Music DVDs
Posted by Chimney Singing Crow on 8 July 2008 - 1:43pm.
Looking back on it, I have spent hundreds of pounds on music DVDs.
I reckon I haven't watched any of them more than once or twice, except for No Direction Home, The Beatles Anthology, Definitely Maybe and Rock and Roll Circus. Sharshaped by Blur has had repeated viewings.
The best music video, yet to be released on DVD, has to be The Grape Tapes, the jaw dropping chronicle of five years in the life of Shaun Ryer.
Any other recommendations?
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Here is a couple or 7
Ronnie Lane - The Passing Show.
Standing in the Shadows of Motown - The Story of the Funk Brothers - repeated viewings guaranteed.
J.J. Cale - To Tulsa And Back: On Tour With JJ Cale
Runnin' Down A Dream: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers a film by Peter Bogdanovich (the fastest 4 hour movie you will ever watch and probably the best of all the rock documentaries).
A Concert for George (the George Harrison Tribute) especially the finale.
Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake (you'll get it on the box set of Fruit Tree.
25x5 The Continuing Story of The Rolling Stones (never available on DVD but in 1989 utterly brilliant and after watching it recently again still so).
Interesting subject
I've only bought a few. The best is Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads. Energetic, well filmed and fairly entertaining.
Other shout outs go to Roger Waters In The Flesh (seen twice, and plan to rewatch more in the future).
Rush with Rush In Rio (seen twice, and I might rewatch it). R30 was decent but a bit souless.
With You In Time by Nine Inch Nails is great (seen twice, and plan to rewatch more in the future). And All That Could Have Been by NIN is good, but hampered slightly by low-fi production and the fact they were touring a good, but flawed album (seen twice anyway).
That's about it.
PULSE by Pink Floyd is a pretty poor DVD, but a good audio CD.
The Led Zep DVD was so-so.
Siousxie and the Banshees Seven Year Itch wasn't very good.
I fear you
may have answered your own question. I have very few music dvds for the reason you state eg. you only watch them once. The few I have are for concerts I was at and even then once we made sure you couldn't see us on any on them, they have stayed on the shelf. Few recorded performance seem to catch my repeat interest and compilations of promo videos even less so.
Of the few I've gone for the recent Sigur Ros live tour thing was good at mates house with some beer the otherday.
As a kid "Under a blood red sky by U2" got lots of repeat viewing and the boxset of "Dancing in the Street: the history of pop" was good.
To be honest
I have a lot too and rarely watch them - but the one which I never tire of is the Classic Albums - Steely Dan - Aja DVD. Superb.
Sound and Vision
A few that come to mind not already mentioned:
The Kids Are Alright (The Who. Greatest music DVD of all?)
Gimme Shelter (Stones at their peak, overshadowed by Altamont)
End of the Century (Ramones)
The Filth and the Fury (Pistols)
Westway to the World (Clash)
The Future is Unwritten (Strummer)
Take it or Leave it (a young Madness re-enact their ragamuffin childhoods)
Buena Vista Social Club
Glastonbury (Julien Temple)
Looking for Truth with a Pin (Ivor Cutler)
All You Need Is Love (crazily comprehensive history of popular music)
And not worth buying but worth a look on Youtube, The Cramps Live at Napa State Mental Hospital ("Somebody told me you people are crazy, but I'm not so sure about that..."):
You're right
Love loads of those - but how often do they come off the shelf is the question?
I want what I have not got
I rarely watch them, but similarly I rarely listen to a huge percentage of my CDs. I rarely read most of my books. But they're there if I need them. They're also pleasing to the eye on the wall - far more pleasing than, for example, a framed IKEA print.
I don't think music DVDs are any less value than other DVDs.
I probably watch my music DVDs more often than my feature film DVDs or my TV boxsets. I need several years to pass before I watch a feature film again, even my favourites. But the urge to watch, say, the Who ripping through "Won't Get Fooled Again" from "The Kids Are Alright" comes around relatively frequently. Sure, like most things on the planet it's on YouTube, but it's not quite the same, is it?
An extra incentive to buy music DVDs comes with my job as a teacher - I use them as a tool to convert children to (decent) rock 'n' roll. If a child thinks a little less of Snow Patrol after watching the Stones in'69 then I feel I've helped to advance the human race in some way. (YouTube clips have less impact, even on a big screen).
I know the Dalai Lama would tut at my argument, but we're all music collectors here aren't we? We're not content to wait for our favourite music to come on the radio. We understand the desire to own. And I think the best music DVDs are worth owning just as much as the best of anything else.
As long as we remember that these things are just possessions. They're not love.
Sale
If I see any in a DVD sale or cheap in FOPP I cannot stop myself from picking them up. The Rutles and Spinal Tap are classics but have yet to trouble my DVD player. Ditto anything I have by Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Pat Benatar. The one's I do give at least one play to are the free one's with Classic Rock.
The same can be said of all of my DVDs. By the time I am about ready for a second viewing of a feature film it is being shown every night on Sky. That is not likely to happen to Stackridge - Live At The Rondo, Bath!
They don't get much play round here, either
The only one that does is Rory Gallagher Live at Montreux, but only when I fancy hearing a still-fairly-unfamiliar version of a familiar song. I sometimes don't even turn the TV on, I just use it like a CD.
TV versus live experience
I think it is the TV versus live experience thing. Watching music live is, when good, completely absorbing and I don't talk much to whoever is there with me.
Coversely it feels a bit odd sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea watching my Led Zepellin DVD with Mrs Diz. It feels much more detached. And for some reason it is different with a film - not sure why.
Have to agree...
... with the general thrust of this thread.
I rarely play music DVDs more that a couple of times.
My music DVDs stay on the shelf too...
...but so do lots of other DVDs that, when I bought them, I imagined I would return to again and again - all those Father Teds, James Bonds and Eddie Izzards.
A few have found themselves getting repeat viewings though. Not necessarily the best ones, but for whatever reason I still watch them.
Doctor Feelgood - Coming Back Home
A very short film of the Feelgoods in 1975.
Rush - Live in Rio
Roger Waters - In The Flesh and Pink Floyd's Pulse
Admittedly I often play them for the music to save the trouble of swapping a CD and because they are in 5.1
The same goes for Yes, although I tend to always play the same 3 or 4 of the 9 that I have and deliberately avoid watching the House of Blues one again.
I also sometimes dig out the Led Zep, Woodstock and The Tubes Live in London when I am in the mood for watching a drum solo.
Have lots of them...
...and music VHS. They are in fairly regular rotation, actually. Have various Genesis, Beatles/McCartney, Yes, Who, Queen, Bowie, Elvis DVDs and VHS and play them quite a bit.
Don't know how many times I've watched 'Beatles Anthology' and I only bought it late last year! Watched the two Led Zeppelin DVDs many times too.
The Stones are rather poorly served on DVD, in terms of old footage- watched the aforementioned 25 x 5 VHS a lot though.
Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll!
The Chuck Berry tribute concert arranged by Keith Richards is well worth watching. Chuck does not come across well in his own tribute movie.
My favourite straight concert DVD is Bruce Springsteen "Live in Barcelona" I think what makes it so exceptional is simply the stage is very low and the lights are mostly up so that no matter what angle they use you can see the crowd going bananas. It has the best atmosphere of any live film I've seen.
I also recommend "Dig!" about the Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. This one was given to me, and not being a fan of either band, I watched it grudgingly. It was a lot more interesting than I would have credited.
The above mentioned Gimme Shelter is an absolute one of a kind (thankfully!)must see.
Don Letts' Punk: Attitude is
Don Letts' Punk: Attitude is excellent and sits nicely alongside some of the documentaries mentioned by Nick White above. Just loads of British and American punk veterans talking about their experiences of punk. I'm partial to music TV collections of which the Old Grey Whistle Test DVD is one of the best. Lots of clips, you can just dip in and out of or indeed watch straight through. Music DVDs seem to lend themselves quite nicely to post-pub viewing I find!
Some good ones
The TAMI Show.
Still, ahem, not 'commercially available' but well worth tracking down if only for James Brown's electrifying performance just before the Stones. Gerry and the Pacemakers do a remarkable joint set with Chuck Berry which is a must-see. All completely live too. Rock concert films don't come any better than this. Except perhaps for....
Monterey Pop.
The boxed version on Criterion naturally. On this you get the entire Hendrix set ( with superb commentary by Charles Shaar Murray ), the whole of the Otis performance ( which the stoned hippies never quite 'got' ) and all of it in glorious 5.1 sound. 'Missing' performances by Laura Nyro too ( she was booed off by the stoned hippies. Fools. ). I still love watching Janis Joplin's set with Mama Cass in the audience going 'wow'.
The Beatles First US Visit.
The Maysles Brothers opus. An absolute visual fairy tale documenting undreamt of success. You can virtually see the Beatles realizing that the fame they are about to experience is beyond anything they could possibly have envisaged. So many fantastic bits- Murray the K's sweaty dancing...Paul with the transistor in the Plaza foyer...the section in the car from the airport...and, of course...Ed Sullivan. Also, that wonderful moment where Paul helps Ringo pack his suitcase ( or is it the other way round? ). Can't imagine any rock star doing that these days!
A Hard Day's Night.
Come on...it's the best film ever made. 'Oh, I'd be quite prepurred for that even-tua-lity'. 'He's very clean'. 'He's filled his head with notions seemingly'. 'I can't help being taller than you'. 'Sorry we hurt your field mister'.
The Old Grey Whistle Test.
The first one is the best. With Bruce doing 'Rosalita' ( Beatlesque in its sheer joy ) and XTC doing 'Statue of Liberty'. I also love the completely stoned Keith trying to stay awake whilst talking to Bob Harris ( probably difficult at the best of times! ) Nice to see Kevin Ayres and the three year old Mike Oldfield on bass.
I shall return to this list after driving Mrs G to work. Hell, I've got nothing else to do today.
Some good ones
The TAMI Show.
Still, ahem, not 'commercially available' but well worth tracking down if only for James Brown's electrifying performance just before the Stones. Gerry and the Pacemakers do a remarkable joint set with Chuck Berry which is a must-see. All completely live too. Rock concert films don't come any better than this. Except perhaps for....
Monterey Pop.
The boxed version on Criterion naturally. On this you get the entire Hendrix set ( with superb commentary by Charles Shaar Murray ), the whole of the Otis performance ( which the stoned hippies never quite 'got' ) and all of it in glorious 5.1 sound. 'Missing' performances by Laura Nyro too ( she was booed off by the stoned hippies. Fools. ). I still love watching Janis Joplin's set with Mama Cass in the audience going 'wow'.
The Beatles First US Visit.
The Maysles Brothers opus. An absolute visual fairy tale documenting undreamt of success. You can virtually see the Beatles realizing that the fame they are about to experience is beyond anything they could possibly have envisaged. So many fantastic bits- Murray the K's sweaty dancing...Paul with the transistor in the Plaza foyer...the section in the car from the airport...and, of course...Ed Sullivan. Also, that wonderful moment where Paul helps Ringo pack his suitcase ( or is it the other way round? ). Can't imagine any rock star doing that these days!
A Hard Day's Night.
Come on...it's the best film ever made. 'Oh, I'd be quite prepurred for that even-tua-lity'. 'He's very clean'. 'He's filled his head with notions seemingly'. 'I can't help being taller than you'. 'Sorry we hurt your field mister'.
The Old Grey Whistle Test.
The first one is the best. With Bruce doing 'Rosalita' ( Beatlesque in its sheer joy ) and XTC doing 'Statue of Liberty'. I also love the completely stoned Keith trying to stay awake whilst talking to Bob Harris ( probably difficult at the best of times! ) Nice to see Kevin Ayres and the three year old Mike Oldfield on bass.
I shall return to this list after driving Mrs G to work. Hell, I've got nothing else to do today.
Oops
Clearly didn't intend to post it twice....sorry.
Some more.
Dig.
Yes, enjoyed this too. Even though both bands seemed to have a nasty music habit which, at times, clearly threatened their drug career.
25x5.
Why isn't this on DVD? Must be something to do with rights and royalties...I mean, sort it out fellers...aren't you Stones boys rich enough already? It can't be anything to do with what was said because even Mick sounds interesting on this one. Disingenuous title though. Those '25' were served by more than '5'. Brian, Ian, Andrew, the other Mick...and that's not to mention the Stonesettes- Marianne and Anita. Oh...and whilst we're on the subject...
Cocksucker Blues.
Mick apparently didn't want this released. Not because of the infamous Groupie-on-a-plane section ( which is pretty tame really ) but because he was scared the movie would blow the illusion that life on the road in the States during the early seventies was a roller-coaster fun ride of booze, music, drugs and sex. This film ( over 4 hours in its unedited form ) demonstrates just how mind-bogglingly boring and tedious life as a Stone on the road really was. It makes Gimme Shelter look like Summer Holiday.
The Kids Are Alright.
Beautifully put together doc. Warts and all. ( Let's face it, if you edit out the warts from the story of the Who the DVD would probably run for two minutes ). Made me wonder at times if The Who really were the best rock and roll band in the world after all. Wouldn't have joined them for the world though. Loved the raucous band meetings, the ludicrous Harty interview, the Ringo/Keith 'we need our medicine' sequence...and just how sharp Keith was when he was sober and clean. I saw ya!
Born to Boogie.
Don't get me wrong, I loved T.Rex as a kid but watching this lovingly resotred DVD brings it home to you how cling-film thin his talent actually was. Quite mesmeric in its way though. Everyone clearly thought the seventies were going to pan out like the sixties with loads of screaming girls going mad over bands. The Elton John sequence is rather good.
Concert for George.
This is a superb concert DVD. Anyone who isn't crying like a baby at the end of Joe Brown's number is a robot made out of squeaky steel.
And that's it. Er...
Until I think of some more.
Petty
Have to back up Springer's comments about Running Down a Dream. I received it as a gift last Christmas and was a little non-plussed by it. I'd like Petty enough years ago but hadn't really paid him much attention lately.
Anyway I had an evening yo myself a few months ago and stuck it into the player. Apart from a couple of runs to the fridge, I didn't move for the next 4 hours. Thoroughly entertaining and engrossing. There's nothing left out of the story from the early days in Florida through the successes, the failures, the drug busts and band member sackings/deaths. Fantastic stuff.. And you don't just get Petty's side of the story. If one of the band didn't like something, they're not afraid to say so. I'm not sure I came away thinking I'd missed out on much by ignoringhis recent output but there's no denying it's a fantastic film. And I've watched it several times since..
Highlight is when Petty is talking about the band's unhappiness with his Full Moon Fever project. Just goes to show that the last people to know what may or may not be a hit are the musicians.
Get it - you won't be disappointed.
Interesting thread...
I think there is a difference between relistening and rewatching as triggers to, probably, endorphin release, as vision maybe satiates the senses and ears alone open up more, or different channels. Dunno about the science, but that works for me, having too a selection of once watched and never again DVDs. There is a difference, tho', between a straight concert footage and a documentary, the latter sustaining many the more a replay.
I enjoyed and understood with a clarity never appreciated before, however, the parallel between a bookshelf of once read books with a bookshelf of once watched DVDs. Why should we decry the latter and prauise the former, if enjoyment given. (And I dare say a number of us have CDs we like,on the shelf, perhaps only ever played the once, but there, waiting for an opportunity......
I thought it was very good too...
....and I think the reason is it's what you might call a second tier story.
All the first tier stories of rock - Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Clash etc - have been told and re-told so many times that they're stale. Whereas the Tom Petty story, which on the face of it is one of pretty much smooth, unspectacular progress from making it to nearly retiring, is full of incident provided it's being recalled by people who are bright enough to be able to talk about and aren't so paranoid that they're prepared to own up to their shortcomings.
There are lots of people who would benefit from the same treatment but are unlikely to get it because they're not Box Office.
Dig Dig
You gotta dig Dig. It's brilliant. The Flaming Lips one is good as well, even just to see how nice a guy Wayne Coyne is.
I enjoyed Dig
Good point. Haven't seen the Flaming Lips one, as no matter how nice a bloke Wayne Coyne is, he can't sing for shit
Once can be ok
..because:
(a) I could not go to those gigs before my time so buying it is as close as I'll get
(b) I dont always want to travel to see a gig (lazy i guess you call it)
(c) Its hugely cheaper than actually going to a gig
(d) I can revisit and dip back into the set list for the DVD whereas as I leave a gig i forget what was played
Go on, think of the benefits....
Not recommendations necessarily but favourites from when I were younger were Bowie Serious Moonlight Tour ("on guitar, Earl Slick") Prince Lovesexy Tours (basket court on a circular stage..."Are you ready to believe?")
Neil Young / Syd Barrett
My most watched music DVDs are Neil Young (Rust Never Sleeps, Greendale) and Syd Barrett (that omnibus documentary).
I think my music DVDs get as much play as films do. Sometimes more so - it's quite rare that I would watch the same film twice in one year.