JOHN BEUG,
1947-2022

John Beug, a trailblazing music documentary and video producer, died on 10/15 in Northern California. He was 75.

A former exec at Ode Records and Warner Bros. Records, he produced the Grammy-winning documentaries The Doors: When You’re Strange and Tom Petty: Runnin’ Down a Dream; the Concert for George [Harrison] and a concert film of Cream at the Royal Albert Hall; and classic music videos like a-ha’s “Take On Me,” Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” and R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion.” His most recent film was Travelin Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall, which premiered this year.

After booking shows at Northwestern University and Chicago-area venues, Beug started working for Lou Adler and was involved in the building of The Roxy and the production of early shows at the famed Sunset Strip club, including Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke and The Rocky Horror Show.

In 1986 Mo Ostin hired him as head of creative services for Warner Bros., where he oversaw award-winning videos and led the company’s dive into long-form DVD releases, including projects with Eric Clapton, Steely Dan and Don Henley. He was the executive in charge of production on two of Warner’s biggest videos: Fleetwood Mac’s The Dance and Eagles: Hell Freezes Over.

Beug won an Emmy for 2007’s Eric Clapton: Crossroads Guitar Festival, Chicago. He retired from Warner Music Group in 2014.