Tapeheads

Tapeheads
Original movie poster
Directed by	Bill Fishman
Produced by	Peter McCarthy Michael Nesmith
Written by	Bill Fishman Peter McCarthy
Starring	John Cusack Tim Robbins
Music by	Fishbone
Cinematography	Bojan Bazelli
Production company	NBC Productions
Distributed by	Avenue Pictures
Release date	October 21, 1988 (1988-10-21)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$10,000,000
Box office	$343,786

Tapeheads is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman. The film stars John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Sam Moore and Junior Walker. The movie was produced by Michael Nesmith, who is seen briefly in the film as a bottled water delivery man.

After losing their jobs as security guards, best friends Ivan (John Cusack) and Josh (Tim Robbins) start a music video production company called "Video Aces". When they meet their childhood heroes, 1970s soul duo The Swanky Modes (Sam Moore and Junior Walker), Ivan and Josh concoct a scheme to give them a new audience by hijacking a Menudo concert, getting them to perform in Menudo's place, and broadcasting it live across the country on a television satellite hook-up.

The movie also features a fake ad spot for a real Los Angeles restaurant, Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles. People who make appearances in the film include: Mary Crosby, of the nighttime soap opera Dallas; character actors Clu Gulager and Doug McClure; footballer Lyle Alzado; 1960s icon Connie Stevens; Soul Train host Don Cornelius; singer Courtney Love; original "Human Beat-Box" Doug E. Fresh; ska-punk band Fishbone (who also performs the incidental score) as "Ranchbone"; The Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church singer Stiv Bators; Ted Nugent; "Weird Al" Yankovic; and Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, in a cameo as an FBI agent.