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The 20 Best Rock Documentaries over 40 Years: 1970-2010

The 20 best rock documentaries over 40 years are tales of talent derailment and dismissal. There is more truth in these films than in any three-minute song.

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

There is a certain amount of misplaced schadenfreude when a famous face falls from grace. In this case, worldwide mega-metal gods Metallica discover that their fearless leader, James Hetfield, is headed to rehab to deal with his drinking problems. When he returns, however, he has even more shocking news for the band – he wants an actual life! Filmmakers Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger happened to be on hand to produce a “video album” of the group’s latest release and, with their metal documentary Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, captured the clash in all its uncomfortable glory. Metallica eventually came through the period with a new bassist and a clearer corporate construct. Watching them work it out turns a planned promo into one of the greatest rock documentaries ever.


The Nomi Song (2004)

Andrew Horn’s The Nomi Song is another outstanding biography of another oddball performer. Presenting a kind of future shock harlequin facade and singing contemporary songs in a castrati’s operatic falsetto, Nomi became a fixture of the underground club scene in New York and, later, much of Europe. He even made an unsettling appearance during the 1979 season of Saturday Night Live. Laden with amazing performances from the man (his stage work always resembled a weird horror show sci-fi experience if imagined by a Germanic Parliament/Funkadelic) as well as insights into his troubled life (as a gay man, he was witness to the AIDS epidemic first hand), The Nomi Song is a stunning story of an amazing artist.


The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)

Perhaps the ultimate outsider artist, the childlike savant Daniel Johnston, diagnosed with both bipolar syndrome and schizophrenia, became a grunge-era icon thanks to those who championed his simple, homemade music. Over the years, his cassette compilations and drawings have been highly prized. Jeff Feuerzeig’s The Devil and Daniel Johnson shows that some of Johnston’s celebrity veers dangerously close to the “freak show” side of fame. Like another found sensation, street performer “Wild Man Fischer”, Daniel Johnston’s personal story frequently overwhelms his melodic, melancholy muse. Both are on display here, and the results are a revelation.


New York Doll (2005)

It sounds so outlandish that it could only come from a Hollywood hack’s well-worn MacBook. Arthur “Killer” Kane was once a member of the notorious and influential glam punk pioneer outfit the New York Dolls. After falling into a later life of drugs and depression, he became a Mormon, even working for the church. Then, the last living Dolls plan a reunion. Kane discovers something else about his incredibly up-and-down rollercoaster existence. When his fellow Church of the Latter Day Saints servants discover his previous life (including photos of Kane in drag and make-up), their reaction speaks volumes. Greg Whiteley’s New York Doll is a moving, mesmerizing memorial.


No Direction Home (2005)

For many, Bob Dylan is a distant memory, a reminder of a time when “music mattered”, when journalists jumped over each other to crown the new king of cultural discontent. Fifty-some years later, the “why” has been lost in a whirlwind of jokes and jaded revisionism. Martin Scorsese resurrects Dylan’s mythos, remaking him into a powerful pundit for change within the pop and idol world of early rock ‘n’ roll. With its combination of old and new footage, interviews, and amazing live footage, we watch a young man from the Midwest turn into a New York coffee house demi-god, then fall when he “goes electric”. No Direction Home is a stunning, almost surreal portrait.


We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (2005)

With the death of D Boon at the tender age of 27, one of the great last hopes for indie rock more or less disappeared without a trace. Even the constant callbacks by critics, many of whom adored the Minutemen’s rare, revisionist fusion, couldn’t resurrect their funk-punk presence. While the group would become a foundation for part of the noxious nu-metal movement in the late ’90s, their original output was more meaningful than that. Tim Irwin’s excellent music documentary, We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen, is filled with rare performances and missed opportunities (personal and professional), highlighting one of the great “should have been” bands of all time. It’s moving and maddening.


Scott Walker: 30th Century Man (2006)

One of the great things about the documentary genre is that it can introduce audiences to heretofore overlooked individuals who’ve either struggled for the recognition they deserve or showcase how some who once had fame is now struggling to recapture said lightning in a bottle. Such is the story of Scott Walker, a famous ’60s singer who turned wildly experimental in his later life, resorting to sonic eccentricities that would make Brian Wilson look sane. Executive produced by David Bowie (who lists the musician as a major influence) and showcasing the production of his 2006 release, The Drift, the results of Stephen Kijak’s Scott Walker: 30th Century Man are a revelation.


Anvil!: The Story of Anvil (2008)

Anvil!: The Story of Anvil is the real This Is Spinal Tap. All forgotten bands should have fans who are this devoted. Hollywood screenwriter/director Sacha Gervasi was a roadie for the group back in the ’80s, and when he investigated the “whatever happened to” aspect of Anvil present, he was floored. The once mighty metal outfit, name-checked by everyone from Slash to Metallica, had fallen on hard times. Hoping for a turnaround, Anvil embarks on a world tour that ends up imploding. Tensions rise between longtime friends Steve “Lips” Kudlow and Robb Reiner. Through it all, the dream never dies. By the rock documentary’s end, we’re glad it never did.


The Wrecking Crew (2008)

It’s a shame that massive rights issues keep Denny Tedesco’s amazing rock documentary from wide release. Those who remember the sunny Summer of Love and the music that came before and after will instantly recognize the sound this collection of seasoned studio musicians created. Heck, the Wrecking Crew were Brian Wilson’s “house band” during his time as the Beach Boys mastermind. Without them, there’d be no Pet Sounds or “Good Vibrations”. With interviews featuring the surviving members and rare performance footage, the result is a revelation, a window into a world that crafted the soundtrack for an era.


Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage (2010)

What would you expect from the seminal Canadian power trio that has managed nearly five decades in the limelight without a significant scandal or split? Rush have always been the nice guys of proto-prog-rock, and this in-depth look at their career cements that reputation. Scot McFadyen, Sam Dunn’s Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage also offers intriguing details like Geddy Lee’s connection to the Holocaust and the horrible tragedies that befell drummer Neil Peart. With a collection of testimonials from current, “cool” musicians and a wealth of rare footage, this rock documentary is cited as the reason for the band’s recent induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally a two-parter published on 24 January (Part 1) and 30 May (Part 2) 2013. Text and media have been updated.