'Mayor Of Sunset Strip'
Monday 9th July
10:30pm - 12:30am
More4
(-The final part in More4's recent trilogy of punk[ish] music documentaries.)
DJ Rodney Bingenheimer is pretty much the US equivalent of John Peel, having earned a reputation over the years for being the first in America to play records by hundreds of now-famous bands (-and probably those by tens of thousands of not-so-famous bands too...).
He's been an LA scenester for at least the last 40 years, and I found it amazing to watch all the footage of him hanging out with pretty much every band that ever hit it big in LA. He really was where 'it' was 'at'; some of the old footage is like watching Zelig or -Where's Wally?...
When I was a teenager, I'd read tales of Iggy (-or whoever) at Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco club and think Rodney must be an equally crazed LA rock 'n' roll delinquent. (-However, I now believe that the similarly-omnipresent perpetual teenager Kim Fowley probably wears that particular crown!
)
As the documentary gradually moves beyond his public image though, it becomes clear that despite being a genuine bloke with apparently boundless enthusiasm for new bands, the sad truth is that Rodney's life seems to be rather tragic and unfulfilled. Obsessed by stardom, courted by the stars, but doomed to never quite be a part of it all. At time's it's heartbreaking to watch this film...
He's a bit of a legendary character though, the footage is great, and if you've ever bought Mojo this is a music documentary well worth watching!
(-Sorry, I got a bit carried away...
)
Monday 9th July
10:30pm - 12:30am
More4
(-The final part in More4's recent trilogy of punk[ish] music documentaries.)
DJ Rodney Bingenheimer is pretty much the US equivalent of John Peel, having earned a reputation over the years for being the first in America to play records by hundreds of now-famous bands (-and probably those by tens of thousands of not-so-famous bands too...).
He's been an LA scenester for at least the last 40 years, and I found it amazing to watch all the footage of him hanging out with pretty much every band that ever hit it big in LA. He really was where 'it' was 'at'; some of the old footage is like watching Zelig or -Where's Wally?...
When I was a teenager, I'd read tales of Iggy (-or whoever) at Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco club and think Rodney must be an equally crazed LA rock 'n' roll delinquent. (-However, I now believe that the similarly-omnipresent perpetual teenager Kim Fowley probably wears that particular crown!
) As the documentary gradually moves beyond his public image though, it becomes clear that despite being a genuine bloke with apparently boundless enthusiasm for new bands, the sad truth is that Rodney's life seems to be rather tragic and unfulfilled. Obsessed by stardom, courted by the stars, but doomed to never quite be a part of it all. At time's it's heartbreaking to watch this film...
He's a bit of a legendary character though, the footage is great, and if you've ever bought Mojo this is a music documentary well worth watching!
(-Sorry, I got a bit carried away...
)
