Friday's Random Shuffle with a Twist
Not so Shuffled Rock Docs
I stole this list from the Monday, March 5 2007 Times Colonist. The original article was written by Mike Devlin and anything within quotes belong to him. Some I've seen and the others I now want to.
Number 8 which features Wilco might be of particular interest to both Allison and Junky and I just found out Busterp as well.
1. The Last Waltz (1978) Martin Scorsese's concert film/documentary about the Band.
2. Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music (The Director's Cut) (1970) Contains an extra 40 minutes of never-before-seen footage and runs just under four hours.
3. The Kids are Alright (1979) Turns out this performance was the last for drummer Keith Moon. He died four months after filming was completed.
4. Cream: Royal Albert Hall, London (2005)
5. Live! Tonight! Sold Out!! (1994) This is the lone Nirvana documentary on DVD. Living so close to Washington I hear far more about Kurt Cobain than I ever care to. Sorry, but I find nothing heroic in a man taking his own life.
6. 1991: The Year Punk Broke (1992)
7. Festival Express (2003) "A riveting documentary about an ill-fated, drug-addled cross-Canada tour--by train, no less--featuring the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, the Band and more. Never have the lyrics to Casey Jones by the Grateful Dead ("Riding that train, high on cocaine") been more relevant. Only in the '70s, as they say."
8. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (2002) "Chicago act Wilco's biggest-selling album to date is Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which the band recorded during the period of this documentary. When its parent record label ultimately rejected the album, and dropped Wilco from its roster, this raw-nerve documentary showed first-hand what it was like to fall apart at the seams. Watch singer Jeff Tweedy lose it in desperation after meeting some out-to-lunch record label representatives at a grip-and-grin."
9. Gimme Shelter (1970) "The notorious free concert at Altamont Speedway is the setting for much of this documentary, which saw a crowd of 300,000 policed by the Hells Angels literally trampled underfoot. Studio sessions and interviews further add to the chronicling of an event that would up killing for good the Summer of Love."
10. Live from Bonnaroo 2004 (2005) "Hippie-rock eye candy."
This post is a real mess visually. I was trying to make it easier to read but it turned out to be a bit of a disaster. I sure wish I could get Mr. Blogger to double space when I want him to. Any suggestions?
15 comments:
Hi Toccata. Add me to the Wilco list (Chicago band of course). I have The Last Waltz. It's soo good. Young Robbie Robertson, Joni, Emmylou, Neil, Eric, Van, Muddy Waters, Paul Buterfield, etc. And Scorcese.
Haven't seen the Wilco yet.
Altamont is so surreal. Marty Balin getting knocked out. Mick, bikers and Sympathy for the Devil.
Two others that are good but only shows, not docs are done by Jonathan Demme. Stop Making Sense with the Heads and Storefront Hitchcock with Robyn Hitchcock. Both are excellent.
Busterp, I added you to the list! I have not seen Gimme Shelter but it sounded ever so interesting just from the little blurb in the paper. I'm going to try and find it and hopefully see it this weekend.
I have #1 & 5. I love the Last Waltz...it's really cheap right now at Best Buy ($10), which is where I got it.
They all look good though.
Deb, The Waltz is great. I totally want to see number 7 and 9. I have seen the Nirvana doc but I'm afraid I am so turned off by the hoopla surrounding Kurt Cobain that I can't listen to his music without all of that crap having an negative impact on it for me.
I watched The Last Waltz this Thanksgiving, appropriately. It was a birthday gift from my best friend Jim a few years ago-- one of my first dvd's.
Did you know that Scorsese was a cameraman at Woodstock?
I finally bought Woodstock last year. I've been watching it in parts with my son-- he's a big Hendrix fan.
I loved Festival Express-- I ended up buying it. My father, who loves sixties music, loved it too.
Gimme Shelter is such a difficult and painful movie to watch.
It's not a concert movie, but have you ever seen Hype! It's about the Seattle grunge scene, and how the hype surrounding it assured that the scene would self-destruct.
The only one I've seen was the Last Waltz, but have been wanting to see I am Trying to Break Your Heart forever.
I've seen Wilco a couple of times in concert and they are an amazing live band.
Johnny Yen, I had no idea Scorsese
was a cameraman for Woodstock. We the viewer are rather fortunate that he seems to enjoy his little forays into music. I really want to get my hands on Festival Express. Oh, and I have seen Hype by the way.
Barbara, I had never heard of Wilco until this week and suddenly their name is popping up everywhere. I will definitely have to check them out.
you see and I loved Kurt for the gentle, kind soul he was. He was a mess for sure, but he had such a beautiful heart. I do always think of the child though when someone commits suicide...how selfish an act it becomes. But I really like what Kurt stood for away from the recklessness/lifestyle - he had a deep respect for women and I admired that. I also thought it funny that, although he lived life like he did, he drove a Volvo (like an old lady) because it was the "safest" car.
Deb, he drove a volvo because it was the "safest" car?! I'm sorry but I find that kind of funny in a rather sick, twisted way. Maybe if I had known his music first I would feel differently about him.
Since they're hometown boys (Chicago), I've heard much about them.
Another record worth checking out is the collaboration they did with Billy Bragg, Mermaid Avenue. My favorite from that album, California Stars, got a lot of airplay around here.
I've got Scorsese's Dylan documentary, "No Direction Home" but haven't had a chance to watch it yet. It's supposed to be really good.
BTW, the classic D.A. Pennebaker Dylan Documentary "Don't Look Back" has recently been rereleased with additional footage.
Speaking of Pennebaker, another he directed another great rock documentary, "Monterey Pop," about the great 1967 Monterey music festival. There are two releases of this one-- the Criterion version, which has a ton of extra footage and performances (I have this one) and more recently a rerelease without the additional footage, which is still pretty damned good.
Johnny Yen, the Dylan documentary is really good. You'll enjoy it I'm sure. I have the feeling I have seen "Monterey Pop". Spring break is here in another week and I think I am going to have to throw a little rock doc festival.
I haven't seen any of those on that list either. I hadn't listened to Wilco until this week :) But from their albums, I'd love to seem them in concert. For a music lover, I've seen very few concerts. Ah well.
Allison, I haven't been to all that many concerts either. Mostly I attend folk festivals in the summer months and classical concerts during the year.
I've been fortunate to see many concerts over the years...everyone from Fleetwood Mac to The Who to Zeppelin.....Jimmy Buffet, Chuck Berry, Heart, Pearl Jam (X2), The Hip (x2), etc. I've had to slow it down....$$. So I'm not the only one who hadn't heard Wilco?...I feel so normal now.
Deb, you actually got to see Fleetwood Mac! Lucky you. I remember twice Stevie Nicks cancelled the concert at the last minute in Vancouver because she was having a little diva hissy fit. Growing up Moose Jaw wasn't exactly the center of concert going! :)
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