Rock and Roll, drugs, and the cult of greed

Follow the journey of two brothers, Geoff and Robbie Levin who grew up in the iconic San Francisco Bay Area. How they were part of the 60's music scene; having hung out and made music with the likes of Jerry Garcia, the Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, and Credence Clearwater. In 1968 the brothers were headed towards stardom, with a hit record on the charts I LOVE YOU and touring with The Who. Then, Scientology entered their life and so began the downfall. The rock group broke up and the brothers did too. For 50 years the memory of this split lingered. The brother had successes and challenges in their perspective fields. Robbie left the cult early. Geoff still in cut off all connections to his brother. With his life in shambles, Geoff finally left the cult and reconnected with his brother and the band. As a result he lost his children to the cult. Follow this incredible story of a family destroyed and a family restored. Their band reunited and with a new album out. “Do overs” are possible. Let the music play on...

 Meet the Brothers

Geoff and Robbie Levin

 Geoff Levin has lived a full life. He grew up in San Jose and started his musical life in 1962 at the advanced age of 16. He embraced the burgeoning folk scene in the Bay Area and across the country. He formed a rock band in 1964 called PEOPLE! He has performed well over 1000 concerts. In 1975 he changed careers and started composing music for film and multimedia. That introduced to recording and he built his first studio then. Over the years Geoff has become a multi-faceted film and television composer, orchestrator, and songwriter who has scored over 50 full-length films. He has also contributed music to another 30 features. Also, he scored and helped produce the Academy Award-nominated animated short "The Janitor" based on the story by his group Celestial Navigations with Geoffrey Lewis (1995).

In 1984 Geoff and Geoffrey Lewis recorded their first album as the group Celestial Navigations. The album charted on Billboard. Subsequently, they released 7 other albums.

His TV credits include music for Bloodline, Game Of Thrones, Chicago Fire, SNL, Friends, Archer, CSI New York, The Blacklist, The Good Wife, Parks And Recreation, The Office, Sopranos, Catfish, Family Guy, Friday Night Lights, Weeds, The View and more.

In 2013 Geoff was nominated for best score at the Action On Film Festival for Half Way To Hell. His latest film scoring projects are 2017 Christmas Eve, In Search Of Liberty, and 2021 Finding Harmony starring Billy Zane and Alison Eastwood. He has also scored the two westerns being released in 2022 Hot Bath An’ A Stiff Drink, and Hot Bath ll starring Robert Patrick.

Included are Flying By(Billy Ray Cyrus) and independent projects such as the Hollywood Film Festival award-winning emo-drama feature Jimmy Zip (1999); the action drama Perfect Assassins (1998) starring Andrew McCarthy and Portia de Rossi; Hot Boyz (2000) with Snoop Dogg, Gary Busey, and Master P; and the dark comedy Hungry Hearts (2002), Hollywood Film Festival finalist and California Independent Film Festival winner for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Actor.

Additionally, Geoff has placed over 40 of his original songs in movies and TV including Bowfinger (1999) and the Emmy and BAFTA PBS animated series Jakers. Geoff Levin has numerous TV and cable shows and series to his credit, Chalk Zone for Nickelodeon. He also has scored Discovery Channel's special The Valley of the T-Rex (2001), a three-part series for The Learning Channel called "Science of the Edge" and National Geographic's "Quest for K2". He has also scored the animated children's Saturday morning shows Sabrina, the Animated Series (1999), Street Sharks (1994) and episodes, of Back to the Future (1991).

Currently, Geoff’s band PEOPLE! has a new album coming out at the end of 2021 called The Return of PEOPLE! 

 Born Robert Keith Levin April 25, 1949, in San Jose. He grew up around musicians like Jerry Garcia, Jorma Kaukonen, and Janis Joplin. Robbie was still in high school when he and his brother created The rock band PEOPLE!

In March of 1968 while the band’s single “I Love You” was climbing the charts Robbie, his brother, and two other members of the band all joined Scientology. This destroyed the band. Robbie also had an acrimonious split with his brother once the band members changed. He carried on with various iterations of the group. Finally, in 1971 with so many new band members the group changed its name to “Rockin’ Horse” which was signed with RCA records. Robbie continued the group through 1976 and recorded two albums with Rockin’ Horse on RCA Records under the management of Nick Grillo (Beachboys manager during their heyday)

While performing in a Marina Del Ray club with Rockin’ Horse, he had met an entrepreneurial t-shirt Manufacturer named Richard Hirsch. Soon that business was taking most of Robbie’s time. EZ Street fast became a multi-million dollar clothing line. Robbie heard that Rick Springfield was auditioning bass players he auditioned and got the job. Robbie performed with Rick from 1976-1978 still working with his clothing company.

Within a few years in the 80s, EZ Sportwear morphed into Melrose clothing. Robbie expanded the company and sold it in 1986 To Kellwood Company (a fortune 500 company from St. Louis). He continued to run the company with his partner until the end of 1991 when his key player contact expired. From 1979 through 1991 he was performing on and off with Rick Springfield. Also in 1987, he developed the fitness regimen Spinning. This is the subject it a new film “The Story Of Spinning”.

1994 he purchase a historic 240-acre ranch on the bank of the Colorado River and transformed it into the Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa. The resort was open for business in the spring of 2000. Within a year it was the only Four Diamond Resort in Southern Utah and went on to win many domestic and international awards. Robbie sold the Resort in 2008 and it continues on under the new ownership of Liz Rad.

In 2007 PEOPLE! were inducted into the San Jose Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. After 23 years the brothers came together to accept their award.

2019 he built a new home in the mountains below Aspen and is working with his wife Julie, creator of Leaf People a company that produces high-quality organic skincare products. He has also recorded with his old band PEOPLE! On their new album, THE RETURN OF PEOPLE! being released at the beginning of 2022.

 Production Credits