history to life, told from the perspective of the musicians, promoters, writers and fans who have kept metal's flame alive for four decades.

More details as they surface.