Film + TV

How to tell rock star hagiography fluff from real music bios

by Allan Tong

Photo: From Trouble Man: The Last Years of Marvin Gaye

Any band can press a vinyl LP, tour across the country in a van, or shoot a music video, but how many star in a movie?

A documentary is so expensive to make that a band needs to command a large enough audience to justify someone (read: record company) to foot the bill. Naturally, the funder wants the finished product to portray their artists as heroes while the artists don’t want to expose any lawsuits, addictions, domestic abuse, illegitimate kids and/or underage groupies.

That’s why most music documentaries are hagiographies, such as Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, U2’s Rattle and Hum, and Led Zeppelin’s The Song Remains The Same. Sure, they’re entertaining and jammed with amazing footage, but they reveal only one side of these complex artists. Only occasionally does a rock doc that truly says something profound about an artist comes along. These six films do just that.

Artifact (2012): Sure, 30 Seconds To Mars made this movie themselves. Sure, they portray themselves as David screwed by their record company Goliaths. It’s definitely self-serving. But director and frontman Jared Leto has the gall to question the exploitive music business where record labels shackle artists to Draconian contracts and perpetual debt.

Beware of Mr. Baker (2012): In the opening scene, legendary rock drummer Ginger Baker (Cream, Blind Faith) smashes the nose of documentarian Jay Bulger. That sets the tone for this rollercoaster ride which chronicles the innovative career and irresponsible personal life of the fiery Baker. Baker gave Bulger 100 per cent cooperation, but didn’t censor anything. Lucky for us.

Dig! (2004): One band found riches and fame. The other self-destructed, but inspired others. Ondi Timoner followed the Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dandy Warhols for a decade and came up with this brilliant portrait of sibling rivalry and the destructive nature of (some) artists. Harrowing and hilarious.

End of the Century (2003): End of the Century is both a love letter to and a scathing exposé of the godfathers of punk, The Ramones. Guitarist Johnny Ramone was a callous control freak; Joey was a doomed mensch; bassist Dee Dee was a talented songwriter but destructive junkie; and nobody appreciated drummer-and-record producer Tommy, because he was too well-adjusted. Directors Jim Fields and Michael Gramaglia got the Ramones to speak freely on camera and, man, they don’t pull punches. This movie is as raw as its music.

The Gospel According To Al Green (1984): In the early ‘70s, Al Green was the king of bedroom soul, but by the time Robert Mugge filmed him, Green was a preacher. This film explains why in Green’s own words, and luckily Green opens up. The good reverend reveals his bad ole days, particularly in 1974 when a girlfriend tried to kill him. Truly confessional.

Trouble Man: The Last Years of Marvin Gaye (1994):  Before James Marsh won an Oscar for Man on Wire, he made this chilling BBC documentary about the gifted soul singer and his scornful father who eventually killed him. The film also captures the warm relationship Gaye enjoyed with the family of Belgian concert promoter Freddy Cousaert. This is one of the few music docs that’s really a tragedy.