Music Documentaries

[Iowan]

I have Gimme Shelter on my Netflix que. It's taking too long to get here, because my girlfriend filled it up with True Blood Season 2.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers "Running Down a Dream" is just awesome.

[dime in the gutter]

[Zip City]

[Tequila Cowboy]

My favorite music doc is definitely Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart." The film is so perfectly done that even if it was fictional, it would be a great movie. You can just feel the friction and annoyingness of Jay Bennett wearing on the band and then gets fired. Getting dropped from their label for going over-budget. The ups and downs of striving a masterpiece. And the mad scientist Jeff Tweedy at work.

I think I Am Trying to Break Your Heart is hands down the best rock doc ever made, and for a lot of the reasons you mention. I think I disagree with your statement about the "annoyingness of Jay Bennett". I didn't see it that way, I saw them both coming off pretty badly, but in a way that people look when a relationship, musical/business/personal or what have you, reaches it's end. Tweedy looked like a complete ass at times, and Bennett looked confused at what he was doing wrong. It's painful to watch, even more so with Bennett's untimely death, but it makes for a great, great film.

[bovine knievel]

Seven films, seven directors

[Cubfan06]

My favorite music doc is definitely Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart." The film is so perfectly done that even if it was fictional, it would be a great movie. You can just feel the friction and annoyingness of Jay Bennett wearing on the band and then gets fired. Getting dropped from their label for going over-budget. The ups and downs of striving a masterpiece. And the mad scientist Jeff Tweedy at work.

I think I Am Trying to Break Your Heart is hands down the best rock doc ever made, and for a lot of the reasons you mention. I think I disagree with your statement about the "annoyingness of Jay Bennett". I didn't see it that way, I saw them both coming off pretty badly, but in a way that people look when a relationship, musical/business/personal or what have you, reaches it's end. Tweedy looked like a complete ass at times, and Bennett looked confused at what he was doing wrong. It's painful to watch, even more so with Bennett's untimely death, but it makes for a great, great film.

Fair enough. I think that its a matter of personal opinion. Can we agree that Jay may have been unfairly treated, absolutely. All you have to do is read Greg Cot's "Learning How to Die," to hear the undepth stories about Jeff Tweedy's abrasive personality and propensity for firing people in shitty ways. And being incomunicative about his issues all along the way. Like myself I know that you've met Jeff before on a few occasions and there is very little doubt that he at times can come across "rough" at times. Fairly represented or not, Jay came across like a whiner in the movie. The drugs seem to have accelerated his neurotic behavior and if things were the way that the movie went down, I don't find it to be unexpected that Jay would get dropped.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Fair enough. I think that its a matter of personal opinion. Can we agree that Jay may have been unfairly treated, absolutely. All you have to do is read Greg Cot's "Learning How to Die," to hear the undepth stories about Jeff Tweedy's abrasive personality and propensity for firing people in shitty ways. And being incomunicative about his issues all along the way. Like myself I know that you've met Jeff before on a few occasions and there is very little doubt that he at times can come across "rough" at times. Fairly represented or not, Jay came across like a whiner in the movie. The drugs seem to have accelerated his neurotic behavior and if things were the way that the movie went down, I don't find it to be unexpected that Jay would get dropped.

Oh it was clear that his time in the band was over, painfully so. No doubt about that. Really a powerful movie all told.

[olwiggum]

There should be a movie about the Swampers

There are at least a couple in the works. Well, not necessarily about the Swampers, but about Muscle Shoals music history that will more than likely heavily feature the Swampers.

[Iowan]

I too feel that Jay Bennett came off more annoying than Jeff Tweedy in "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", but it doesn't less my appreciation for his contributions to the band. He seemed to just not "get it", and I felt that the whole band was having issues with it. Just my take.

Obviously, Tweedy can work with some people for long periods of time, ie John Stirrat.

[Smitty]

There should be a movie about the Swampers

There are at least a couple in the works. Well, not necessarily about the Swampers, but about Muscle Shoals music history that will more than likely heavily feature the Swampers.

I've heard something about that (seems like I read on the dbt mailinglist a year or so ago when The Secret To a Happy Ending was supposed to debut in the Shoals)

Can't wait...

[olwiggum]

http://www.vbs.tv/watch/americana/the-muscle-shoals-sound-trailer

I totally forgot about this one. These people were here only a couple of months ago for a couple or three days from what I understand. Looks like they shot a lot of footage though, judging from the trailer. I think the film (not sure how long it will be) will be online in full starting on Friday.
There are quotes from Donnie Fritts, Rick Hall, and Jamie Barrier from the Pine Hill Haints in the trailer. There's also footage of local bands Doc Dailey and Magnolia Devil as well as Satan's Youth Ministers.

I can't wait to see how this comes together. Looks like it will be a cross-section of interviews from some of the old-school folks and some of the new-school folks.

[olwiggum]

http://vimeo.com/14803012

There's a little longer trailer. Apparently, the documentary is also about Billy Reid.

[Clams]

Thread dedicated to rock documentaries, movies and concert films. Why? Cause I'm watching Scorsese's Stones doc Shine a Light on Palladia right now and it's fucking great. NP: All Down the Line.

[Tequila Cowboy]

We had one of these before Clams. I'm going to find it and merge the threads.

[cortez the killer]

Brilliant.

[Penny Lane]

love this

[cortez the killer]

[Pick n Mix]

Still Bill is, indeed, a really good doc. I'd also give a big thumbs up to New York Doll.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe has signed on to executive produce a new project from Saskatchewan’s plan9films, a documentary about singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt.

The film, tentatively titled Vic Chesnutt – It Is What It Is, features concert footage filmed in Canada during Chesnutt’s last tour. The critically-acclaimed artist, partially paralyzed from the age of 18 after a car crash, died in 2009 after overdosing on muscle relaxants. He’d released 17 albums over the course of his career, including two produced by Stipe.

Chesnutt was also the subject of a 1993 documentary, Speed Racer: Welcome to the World of Vic Chesnutt, which aired on PBS.

Besides his musical career, Stipe has co-founded two film companies, C-Hundred Films (which produced the doc Smoke in 2000) and Single Cell Pictures, and has produced several films, serving as executive producer on Being John Malkovich, Velvet Goldmine, and Man on the Moon.

Stipe and band have also recently worked with documentarian Albert Maysles and his filmmaking partner Bradley Kaplan on a video for the track “Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I” from their latest album Collapse Into Now.

Plan9films is the prodco behind the live concert series The Neighbors’ Dog, which airs on SCN in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

I haven't seen Speed Racer. In fact, I'd totally forgotten about it until I read the article about the new documentary. Evidently plans are in the works to release it on DVD. In the meantime, here's the trailer:



There's also this documentary that was shot during the Vic/Elf Power tour of Europe in 2009:

[Smitty]

R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe has signed on to executive produce a new project from Saskatchewan’s plan9films, a documentary about singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt.

The film, tentatively titled Vic Chesnutt – It Is What It Is, features concert footage filmed in Canada during Chesnutt’s last tour. The critically-acclaimed artist, partially paralyzed from the age of 18 after a car crash, died in 2009 after overdosing on muscle relaxants. He’d released 17 albums over the course of his career, including two produced by Stipe.

Chesnutt was also the subject of a 1993 documentary, Speed Racer: Welcome to the World of Vic Chesnutt, which aired on PBS.

Besides his musical career, Stipe has co-founded two film companies, C-Hundred Films (which produced the doc Smoke in 2000) and Single Cell Pictures, and has produced several films, serving as executive producer on Being John Malkovich, Velvet Goldmine, and Man on the Moon.

Stipe and band have also recently worked with documentarian Albert Maysles and his filmmaking partner Bradley Kaplan on a video for the track “Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I” from their latest album Collapse Into Now.

Plan9films is the prodco behind the live concert series The Neighbors’ Dog, which airs on SCN in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Can't wait for this - I've been a fan of Vic's music for almost a decade and his death affected me more than any artist's passing - he was one of the most extraordinary and unique songwriters I've ever heard.

[grayotis]

Some of my personal favorites:

The Last Waltz (The Band)

loudQuietloud (Pixies)

The Devil and Daniel Johnson

We Jam Econo (The Minutemen)

Anvil: The Story of Anvil

Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage

Betty Blowtorch and Her Amazing True Life Adventures


Oh yeah, "A Secret to a Happy Ending" is pretty damn good too...

[Kudzu Guillotine]

This appears to be a totally different Vic documentary than the one mentioned above (It Is What It Is):

[Penny Lane]

has anyone seen this? looks like it's on netflix instant:

[Kudzu Guillotine]

has anyone seen this? looks like it's on netflix instant:

Surprise, surprise, I've seen it. The new version includes some bonus footage that features an interview with Dave Schools of Widespread Panic about the current music scene in Athens (or at least circa 2003 when it was first reissued). The entire thing is very low budget but very much worth viewing. The same guy (Tony Gayton) that did this doc also did one on Dexter Romweber called Two Headed Cow but due to some legal issues, it looks like it may never come out. There was also a great soundtrack for Athens, GA Inside/Out but it is one of those long lost albums that has never been reissued on CD.

[RevMatt]

I have not been able to locate this documentary but it has been on my "must see" list for a while. The trailer alone is completely alsum: Henry Rollins, Lemmy and Kid Congo. And the portrait of JLP on the porta john door is priceless. Jeffrey Lee Pierce, RIP, Long Live Jeffrey Lee!


Another excerpt from Ghost On The Highway. Hank Rollins talks about Jeffrey Lee Pierce

[oilpiers]

has anyone seen this? looks like it's on netflix instant:

Surprise, surprise, I've seen it. The new version includes some bonus footage that features an interview with Dave Schools of Widespread Panic about the current music scene in Athens (or at least circa 2003 when it was first reissued). The entire thing is very low budget but very much worth viewing. The same guy (Tony Gayton) that did this doc also did one on Dexter Romweber called Two Headed Cow but due to some legal issues, it looks like it may never come out. There was also a great soundtrack for Athens, GA Inside/Out but it is one of those long lost albums that has never been reissued on CD.

I bought the album when It first came out. Listened to it last week for the first time in 25 years. My wife told me to take it off. We are getting a divorce. Never seen the movie.

[oilpiers]

The year this came out Roger Ebert, on the year end show, said this was by far the worst movie of the year. He then went on to describe watching live Crazy Horse as the reason. He really likes some dumbshit stuff, so his opinion is worth less than his ability to eat solid food.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

I bought the album when It first came out. Listened to it last week for the first time in 25 years. My wife told me to take it off. We are getting a divorce. Never seen the movie.

I found the DVD for less than $10 at Schoolkids Records the last time I was in Athens. Several clips from the movie have been uploaded the YouTubes. Here's a sampling:

[John A Arkansawyer]

A Different Kind of Blue has as its tasty center the entire Miles Davis performance at the Isle of WIght. I think it's the only time he had both Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett playing with him. It's an incredible performance, and the interviews with all the musicians are fascinating. Don't miss it if you love later Miles.