PBS's Classic Albums: The Making Of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon. Especially the segment where Richard Wright demonstrates on the piano very subtle but powerful chord progression changes he borrowed from a Miles Davis album that shows how to be creative borrowing without stealing to come up with something amazing, ethereal and original that ended up on the album.
1) the Compleat Beatles 2) Gimme Shelter 3)Crossfire Hurricane 4) When You’re Strange 5) This is Elvis
I got on a music documentary bender tonight, watching two of them: Sisters With Transistors, about female electronic music pioneers, from Clara rockmore to Suzanne Ciani. Under The Volcano, about Air Studios Montserrat, and all the bands that recorded there.
One film that hasn't been mentioned on this thread is Terry Zeigoff's film Louie Bluie about Howard Armstrong, one of the last surviving members of the old black string bands of the '20s and '30s. Here's a sample:
My favorite thing I've ever heard about the film was a quote from the late Tom Petty. I can hear him say it, totally deadpan: That movie's not funny. The thing about Spinal Tap is that anybody has been in the music business long enough has experienced one or more of the things portrayed in the movie. Like being booked for a completely inappropriate venue or event. Maybe not an Air Force base with air traffic control chatter coming through your wireless guitar rig, but close. They'll still laugh, but with a twinge of PTSD.
The Southbank Show Hendrix doco. It doesn't really go into too much depth but it was my first glimpse of the man that set off a lifetime obsession.
There's no point in mentioning a film if you don't explain why one should see it. One of the best things about this music documentary is Andy Partridge's anti-music-documentary rant (Rick Wakeman has an amazing sense of humor). It makes a great case for why this band was so important.
Please, I can't overemphasize just how awesome this clip is. Howard Armstrong was one of the greatest showman I've ever seen - Vickie and I were lucky enough to see him at Rosa's blues club in Chicago. A couple of years ago, we were able to see this film at a small screening room with a dozen or so other people. It was especially cool that we were viewing director Zwigoff's own personal 16 mm print. He later went on to direct Crumb and Bad Santa.
I recently saw Echo in the Canyon about the 60s music scene in California. It was pretty good. Beware of Mr. Baker--pretty fun? video of Ginger Baker Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel--overall an interesting doc, too bad he got swept up in the drugs of the 60s. All Things Must Past: Rise and fall of Tower Records--if you long for the old record hunting days of yore. Good 'Ol Freda--personal assistant to the Beatles and their fan club. Ain't In It For My Health: Levon Helm--hard to say what's the truth and what isn't between The Band, Robertson, et al. but if I were in a band it would have to be done like The Beatles--everyone gets a share of the pie or money, because without everyone, it's not a band. Immortal Beloved--pretty good movie on Beethoven. Captain Beefhearts: Under Review, it may be or parts of it on YT. Record Safari--I haven't seen this yet, but it's about hunting for music, LPs, etc. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960s--if you are a fan of them, it's great. Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me David Crosby: Remember My Name--saw it recently on NFLX. It was pretty good, but his ego, and mouth should have been reigned in long ago. Too late now, I guess. Who Is David Geffen? --about the music producer.
While not an air force base, there is some kind of chatter coming through on the Jimi Hendrix "Wild Blue Angel" performance.
Mayor of the Sunset Strip. A documentary about Rodney Bingenheimer, a legend in L.A. music, who for decades seemed to be friends with every famous musician from Sony & Cher to Joan Jett, who seemed to be in the center of the L.A. music industry, yet we find out he's not that important anymore and maybe he never really was.
I liked that documentary about that band that had a hit album and were livin' the high life, then their second album tanked and they started boozin' and druggin' and partyin' and getting into trouble, then they got off the booze and the drugs and the partying and made a really bad third album that didn't sell at all but they were happy because they were off the booze and the drugs and the partying. Dang, I can't remember the name of the band...
It was called Behind The Music. The 45 minute mark "everything goes belly up" part of the series was such a cliché that Weird Al made fun of it on his Behind The Music "...and then my 4th album (sob!) didn't go gold!"
Once Were Brothers about the band The Band........interesting to find out that after The Last Waltz Robbie Robertson wanted to bring The Band back after a hiatus but the drugs stopped him from doing so.
I was interested in him and his influence up to a point. The blindness he had to his personal actions was a bit sickening for me. Career wise he seemed to be more of a connector but I know little of the LA scene.
