Rock legend and comedy icon Jack Black has officially joined “40 Watts From Nowhere” as executive producer, bringing his signature energy to one of the most compelling music documentaries of the year. The film, directed by Sue Carpenter, made its world premiere at the 30th anniversary Slamdance Film Festival in Los Angeles—fittingly dubbed the “home for film rebels.”
“40 Watts From Nowhere” dives deep into the gritty, passionate world of pirate radio in 1990s Los Angeles, centered on KBLT, a renegade low-power FM station broadcasting out of a Silver Lake apartment closet. Founded by Carpenter in 1995, KBLT became a hub for musicians and misfits alike, spinning everything from punk to French pop and drawing appearances from icons like Keith Morris (Circle Jerks), Mike Watt (Minutemen), and Don Bolles (Germs).
Featuring interviews with Tom Morello, Mike Watt, Don Bolles, and pirate radio activist Stephen Dunifer, the film blends rare 1998 footage with new interviews to capture the raw spirit of the underground airwaves.
For Black—who was part of the Silver Lake scene in the ’90s—this project is a natural fit. As Carpenter notes, the rediscovered vintage footage inspired her to turn her memoir into a film. “40 Watts From Nowhere” stands as both a time capsule and a celebration of creative rebellion.
