Listen Best music/band documentary

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Ted Williams' head

It's freezing in here!
Sep 23, 2015
11,283
19,102
Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music and What Happened, Miss Simone? are great.

If you like Jazz at all, there's a great one on Charles Mingus. The guy is documenting him at a time when he's getting kicked out of his apartment. Shows what a psychopath and a music genius he was. He fires off a shotgun in his apartment at one point.

 
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Another great one I saw not too long ago... It's So Easy (and other lies) by Duff Mckagan from GnR (GREAT book too)
 

Gay For Longo

*insert Matt Serra meme
Jan 22, 2016
16,758
18,014
Another really good one to add just came out a couple years ago
Daft Punk - unchained
Really fucking good
 
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Another great one (and I may be biased because I've worked with him a few times)... Steve Aoki's I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.

For the EDM scene... Under the Electric Sky is an awesome one too
 

silentsinger

Momofuku
Jun 23, 2015
21,038
14,484
Wow, I haven't seen Rattle & Hum since it was first released, or it least when it was still considered "new". I remember liking it, and i had that album way back when. I haven't listened or been a fan of U2 in years, but I'd definitely be interested to watch that again.
I still like most of their stuff up to How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, they lost me after that though. I was absolutely crazy about them as a kid though. I still watch it every year or so, it's a really great documentary.
Holy shit, I haven't even thought about 101 in over a decade... Rattle and Hum is one of my all time favorites, and their documentary about the 20th anniversary and making of the Achtung Baby album is phenomenal (From the Sky Down).
I still watch it loads, I didn't know that 101 was about Highway 101 till I moved here though, now it's round the corner from where I live.
 

Daglord

Posting Machine
Jan 26, 2015
1,375
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The U.S. vs. John Lennon is a 2006 documentary film about English musician John Lennon's transformation from a member of The Beatles to a rallying anti-war activist striving for world peace during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The film also details the attempts by the United States government under President Richard Nixon to silence him.

John Lennon is established as being a potential political threat to the American government, and therefore much of the film covers the theme of 'silencing' him and other popular figures that became involved in anti-war activism. Throughout the film the audience can see both sides of the situation: the audience sees the protests and events Lennon and Yoko Ono organised, such as the famous "Give Peace a Chance" rally and concepts such as bagism and bed peace.

We also see the increasing fear experienced by the US government and CIA. This build-up of paranoia and fear for control led to the eventual deportation notice sent to John Lennon's house, informing him that 'his temporary stay in the USA was now over'. The film debunks and exposes the somewhat bizarre behaviour of the CIA and police department over John Lennon and other contemporary figures' behaviour, referring also to different modern issues like drug abuse.
 

Daglord

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Jan 26, 2015
1,375
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In the late 1980s Public Enemy were the biggest rap group on the planet. Their mission: to raise the consciousness of a generation. With a rebellious attitude to match their militant image they sold millions of records preaching pro-black politics to fans of all races, all done through a groundbreaking wall of noise that changed the sound of hip hop. White, middle Americans were outraged, but their kids loved it.

Not surprisingly, this confrontational approach attracted controversy. Critics claimed the group themselves were racist, exposing racial divides rather than promoting equality. They were banned from some TV and radio stations and when one member reportedly made anti-Semitic remarks in a newspaper interview the resulting media-storm threatened to end their career. Tensions were running high and arguments within the band ended in violence. Could they keep it together long enough to get their message across?

Includes exclusive new interviews with Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff, Hank and Keith Shocklee and the S1Ws. Plus contributions from Run DMC, Method Man (Wu-Tang Clan), Anthrax's Scott Ian, Jurassic 5's Chali 2na, Bahamadia, writer and activist Kevin Powell and DJ Dave Pearce.
 

Daglord

Posting Machine
Jan 26, 2015
1,375
1,944

The Nona Tapes follows aspiring journalist Nona Weisbaum (played by guitarist Jerry Cantrell) on her quest to "find some Seattle rock stars" for a breakthrough story. Throughout the video, Weisbaum scours the streets of Seattle and eventually finds and interviews all members of Alice in Chains (besides Cantrell). Entwined between Nona's segments are interviews revealing the lives of the band members, and interview footage regarding the self-titled album. It also includes the video clip for "Grind", and outtake footage overdubbed with "Heaven Beside You".

Because it is no longer for sale, original copies are considered a rarity.
 

Daglord

Posting Machine
Jan 26, 2015
1,375
1,944

Let It Be is a 1970 documentary film about the Beatles rehearsing and recording songs for the album Let It Be in January 1969. The film features an unannounced rooftop concert by the group, their last performance in public. Released just after the album, it was the final original Beatles release.

The film was originally planned as a television documentary which would accompany a concert broadcast. When plans for a broadcast were dropped, the project became a feature film. Although the film does not dwell on the dissension within the group at the time, it provides some glimpses into the dynamics that would lead to the Beatles' break-up.

The film has not been officially available since the 1980s, although original and bootleg copies of home video releases still circulate. The film's director Michael Lindsay-Hogg stated in 2011 that a DVD and Blu-ray was possibly going to be released sometime in 2013, but this was not likely given the film's negative (though accurate) portrayal of The Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr collectively won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score for the film.



The film observes The Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) from a "fly on the wall" perspective, without narration, scene titles, or interviews with the main subjects. The first portion of the film shows the band rehearsing on a sound stage at Twickenham Film Studios. The songs are works in progress, with discussions among themselves about ways to improve them. At one point, McCartney and Harrison have an uncomfortable exchange, with McCartney criticising a guitar riff played by Harrison on "Two of Us." Harrison responds: "I'll play whatever you want me to play, or I won't play at all if you don't want to me to play. Whatever it is that will please you, I'll do it." Also appearing are Mal Evans, providing the hammer blows on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", and Yoko Ono, dancing with Lennon.

The Beatles are then shown individually arriving at Apple headquarters, where they begin the studio recording process with Harrison singing "For You Blue" while Lennon plays slide guitar. Starr and Harrison are shown working on the structure for "Octopus's Garden" and then demonstrating it for George Martin. Billy Preston accompanies the band on impromptu renditions of several rock and roll covers, as well as Lennon's improvised jam "Dig It," while Linda Eastman's daughter Heather plays around the studio. Lennon is shown listening disinterestedly as McCartney expresses his concern about the band's inclination to stay confined to the recording studio. The Beatles conclude their studio work with complete performances of "Two of Us," "Let It Be", and "The Long and Winding Road".

For the final portion of the film, The Beatles and Preston are shown giving an unannounced concert from the studio rooftop. They perform "Get Back," "Don't Let Me Down," "I've Got a Feeling," "One After 909," and "Dig a Pony," intercut with reactions and comments from surprised Londoners gathering on the streets below. The police eventually make their way to the roof and try to bring the show to a close, as the show was disrupting businesses' lunch hour nearby. This prompts some ad-libbed lyrical asides from McCartney: during the second performance of 'Get Back,' he sings, "Get back, Loretta ... you've been out too long, Loretta ... you've been playing on the roofs again ... and your mummy doesn't like that ... it makes her angry ... she's gonna have you arrested! Get back, Loretta!". In response to the applause from the people on the rooftop after the final song, McCartney says, "Thanks Mo!" (to Ringo's wife Maureen) and Lennon quips, "I'd like to say 'thank you' on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we passed the audition!



A rough cut of the movie was screened for The Beatles on 20 July 1969. Lindsay-Hogg recalled that the rough cut was about an hour longer than the released version: "There was much more stuff of John and Yoko, and the other three didn't really think that was appropriate because they wanted to make it a 'nicer' movie. They didn't want to have a lot of the dirty laundry, so a lot of it was cut down. "After viewing the released version, Lennon said he felt that "the camera work was set up to show Paul and not to show anybody else" and that "the people that cut it, cut it as 'Paul is God' and we're just lyin' around ..."

Lindsay-Hogg omitted any reference to Harrison leaving the sessions and temporarily quitting the group, but managed to keep some of the interpersonal strains in the final cut, including the McCartney/Harrison exchange which he had captured by deliberately placing the cameras where they would not be noticed. He also retained the scene that he described as "the back of Paul's head as he's yammering on and John looks like he's about to die from boredom."

In early 1970 it was decided to change the planned name of the film and the associated album from Get Back to Let It Be, matching the group's March 1970 single release. The final version of the film was blown-up from full-frame 16 mm to 35 mm film for theatrical release, which increased the film's graininess. To create the wider theatrical aspect ratio, the top and bottom of the frame was cropped, necessitating the repositioning of every single shot for optimum picture composition.



The world premiere of the film was in New York City on 13 May 1970. One week later, UK premieres were held at the Liverpool Gaumont Cinema and the London Pavilion. None of The Beatles attended any of the premieres. The Beatles won an Oscar for Let It Be in the category "Original Song Score", which Quincy Jones accepted on their behalf. The soundtrack also won a Grammy for "Best Original Score".

Initial reviews were generally unfavorable; the British press were especially critical, with The Sunday Telegraph commenting that "it is only incidentally that we glimpse anything about their real characters—the way in which music now seems to be the only unifying force holding them together, and the way Paul McCartney chatters incessantly even when, it seems, none of the others are listening."Time said that "rock scholars and Beatles fans will be enthralled" while others may consider it only a "mildly enjoyable documentary newsreel."

Later reviews were more favourable, although rarely glowing, as the historical significance of the film's content factored into critics' assessments. Leonard Maltin rated the film as 3 out of 4 stars, calling it "uneven" and "draggy", but "rescued" by The Beatles' music. The TLA Video & DVD Guide, also rating it as 3 out of 4 stars, described the film as a "fascinating look at the final days of the world's most famous rock group, punctuated by The Beatles' great songs and the legendary 'rooftop' concert sequence. ... It is important viewing for all music fans." Rotten Tomatoes reported that 75% of twelve critics' reviews were positive; user reviews were 86% positive.

Lindsay-Hogg told Entertainment Weekly in 2003 that reception to Let It Be within the Beatles camp was "mixed"; he believes McCartney and Lennon both liked the film, while Harrison disliked it because "it represented a time in his life when he was unhappy ... It was a time when he very much was trying to get out from under the thumb of Lennon–McCartney."



The film was released on VHS video, RCA SelectaVision videodisc and laserdisc in the USA in the early 1980s, but became out of print within a few years. The transfer to video was not considered high quality; in particular, the already-cropped theatrical version was again cropped to a 4:3 aspect ratio for television (see pan and scan). The lack of availability has prompted considerable bootlegging of the film, first on VHS and later on DVD, derived from copies of the early 1980s releases. The early eighties also saw the film released on VHS and Betamax in Germany and Holland, these versions were not the same transfer as the USA release, as they were based on the native 4:3 aspect ratio from the original 16mm negative, thus presenting the film as less cropped than the US releases.

The movie was remastered from the original 16 mm film negative by Apple Corps in 1992, with a few of those scenes used in The Beatles Anthology documentary. After additional remastering, a DVD release was planned to accompany the 2003 release of Let It Be... Naked, including a second DVD of bonus material, but it never materialised. In February 2007, Apple Corps' Neil Aspinall said, "The film was so controversial when it first came out. When we got halfway through restoring it, we looked at the outtakes and realised: this stuff is still controversial. It raised a lot of old issues."

An anonymous industry source told the Daily Express in July 2008 that, according to Apple insiders, McCartney and Starr blocked the release of the film on DVD. The two were concerned about the effect on the band's "global brand ... if the public sees the darker side of the story. Neither Paul nor Ringo would feel comfortable publicising a film showing The Beatles getting on each other's nerves ... There's all sorts of extra footage showing more squabbles but it's unlikely it will ever see the light of day in Paul and Ringo's lifetime."
 
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Standing in the Shadow of Motown.... So good. And the covers of "Ain't to Proud to Beg" by Ben Harper, and "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" by Joan Osbourne were INCREDIBLE in it.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
14,261
I just learned that a documentary came out a couple years ago about Lowell George and Little Feat called Feats First: The Life & Music of Lowell George.

Lowell was awesome, I’m bummed that I just learned of this. I’m watching this tonight! A bit of an underrated band IMO. Lowell was a phenomenal guitarist, and he was one of the influential guys that popularized slide guitar with rock music.

It’s available on amazon prime video



View: https://youtu.be/_60RGmMsbPw
 

Sex Chicken

Exotic Dancer
Sep 8, 2015
25,819
59,498
The Last Waltz is my favorite, I'm a big fan of The Band. Lots of good guest musicians as well.

Badass documentary.
I love that movie but it makes me feel so grimy. Everyone is so coked out and jittery. You can smell the stale cigarettes and beer.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
8,925
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I love that movie but it makes me feel so grimy. Everyone is so coked out and jittery. You can smell the stale cigarettes and beer.
Yeah man, id agree with that. The film has a certain “greasiness” to it. I think all of their interpersonal relationships were strained by that point, for a variety of reasons. You can definitely pick up on some of that in the movie. Awesome movie, but it’s kind of depressing like that.

If I remember right, I think Richard Manuel killed himself not long after they filmed that.