As music fanatics, there’s one thing we love almost as much as the live experience, and that’s a compelling music documentary.
Every so often we scour the internet to piece together a nice shortlist of music inspired docos that you can watch at home, whether it be a focus on up-and-coming artists, the story of the greatest names in music, industry focused pieces or just oddities of musicians, we strive to provide you with something interesting that you may not have seen before.
In saying that, we’ve got more brilliant docos we think you’re really going to dig, so kick back, relax, and enjoy some top-tier music edutainment from the comfort of your desktop… unless of course you’re at work, in which case bookmark and watch later at your leisure.
NY77: The Coolest year In Hell (2007)
1977 is perhaps the single most pivotal year in all of modern music history. NY77 is a look at this tenuous time in american history with the musicians that brought New York City back to life.
At the time New York City was falling apart. The job market was non-existent, police were corrupt, no one had any money and gangs, looting, drugs and serial killers controlled the streets. At the time at a time when the only positive thing people had was music this boiling pot of social chaos catalysed the development of new musical movements; Disco, Hip-Hop and Punk Rock.
PLGRM: The Busker (2015)
Turns out you can be the victim of a one hit wonder. At the height of his powers Greg ‘Cookey’ Cook was the guitarist for the extremely successful rock band The Mixtures.
As progenitors of the international number 1 single ‘The Pushbike Song’ Cookey enjoyed short lived super stardom. Multiple international tours later the bands song hit number 2 before they were dropped from the label and payed out for future royalties. Years later this doco interrogates the effect hard drugs and astronomical super stardom have on a person, the hardships and resounding appreciation for a life well lived.
Hip Hop in the Holy Land (2015)
Released episodically late last year this full length doco is somewhat of an enigma. A unique mix of global politics and musical history it interrogates the social, political and religious tensions in Israel and Palestine through the lens of its local hip-hop scenes.
Through this lens we see a complex series of issues, completely intertwined with the local music culture. The film opens with a segment on Tamer Nafar, godfather of Palestinian hip-hop and founder of the group DAM, talking about the lack of democracy in his ghetto, run by the Israeli government.This is immediately contrasted against the work of ultra-othodox Jew Ohad Cohen, rapping from a religious perspective, honouring God and ‘helping holiness’ with his music.
Not just an engaging look at the politics of a contentious part of the world, but also at a fully developed musical culture with a history that very few Australians are intimately familiar with.
Searching for Sugar Man (2012)
Winning 2012’s Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Searching for Sugarman caries with it a lot of weight. Not just a great doco about music but a great film, it chronicles the search of two South Africans looking for their mysterious rock and roll hero.
’70s rock star Sixto Rodriguez failed to garner much success in his home country of the US. After a short career he was dropped from his label and seeming forgotten by all, he was even rumoured to have committed suicide on stage in front of fans.
He wasn’t aware that he had garnered such a cult following in South Africa, and it was not until two of his biggest fans attempted to track down his legacy did his music get the recognition it deserved.
The Distortion of Sound (2014)
For those more interested in the technical developments of modern music The Distortion of Sound analyses the effect of modern technology on music consumption, specifically the decline of sound quality.
“Compressed music, MP3s and streaming, have diminished the quality and flattened the emotion. Marketing gimmicks and convenience now take the place of excellence.”
With cameos and interviews with international music personalities like Steve Aoki, Slash and Snoop Dogg this passionate love-letter to song writing pines for the return of a quality listening experience, inspiring audiences to look for a better way to consume music.
Punk Rock vs Sharia Law (2014)
Not for the faint of heart this doco features a super intense look under the hood of Indonesia’s only Sharia province, where recently 65 punk rockers were detained in an Islamic moral training camp for mental conditioning.
Indonesia has one of the world’s richest punk scenes. It is a government that has historically raised children to be non-critical, which has afforded today’s disaffected Indonesian youth opportunity to revolt against social conventions and strict family values.
However Indonesia is also one of the world’s largest Islamic nations, with religious fundamentalists and zealots taking every opportunity to persecute rebellious youth for their individuality.
Public Enemy: Prophets of Rage (2011)
After the success of last years biopic Straight Outta Compton it’s only fitting that we revisit another early rap staple, Public Enemy.
This slightly dated BBC documentary takes a thorough look at the rise and continued popularity of the infamous militant rap group, preaching pro-black politics in a predominately white musical landscape with unfettered aggression.
Explore the ways that their unparalleled rise to power has influenced the sound of modern rap and hip-hop, shifting the focus of a generation to the black suburban struggle.
Breaking the Sound Barrier
What does it take to be a successful band in Australia’s current music scene? Can you make a living on passion alone? Is Triple J airplay all it’s cracked up to be?
Being an Australian musician is hard work, there is a lot more at play in our local music communities that many of us know nothing about. Many of our most prominent acts have their own unique way of approaching music production, recording and touring as well as a philosophy on what it really means to be a musician.
Produced earlier this year by Melbourne music photographer Yana Amur this mini doco captures the inner working of several Melbourne bands, attempting to answer the question what makes our favourite bands tick?
