The Best Music Documentaries

[ska invita]

can anyone help me - I need to get together a list of great music documentaries - it might make a nice thread to read anyway.

I'll start with with "THe Ramones -End of the Century"

_I'd never really heard the Ramones before - but I walked away a fan.
Real insight into the band dynamics and the mind set of the boys.

I also loved the bit when Dee Dee Ramone became a rapper - I dont think it was a joke at all - I think it was sincere. I felt for all the guys in the band.

Youtube bit about Dee Dee being a rapper here:
http://www3.youtube.com/watch?v=H-QveINMwkQ

 

[Dubversion]

Some good ones lately

Fearless Freaks - History of the Flaming Lips. Crazy career, full of tragedies and weirdness. Deals really frankly with Drozd's smack problems etc.

Devil & Daniel Johnston - biopic of Johnston, with reams of amazing footage and recordings and lots of interviews and access.

Be Here To Love Me - film about Townes Van Zandt. Depressing business all round really - wasted talent, bit of a twat in many ways.

 

[ska invita]

Devil & Daniel Johnston - biopic of Johnston, with reams of amazing footage and recordings and lots of interviews and access.

Saw this the other day - I love it when people like this get famous!

 

[Crispy]

"DiG!" all about The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols. Funny and tragic, and a great story.

 

[Dubversion]

"DiG!" all about The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols. Funny and tragic, and a great story.

and featuring Unsound / Metaponto jungle DJ Billy The Kid

 

[ska invita]

This was a good one - I saw it on BBC4:
Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus
http://www.lovefilm.com/visitor/product/54425-Searching-For-The-Wrong-Eyed-Jesus.html

Jsut as much about the social context as the music

 

[Dubversion]

a great film that - people have moaned about it presenting a very anglicised notion about that part of the states - i can't contradict, i guess, but it certainly seemed to capture something for me.

 

[ska invita]

a great film that - people have moaned about it presenting a very anglicised notion about that part of the states - i can't contradict, i guess, but it certainly seemed to capture something for me.

Anglicised? Not sure - it was definitely a personal journey - through the eyes of the narrator (who was American no?) - I thought it was unique and revealing

 

[Dubversion]

Anglicised? Not sure - it was definitely a personal journey - through the eyes of the narrator (who was American no?) - I thought it was unique and revealing

Oh, so did I - wasn't my criticism. But the argument was that although White presented it, he was following the English production team's lead with it

 

[ohmyliver]

Can I put a vote in for 'Spinal Tap' ... I know its a mockumentary.. but didn't Ozzy Osbourne think it was actually real...

 

[Sunspots]

I have greatly enjoyed...

MC5: A True Testimonial
DiG!
We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen
Heartworn Highways
The Power Of Salad
Wattstax
The Decline of Western Civilization (1&2)
The Mayor Of Sunset Strip
The Devil & Daniel Johnston
Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus
Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise
New York Doll
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser
Some Kind Of Monster
The Fearless Freaks
Punk: Attitude (great footage, but some huge omissions towards the end)

(-I'm sure there's loads I've forgotten too... )

Ones I haven't seen yet, but looking good:

You're Gonna Miss Me (Roky)
Be Here To Love Me (TVZ)
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Ramones: End Of The Century
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (Wilco)
Dave Chappelle's Block Party

But the best ever is surely Heavy Metal Parking Lot:

 

[moon]

Dancing in the street, old dance music documentary produced/directed by Donn letts I think for BBC2
I have it on VHS somewhere.

Plus recently discovered 20th century Box documentary on Jazz Funk, I have it on VHS /DVC Pro somewhere too
eta Rize: La chapelle doco on Krumping...so dance related not music...but still good.

 

[Dubversion]

Dancing in the street, old dance music documentary produced/directed by Donn letts I think for BBC2
I have it on VHS somewhere.

i have 3 of them - were there 6? - on VHS. A fantastic series, and a disgrace they've not seen a release on DVD.

Actually, thinking about it, Soul Deep on BBC earlier this year (or was it 2005?) might be the best music documentary series I've seen

 

[The_Reverend_M]

Hip-Hop doc 'Scratch' is bloody bwilliant

http://imdb.com/title/tt0143861/

 

[Snufkin!]

i think its called the Filth and the Fury about the sex pistols, anyway its quality.

 

[moon]

hehe I helped to make that!!

 

[Snufkin!]

Poor Sid

 

[Sweet FA]

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

 

[mtbskalover]

the clash, west wat to the world: good docu
the clash rude boy the movie : kind of a movie, but good
sublime -tales, lies and exagerations- ace docu, lots of interesting characters and footage.

also fat freddys drop have a new dvd out, cant wait to see that. behind the scenes with the soulful demons!

its not music, but "infamy" is an american graffiti documentary, its has a little bit on music and how it links with graf'. but tis a good watch anyways.

edited to add:

american hardcore- looks at the 1980's hardcore punk scene. meant to be wank tho....

 

[Iam]

Style Wars
The Decline of Western Civilization (the first one, not the Metal years, although that's not bad, either)

 

[billy_bob]

Westway to the World is excellent, Letts really lets the band and the songs speak for themselves. Joe Strummer close to tears talking about the band splitting up gets me every time

 

[ska invita]

Dancing in the street, old dance music documentary produced/directed by Donn letts I think for BBC2
I have it on VHS somewhere.

Plus recently discovered 20th century Box documentary on Jazz Funk, I have it on VHS /DVC Pro somewhere too
eta Rize: La chapelle doco on Krumping...so dance related not music...but still good.

any idea on the title of that Jazz Junk one?

In my trawl I have found some interesting ones on a black american tip - not seen them, but maybe someone has, or might be tempted to - you can download them off this site for a fee:

Afro-Punk
Afro-Punk explores race identity within the punk scene. More than your everyday "Behind the Music" or typical "black history month" documentary, this film tackles hard questions, covering issues such as exile, loneliness, inter-racial dating and black power.
http://www.totalvid.com/Music-Documentaries-Videos/Afro-Punk/

Higher Ground - Voices of Contemporary Gospel Music
Presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ through cutting-edge music and images has historically put this community on the "outs" with traditionalists in the Church, yet it has catapulted this music to the forefront of the mainstream
http://www.totalvid.com/Music-Docum...r-Ground-Voices-of-Contemporary-Gospel-Music/

Just For Kicks
The first documentary on one of pop culture's biggest phenomena, Just for Kicks charts the athletic footwear fetish from sneakers' early adoption by the style warriors of 1970s New York City to their status today as a de facto apparel of choice for an entire generation
http://www.totalvid.com/Music-Documentaries-Videos/Just-For-Kicks/

Five Conversations About Soul
This bootleg video graffiti glimpse into the lives and thoughts of critically acclaimed, established and emerging soul artists shows them at their most direct and honest, talking about their relation to the ideas, history and business behind the music.
http://www.totalvid.com/Music-Documentaries-Videos/Five-Conversations/

Straight from the Projects - Featuring M.O.P.
Returning to the gritty streets of their youth, rappers show you where it all went down! Here are the legendary places that inspired the music, with no sugar-coating, no Hollywood sets, just the real on-the-streets action
http://www.totalvid.com/Music-Documentaries-Videos/Straight-From-the-Projects-MOP/

Dirty States of America - Untold Story of Southern Hip-Hop
The untold story of Southern Hip-Hop! In a commercial music industry which has lost its way artistically and creatively, Southern Hip-Hop is steeped in spirituality and struggle and is deeply rooted in slavery, the civil rights movement, poverty and oppression
http://www.totalvid.com/Music-Documentaries-Videos/Dirty-States-of-America/

Graffiti Verite 5: The Sacred Elements of Hip Hop
... a portrait of the educational value and liberating therapeutic power contained within the unique elements of the contemporary Hip Hop movement
http://www.totalvid.com/Art-Documentary-Videos/Graffiti-Verite-5/

 

[ska invita]

I have greatly enjoyed...

MC5: A True Testimonial
DiG!
We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen
Heartworn Highways
The Power Of Salad
Wattstax
The Decline of Western Civilization (1&2)
The Mayor Of Sunset Strip
The Devil & Daniel Johnston
Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus
Sun Ra: A Joyful Noise
New York Doll
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser
Some Kind Of Monster
The Fearless Freaks
Punk: Attitude (great footage, but some huge omissions towards the end)

(-I'm sure there's loads I've forgotten too... )

Ones I haven't seen yet, but looking good:

You're Gonna Miss Me (Roky)
Be Here To Love Me (TVZ)
Standing in the Shadows of Motown
Ramones: End Of The Century
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (Wilco)
Dave Chappelle's Block Party

But the best ever is surely Heavy Metal Parking Lot:

great list, thanks

 

[moon]

Its just a Granada/LWT prog from the series 20th century box presented by Danny Baker, its called 'Funk Music' and was aired 14.12.1980.

They follow a few soul patrols (including the brixton frontline crew) to various jazz funk clubs hosted by chris hill.

Its a real memory trip to the pre rave days where everyone had a wedge haircut and wore waffle trousers and a burgundy leather hunter jacket...heheh

I had mates in soul patrols called the legionaires and the cassanover's

Bless!!

 

[pk]

Depeche Mode - 101

You don't have to like 'the Mode' but it helps I guess, DA Pennenbaker does a great job of capturing one of the largest concerts ever to be held, anywhere, and all the lead up stuff with the fans is good too, the bit where the guy goes home to pick up some CD's and catches his girlfriend in bed with another guy is classic.

 

[Sunspots]

Hip-Hop doc 'Scratch' is bloody bwilliant

Yep, I think that was definitely one of the best hip hop documentaries I've seen.

There was another very good one that I saw a year or so before it (-probably in '99 or '00). I can't remember the name, and it should've been a bigger hit; but I think it probably got a bit overlooked as the initial buzz for Scratch started snowballing...

Style Wars

I re-watched that a couple of months ago. Classic!

The Decline of Western Civilization (the first one, not the Metal years, although that's not bad, either)

The first one's got all the frontline footage.

The second one's just... beyond parody.

I've just noticed there was a third in '98 too. -What was that all about?

 

[Sunspots]

Its a real memory trip to the pre rave days where everyone had a wedge haircut and wore waffle trousers and a burgundy leather hunter jacket...heheh

< shudders >

 

[moon]

I just ordered the Don letts Punk Attitude doco on amazon...cheers

 

[Iam]

The first one's got all the frontline footage.

The second one's just... beyond parody.

I've just noticed there was a third in '98 too. -What was that all about?

Great stuff in the first one from the early LA Hardcore scene.

Second one... well, hair metal, innit. Worth a alone.

Third's about the "Death of Punk" in the late 90s, LA street punks and so on. Not seen it, but it's not supposed to be much cop...

 

[sojourner]

Actually, thinking about it, Soul Deep on BBC earlier this year (or was it 2005?) might be the best music documentary series I've seen

I think it was first aired 05, but I saw it earlier this year

Was brilliant