12 Music Documentaries to Watch
We’re back after a weekend of locking ourselves in with a long list of misc documentaries. Some we’ve seen before, some we watched for the first time. Here are ten inspirational music documentaries that will open you up to other artists’ lives, teach you a thing or two about music history, and may help you get out of a creative funk. Check them out if you haven’t already! Highly recommended!
Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton
Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton is a feature-length documentary about avant-garde Los Angeles-based record label Stones Throw Records. The film weaves together rare concert footage, never-before-seen archival material, inner-circle home video and photographs and in-depth interviews with the artists who put Stones Throw on the map. Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton gives an exclusive look into the label’s left-of-center artists, history, culture, and global following. The film features exclusive interviews with Peanut Butter Wolf, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Madlib, Common, Questlove, Talib Kweli, Mike D (The Beastie Boys), Tyler, The Creator, and many more.
Marley
Marley is an epic documentary on the life of music legend Bob Marley created by director Kevin Macdonald (One Day In September, The Last King of Scotland) and released to critical acclaim last year. Using archival footage of Marley along with more recent interviews, Macdonald gets deep into the artist’s life with some great concert scenes and fascinating insights into his life and artistic development.
Brasilintime
In September 2002 Coleman and B+ went to Sao Paulo for nine days. They had a week to link with Brasil, enlist three drummers and find enough breaks to make a break record to guarantee commitment from DJs back home. Featuring: Paul Humphrey, James Gadson, Wilson Das Neves, Ivan Mamao Conti, Derf Reklaw, Joao Parahyba, Babu, J.Rocc, Madlib, Cut Chemist, Nuts.
Shut Up and Play The Hits
If you’re a fan of LCD Soundsystem or James Murphy, this documentary / live concert is a bit of a tear-jerker as it’s the last show that the band will ever play. The film inter-cuts the live show with day-in-the-life moments of band leader Murphy both before and the day after the show. High production quality and a brilliant last performance make Shut Up and Play The Hits well worth watching.
Beats Rhymes And Life
A Tribe Called Quest has been one of the most commercial successful and artistically significant musical groups in recent history. The band’s sudden break-up in 1998 shocked the industry and saddened the scores of fans, whose appetite for the group’s innovative musical stylings never seem to diminish. This insightful film, directed by Michael Rapaport, takes viewers on a behind-the-scenes journey – chronicling the group’s rise to fame and revealing the stories behind the tensions which erupted in the years to come.
Jimi Hendrix – Hear My Train A Comin’
This documentary on Jimi Hendrix originally aired on PBS last year as part of the American Masters series and it’s currently available for streaming on Netflix. Interviews with musicians like Paul McCartney are cut with home movies, stories and previously unseen images of Jimi’s life and rise to fame, often taking note of his humble attitude and dedication to his craft as a musician.
“Hear My Train A Comin’ unveils previously unseen performance footage and home movies taken by Hendrix and drummer Mitch Mitchell while sourcing an extensive archive of photographs, drawings, family letters and more to provide new insight into the musician’s personality and genius.”
Secondhand Sureshots
Secondhand Sureshots is a dublab documentary film by the dublab creative collective and features four LA-based beat makers (Daedelus, J.Rocc, Nobody and Ras G) in a secret mission to create new musical magic from the dusty remains of thrift store vinyl. If you know Rhythm Roulette, then you get the idea. Shot on location at Out of the Closet Thrift Stores and bedroom studios in lovely Los Angeles. The Secondhand Sureshots DVD/CD loaded with bonus films and music is available exclusively through the visionaries at Stones Throw. Click here to order your copy today!
Scratch
A feature-length documentary film about hip-hop DJing, otherwise known as turntablism. From the South Bronx in the 1970s to San Francisco now, the world’s best scratchers, beat-diggers, party-rockers, and producers wax poetic on beats, breaks, battles, and the infinite possibilities of vinyl.
Style Wars
Style Wars is an award winning documentary that aired on PBS in 1983 and exposed the world to b-boy culture in the forms of hip-hop and graffiti. This is a piece of culture that influenced much of today’s hip hop and dance music culture and comes highly recommended for a look at 1980s urban culture in New York City. You can catch the entire film on YouTube as well.
Beware of Mr. Baker
Beware of Mr. Baker is a fascinating piece of journalism that combines a history of the infamous rock/jazz drummer Ginger Baker with a present day investigation into his current life. The end result is an inspiring look at the man’s dedication to craft and a thoughtful introduction to a man that many people fear (for potentially good reasons). Empathy wins in the end and the film reveals some amazing performances by Baker along with recent reflections on a long life in the music industry.
Fade To Black
Rapper Jay-Z narrates this film shot during his 2003 concert tour at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, following the release of “The Black Album.” The artist is captured onstage and behind the scenes during his solo concert. Viewers can also watch him as he works his genius in the recording studio. Special guest artists include R. Kelly, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and more.
Good Ol’ Freda
Good Ol’ Freda is a film that looks into the life of Freda Kelly, a shy girl from Liverpool who worked for The Beatles throughout their entire career. While there have been many films about The Beatles, this film gets an inside look from someone who worked closest with the band and hadn’t shared any of her stories until now.
