My Big Day Off Watching Rockumentaries

[Rain]

Was sick yesterday so I spent the day in bed watching “rockumentaries”.  A lot of them. Among others, one about The Who (Sensation, the Story of Tommy), the other about The Police (Can’t Stand Losing You).

I chose these specifically because I don’t like either band, and I thought I needed to give them another try. That maybe, those documentary would help me see them in a different light, and that I would finally get what it is that I am missing. Well, I still don’t get them.

On paper, I should be a fan of The Who, but for some reason, I don’t like them. I can appreciate bits and pieces of their songs, but that’s it.

And I can appreciate The Police’s talent, I can even sing along to a lot of their songs, but it doesn’t really click.  If anything, I thought they came across as a rather unlikable bunch of people.

However, seeing that I hated Rush for decades after I first heard them and that they are now one of my favorite bands, I figure that I should never say never.

In the meantime, I had a lot of fun watching Gimme Danger about the Stooges.

Anything on anyone's list of must see? 

Anything you think would finally crack open the mystery of The Who for me?

Edited May 19, 2022 by Rain

[Jesse Screed]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

Anything on anyone's list of must see? 

Rain,  seek and ye shall find.  I can send some ideas, but it all depends on what you like.  If you want to see the rise and fall of Tower Records, find "All things must Pass."  It's not about a band

 

1 hour ago, Rain said:

Anything you think would finally crack open the mystery of The Who for me?

Somethings just aren't meant to be, but if you haven't seen "The Kids are Alright," maybe that would do it.

If you like Tom Petty, "Running Down a Dream," directed by Peter Bogdanovich might be of interest.

I hope you feel better.

 

[Wibbles]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

Was sick yesterday so I spent the day in bed watching “rockumentaries”.  A lot of them. Among others, one about The Who (Sensation, the Story of Tommy), the other about The Police (Can’t Stand Losing You).

I chose these specifically because I don’t like either band, and I thought I needed to give them another try. That maybe, those documentary would help me see them in a different light, and that I would finally get what it is that I am missing. Well, I still don’t get them.

On paper, I should be a fan of The Who, but for some reason, I don’t like them. I can appreciate bits and pieces of their songs, but that’s it.

And I can appreciate The Police’s talent, I can even sing along to a lot of their songs, but it doesn’t really click.  If anything, I thought they came across as a rather unlikable bunch of people.

However, seeing that I hated Rush for decades after I first heard them and that they are now one of my favorite bands, I figure that I should never say never.

In the meantime, I had a lot of fun watching Gimme Danger about the Stooges.

Anything on anyone's list of must see? 

Anything you think would finally crack open the mystery of The Who for me?

This is something I find myself doing, but more by accident than design.

A short time ago I found myself watching a documentary about Fleetwood Mac - a band that have never been on my radar. The two main things I took away from it were:

1. I didn't realise how many Fleetwood Mac songs I actually knew; and
2. Stevie Nicks is really, really, really annoying.

[Tim Smith]

Yeah I am kind of random in that regard as well.

I'm flipping through YouTube and I see something I think looks interesting. Doesn't matter if I like the band or not. I have zero interest in Elton John but I was curious about how he got started. He is a pompous ***** but he sure can play.

I also checked out Freddy Mercury. I always thought he was a truly talented person, but man, what a crazy self destructive life. That video also showed me the seedier side of the music business.

There is a side to much of it the public never sees which generally takes many of these bands into a self destructive mode.  People who travel constantly, have no real home base, are on all kinds of substances and probably tired tend to argue and loose their grip on reality sometimes. They often become more like kids who need a baby sitter than adults.

[bitflipper]

If you're a) Canadian and b) a Rush fan, Beyond the Lighted Stage is a must-see. I was neither when I saw it, and came away still not Canadian but definitely a fan.

Another rockumentary that changed my view of a band was Rammstein in Amerika , about the East German band Rammstein. That particular genre normally ain't my cup o' tea, but the film made me respect those guys a lot.

Anvil! The Story of Anvil. About a band that almost made it. They should have. Most of their contemporaries made it, and their style was popular at the time. But things didn't break their way. It has a happy ending, though.

One of the most emotionally impactful films was Heavy Metal in Baghdad, about a band's struggles to survive in a country that morally despises their style, while a war is going on.

Then there's Gimme Shelter, which covers the disastrous Rolling Stones concert at Altamont. I saw that at a drive-in while high. It was upsetting. Should be a more comfortable watch in the safety and comfort of your own living room.

Here's a list from imdb that I found while trying to remember the name of the Rammstein doc.

[57Gregy]

One doc I remember from my youth is Mad Dogs and Englishmen. I saw it ~1972 and, besides all the great performances, I remember how much fun everyone seemed to be having. Funny that I haven't seen it since, possibly because it's not in regular rotation on TV. That's Joe Cocker, if you were wondering. An acquired taste, to be sure, but I like good rock and blues. Leon Russell, too, before he got famous.
To each his own. I love the Who, and Who's Next is among my possible choices for best album of all time. 

[Jesse Screed]

I'm getting on my trainer and will be watching this as I work out my ANGST!!!

 

These first world problems are kicking my ***  (donkey)

[jackson white]

"The Kid's Are Alright" is a much better doc on The Who imho.  And one of their best performance's can be found in the Rolling Stones' Rock and Roll Circus.  https://www.npr.org/2019/07/25/745287835/resurrected-stones-film-finds-pivot-point-in-rock-history

This was a pretty great take on the capriciousness of the industry in general... 

 

[Tim Smith]

Anyways.

I hope you are feeling better today Rain.

[SteveStrummerUK]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[treesha]

The documentary Joy Division…The film assembles TV clips, newsreel, pictures of modern Manchester and Manchester in the late 1970s, and interviews. The interviewees include the three surviving members of the group, Tony Wilson, Peter Saville, Pete Shelley(of Buzzcocks), Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (of Throbbing Gristle), Alan Hempsall (of Crispy Ambulance), Paul Morley, Terry Mason, Richard Boon,  Anton Corbijn, and Belgian journalist Annik Honoré, with whom Ian Curtis was having an affair.

hope you are feeling better! 

[Rain]

Wow - these are some fantastic recommendations! There's also a few I'd forgotten but was definitely interested in. I'll be updating my wishlist/playlist later tonight.

And thank you all for the well wishes.

When it comes to that stuff, even if I'm not necessarily a big fan of the music, it can be interesting to find out about the band, but I must admit that I like most of the artists you guys mentioned - or as is the case with The Who, I am trying to get it. 

Bit:  Rammstein is probably the band I play the most in the gym. First saw them as part of the infamous Family Values tour back in the late 90's, and I admit, I did not like them at all. But my opinion changed afterwards. Looking back at the poster for the tour, they are certainly my favorite on that line up.

17 hours ago, Wibbles said:

This is something I find myself doing, but more by accident than design.

A short time ago I found myself watching a documentary about Fleetwood Mac - a band that have never been on my radar. The two main things I took away from it were:

1. I didn't realise how many Fleetwood Mac songs I actually knew; and
2. Stevie Nicks is really, really, really annoying.

I had the same kind of experience when I subscribed to Apple music and started listening to their 70's Radio - Fleetwood Mac songs kept popping in my playlist and I could sing along to most of them. I don't think I'd ever voluntarily listened to them before, though. I can appreciate what they do, but I am not a fan - especially not of Mrs. Nick. 

[Bajan Blue]

Hi Rain

hope you get better soon.

whilst not strictly a music film, I watched Factory Girl last night - about Eddie Sedgwick, Bob Dylan, Velvet Underground etc. Not a bad film although no where near enough Velvet Underground music!!

 the who - an enigma for me - some absolutely great music, then something absolutely BS  like Boris the Spider......its either hate or love for me when it comes to the WHO, nothing in-between!!

another good film as opposed to a documentary, is Control,  about Joy Division - i watched that quite a few years ago, but remembered enjoying it.

a favorite live show documentary  is Queen at Wembley, 1986 - Freddie at his very best

Nigel

 

 

[treesha]

There are several documentaries about Bob Marley that I have watched. I have a vcr tape of a much older one I wonder if it will play after 22yrs in the desert! The ones I have seen include concert performances of course and interviews with musicians, family and friends. Other things/ themes are shown like Jamaican life,  Rastafarianism, ganga.
(On a personal I had the pleasure of visiting Jamaica for a month in the late 80s with a Rastafarian Jamaican female musician friend living and performing in Baltimore where I was in a different Jamaican-led reggae band on bass. She was going for her brothers wedding and needed her US recordings supplemented by some of her Jamaican musician friends/ session musicians on the island so we would pick them up and went to several major studios often (all but studio one) and I met some of the people in the videos and was at very non-touristy parts of the island doing things locals do vs sightseeing etc.  so watching the documentaries brings back so many memories of that amazing trip for me)

[Wibbles]

One must draw the line somewhere, though.

U2 are an absolute no-no. Bono is such an insufferable little twit.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Wibbles

[craigb]

49 minutes ago, Wibbles said:

One must draw the line somewhere, though.

U2 are an absolute no-no. Bono is such an insufferable little twit.

My favorite story (who cares if it's actually true, ya?):

Right in the middle of a concert in Ireland, Bono stops the music and starts clapping his hands slowly.  "Every time I clap my hands, a child dies in Africa!" he tells the crowd.  Then, someone near the front can be heard yelling back "Then fooking stop it!!!"  ?

[craigb]

We haven't watched any serious music-related documentaries lately, only Spinal Tap (my roommate had never seen it!) and Rock of Ages, another complete joke.

I'll have to see if I can find some of the ones mentioned above. ??

[Wibbles]

Available on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07rfk2j

Includes documentaries on: Freddie Mercury, The Rolling Stones, Status Quo, Jeff Buckley, John Lennon, Amy Winehouse, Simon & Garfunkel, Frank Zappa, Phil Lynott, Miles Davis, and on and on.

[Rain]

11 hours ago, craigb said:

We haven't watched any serious music-related documentaries lately, only Spinal Tap (my roommate had never seen it!) and Rock of Ages, another complete joke.

I'll have to see if I can find some of the ones mentioned above. ??

You've heard of this, right? 
https://www.nme.com/news/film/this-is-spinal-tap-sequel-set-for-release-40-years-after-original-3224295

[RobertWS]

History of the Eagles

The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years