Build a movie plot around this: who's ghost delivered what ray called a positive message? Brian's ghost
"History teaches us that men behave wisely . . . once they've exhausted all other alternatives. For most rock bands, the pursuit of wisdom's a low priority compared to fame, fortune and fornication. Such a band was Strange Fruit." Thus begins the opening dialog of Hughie, (Billy Connolly) as he launches into a brief history of the British band: in the late 1970's Strange Fruit, consisting of guitarist Brian Lovell (Bruce Robinson), his brother and lead singer Keith, keyboard player Tony Costello (Stephen Rea), bassist Les Wickes (Jimmy Nail) and drummer Beano Baggot (Timothy Spall) were HUGE. When Keith died of a drug overdose, he was replaced on vocals by Ray Simms (Bill Nighy). Watched over by road-dog Hughie and Girl Friday Karen (Juliet Aubrey), they soldiered on until the disastrous appearance at the open-air Wisbech (U.K.) Rock Festival, when lightning struck the stage during their opening number. The already-contentious band members decided it was a sign and immediately broke up forever (all this in the first five minutes of the film).Forever, that is, until in the present (OK, 1998) Tony is spotted on Ibeza (he now stocks condoms in the restrooms at the resorts there) by the son of the Wisbech promoter, who wants to put together a 20th anniversary reunion concert with all the original acts. Tony seeks out Karen, now a divorced mother who coordinates conferences for a major hotel, suggesting a possible reunion. She is ambivalent, as is Les (now a successful roofer with a family) and Ray (a struggling solo artist with a demanding second wife -- Swedish -- and a mansion he can't afford). Beano, working in a floral nursery and hounded by the Inland Revenue (the U.K.'s IRS) is the only immediately enthusiastic bandmate.They arrange a meeting, where Karen informs them that she's tracked Brian and found his music royalties are being distributed per a bequest in his will, provoking Beano to compassionately ask if that means "the silly sod's dead?"The band again soldiers on. Hughie shows up to complete...