Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal years

I've always heard about this film and now I've watched it. Well... it's entertaining and embarrassing in equal parts.
I know Rock and roll doesn't have to be clever and inspiring but this people weree making a fool of themselves.


Anyway it's a very enjoyable film

Penelope Spheeris (Director): " So Paul Stanley said, "I want to be lying in a bed with three women while I'm being interviewed"?
Yeah, have you heard the story? This is the truth! When he came to shoot that day, we had these three girls lined up to be in the bed with him. He took me aside and said, "Penelope, oh, I'm sorry, but... um... these girls aren't attractive enough." And I said, "I'm sorry Paul. Those are the girls I have. We don't have a lot of money here, and I can't hire more girls." So, he went and called the Playboy Mansion—swear to God—and he got three girls from the Playboy Mansion to come down. I had to tell the less attractive girls to go away. I've always wanted to see if I could find them and ask, "How did you feel that day?" [Laughs.] "

 

Hair metal bands at their cheesiest I loved it

 

It's all so hollow, shallow and stupid. Specially the way they talk about women. And yes I know it's the perspective from a 41 old man in 2021

 

Part 1 was a staple of my teen years. I'm sure I've seen Part 2, but it made no impression on me. I just vaguely recall hair band members objectifying woman and showing off being rich. If there was more to it, I don't remember it.

 

There wasn’t much “showing off being rich”, aside from maybe Paul Stanley. Most of the bands interviewed were barely at the poverty line.

 

But it's a hell of a lot of fun.
You should check out Part 1.

 

What do you think about it? Aside of that it's fun

 

It shows that beneath all the bragging and macho stances (and other things) there are really just a bunch of insecure, self deluded humans who wanna be stars, talented or not. Same goes for the fans. That band from Detroit (forget the name) who do the song about a plane crash are either pathetic or heartbreaking depending on the time of day. Same goes for London.
Hey Penelope, film me in my swimming pool while I guzzle a bottle of vodka with my mom sitting poolside. Now that's rock'n'roll attitude from another dimension and that's why I love the movie.

 

To me these people were long haired jocks

 

A lot of them probably either were or would have been if they hadn't picked up an instrument. I wouldn't hold that against them.

 

I must say I've had fun watching the film. It's interesting .
The scene of the drunk guy in a swimming pool and his mom is a comic masterpiece

 

I've always wondered how much of it had a bit of staging to goose it along.

 

That was an amazing documentary. Possibly the most amazing thing in it was The Cramps’ Lux Interior managing to keep his plastic pants on.

 

Yeah these guys are such idiots. But it is the “decline and fall of the western civilization…”

 

You can catch up with that drunk guy in the swimming pool on Amazon Prime: Mean Man: The Story of Chris Holmes. I thought it was interesting character study and was surprised that he still has some pretty good chops.

 

On the other hand, Megadeth are amazing

 

You may want to check this out: LITA FORD Says 'The Decline Of Western Civilization' Pool Scene 'Destroyed' CHRIS HOLMES's Career

 

Love Part One. Part Two is gross.

 

Had no idea about that. Thanks for posting the link.

 

Part one doesn't look as fun as this

 

Other than Lemmy every person (band/fan/club owner) is a total buffoon. Most of them also have the same empty headed laugh. I've watched it more than once.

Gross sleaze personified = Riki Rachtman.

 

I'm pretty sure that's "Urgh! A Music War".

 

You can understand the young fans and wannabes making a fool of themselves but the worst ones in the movie are the established rock stars Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. The rampant sexist comments of both are truly shameful

 

I think these films are, in a way, interesting cultural artifacts. If you are at all into this music, it's fascinating to see the disparity between the established artists and the cocky up and comers who never went anywhere. It's also interesting that some interviews (such as Paul Stanley's and Ozzy's) were staged by the artist, while Lemmy claims that Penelope staged his interview and he thought she did it to make him look like a jerk! The delusions of the unknown bands, who apparently thought that just being on the scene and wearing the right clothes guaranteed them success, is sad to see, and I expect if there were similar interviews with the younger, pre-fame versions of Aerosmith and Kiss, they would have come off as much less flaky and entitled.

I confess I've only tried to watch The Decline Of Western Civilization I one time and I couldn't get through it. I hate that kind of punk rock music and it made me feel ill to watch the interviews with Darby Crash. I'm not a big hair-metal fan either but I am far closer to that camp then to the hardcore scene, which probably affects my opinion.

 

A couple things I remember from seeing this documentary was-
1- I finally got to see the inside of Gazzarri's club (in 1983 me and a couple friends drove to L.A. to club hop. We couldn't get into Gazzarri's because it was too crowded).
2- The scene with Ozzy trying to cook breakfast really had me concerned that he wasn't long for this world.