Hello internet, if you’re reading this then chances are, you love a good “rockumentary”. Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to give you the low-down on my all-time favourite music documentaries and a little spiel about why they rock.
I’ve spent countless hours racking my brain trying to decide which ones are worthy of making the list! I tried to avoid being biased towards bands whose music I love and evaluate the films on most interesting, most insightful and most entertaining. So here goes…
Glastonbury (2007)
I came across this documentary on Channel 4 years and years ago so it’s a little foggy. I did, however, find it interesting. As someone who lives for music festivals, it was cool getting insight into one of the world’s longest-running festivals of all time.
Glastonbury began in 1970 when entrepreneur and music lover Michael Eavis decided to put on a music event on an English dairy farm. Since then the festival has grown to attract a crowd of 150,000 people who attend for three days each Summer. Julien Temple chronicals the history of the event while incorporating footage from 30 years of the festival, including the many memorable acts who have graced the fields of Glastonbury over the years. The epic line-up has previously included huge names like Bjork, Nick Cave, Radiohead and Blur.
Shut Up and Play The Hits (2012)
This documentary follows the band LCD Soundsystem in the time coming up to their farewell gig. It mainly focuses on frontman James Murphy who comes across as a witty and lovable dude. It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as we see the band struggle to come to terms with everything they’ve dedicated their lives to coming to an end. LCD Soundsystem have since reunited and are set to play Dublin’s Malahide Castle later this year.
The film mixes footage of the time spent preparing for the gig with clips from the big night. LCD Soundsystem’s farewell concert took place at Madison Square Garden, NYC in 2011 and honestly, the footage gave me goosebumps.
As someone who loves electronic music, to me, this documentary is a reminder that dance and electronic music can be just as soulful and touching as traditional genres and for fans of the band, this is a must watch, so GET. ON. IT.
Sound City (2014)
The 2014 documentary Sound City was directed by none other than Dave Grohl. It tells the story of one of the most prolific recording studios ever, from opening its doors in 1969 to its closure in 2011. Even though the San Fernando based Sound City was kind of a dump, some of the greatest rock albums of all time were recorded there.
The documentary explores the effect of technology on the music industry and features interviews with the likes of Josh Hommes, Tom Petty and Frank Black. Grohl addresses the impact of modernized recording techniques on music. He poses a question of technological advancements in the industry and it’s potential to suck the soul of the music.
So many great artists recorded there, everyone from Tom Petty, RATM and Fleetwood Mac to Nirvana, RHCP and Neil Young. In fact, Nirvana’s debut album Nevermind, one of the most iconic albums of our generation was recorded there. Dave Grohl’s time spent there inspired the making of the film. Grohl always had a place in his heart for the studio, so much so that he purchased some of the equipment before it closed down in 2011. This is a sweet and funny documentary, you can really tell that this place was close to the hearts of these musicians.
Some Kind of Monster (2004)
For many of us rock music fans, Metallica was the first heavy-ish band that we discovered. The documentary Some Kind of Monster follows the band as they produced their album St. Anger, their first album in six years. The band faces various trials and tribulations as the recording of the album coincides with James Hetfield’s struggle with alcohol abuse and the departure of their then bassist Jason Newsted. The film is compiled from studio and rehearsal footage with some live clips thrown in too.
The band has since expressed feelings of regret regarding allowing Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky to document the band during this time. This might be down to how revealing it was in nature, especially during a time of turmoil for the band. We see the somewhat dysfunctional band struggle to hold it all together.
Sadly, St. Anger was the album that marked the end of my relationship with Metallica’s music. Whether that came down to me growing out of metal or the album just plain sucked… I don’t know. Despite hating the album, I did enjoy this documentary even if just for the novelty of seeing one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time doing their thing. For fans of the band it’s a touching and at times hilarious documentary.
Janis: Little Girl Blue
Janis Joplin’s story is one of the most tragic in rock and roll history. With a unique sound and mountains of creativity, she became one of the most revered singers of the 1970s before dying aged 27. This documentary provides an intimate portrait of the complex and intriguing Joplin. Through a series of never before seen letters to her parents, Joplin tells much of the story in her own words.
This documentary gives us an insightful perspective on an amazing woman whose music has made a lasting impact on the hearts of millions. Despite Joplin’s life being stained with tragedy, this film acts as a rich and surprisingly cheerful celebration of her short but wild life. Basically, it’s just really fucking nice… man.
Montage of Heck (2015)
Most die-hard Nirvana fans have watched Montage of Heck. While it has been praised for providing an authentic and intimate perspective on the life of Cobain, it did however come under fire from The Melvins founder and longtime friend of Nirvana, Buzz Osburne. Osburne claims that “’90 Percent of ‘Montage of Heck’ is Bulls–t,’ Says Melvins Founder“. While this is disappointing, the documentary is worth a look if you’re a fan.
As a massive fan of the band, I thought I knew everything there was to know about them, this documentary provided surprising information even for me. Carefully constructed using a mish-mash of rare archival footage, Cobain’s childhood home movies, his journals and audio-recordings, the documentary is incredibly insightful. We see a man take his overwhelming teen angst and disillusionment and channel it into some of the most iconic songs ever recorded.
About a Son (2006)
There are not one but two Nirvana (or Kurt Cobain) documentaries that I feel should be on this list. The first is ‘About a Son‘. About a Son is unusual in the sense that it doesn’t use any home video footage or images of Cobain. The documentary consists of audio recorded interviews between journalist Michael Azerrad. The recordings were intended for use for Azerrad’s biographical book Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana.
It’s an intimate documentary despite the fact there is no footage or images of Cobain, instead, animations and film footage of three cities that played an important role in Cobain’s life; Aberdeen, Olympia and Seattle.
It Might Get Loud (2009)
Director Davis Guggenheim intended to bring together three iconic guitarists from different musical backgrounds, influences, generations who all have different approaches, techniques and philosophies. In It Might Get Loud, we see Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, U2’s The Edge, and The White Stripes’ Jack White have a nice little sit down and a conversation about music.
While I found this documentary really interesting, I had to ask myself, why The Edge? I’m sure there had to be someone more talented to include. Maybe it’s because I’m Irish and deep-seated hate for U2 is in my blood but the scenes where he’s playing are almost laughable in comparison to the raw talent of White and Paige. Like, come on! U2 and Led Zepplin are on two entirely different levels of musical notoriety.
Anyway, besides that very minor downfall, It Might Get Loud is an entertaining and very funny look at the art of guitar playing. There are some slightly drawn-out guitar solos but if that’s your jam then you’re gonna love this doc.
American Hardcore (2006)
Back in the days before techno and hip-hop took over my life, I lived for heavy music that made me want to headbang, get a dodgy tattoo and spit in the face of the man. American Hardcore: The History of American Punk Rock 1980-1986 delves into the gritty hardcore scene. I watched this at a time when I couldn’t get enough of bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat and Bad Brains.
The documentary examines the progression of the hardcore punk genre from its earliest days. These kids set out to fuck things up and that’s exactly what they did. Examining the scene and the various changes that led to its evolution, American Hardcore includes a whole bunch of great interviews, crazy footage and a kick-ass soundtrack to boot.
Dig! (2004)
I saw this documentary when I was like 16. We watched it as part of a documentary filmmaking module in college. It follows the love-hate relationship between The Dandy Warhols frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor and the frontman for The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Anton Newcombe over a seven-year period. These dudes have big egos and are both emotionally unstable people which makes for some a real shady but very entertaining shitstorm.
Members of the bands have since spoken out about how the feud was exaggerated for entertainment value in terms of bitterness and rivalry. The film questions the act of “selling out” and makes us think about why it is that some bands make it and others don’t.
Even a massive fan of David LaChapelle who directed music video for ‘Not if You Were The Last Junkie on Earth‘, I didn’t realise until watching Dig! that it was a blunt shot at the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s alleged heroin use. To which they responded with the song ‘Not if You Were The Last Dandy on Earth.‘ These guys took pettiness to a whole other level but it’s really fucking funny.
Beats Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (2011)
Directed by actor Michael Rapaport, a die-hard fan of the band, this is hands down my favourite hip-hop documentary. A Tribe Called Quest are one of the most influential and innovative hip-hop acts of all time. They have had a significant and lasting impact on the genre. They’re also one of the most commercially successful, releasing five gold and platinum selling albums in just eight years.
This documentary focuses on the band as they embark on a reunion tour almost a decade after the release of their last album The Love Movement.
Hype! (1996)
Grunge fans will get a real kick out of Hype! Featuring interviews with bands like Mudhoney, Girl Trouble, Seven Year Bitch and the Mono Men, Hype! explores the emergence of the grunge scene in the mid-1990s. Expect lots of plaid shirts, unwashed hair. The documentary is a must see for die-hard grunge fans.
The thesis proposed in this documentary suggests that the grunge scene was the worst thing to happen to rock music. Hype! suggests that the Seattle sound was so good because it was untouched and for the most part ignored by outsiders.
When bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana gained unparalleled success, Seattle quickly became the rock capital of the world and with that drug use spiraled out of control, try hard wannabe bands fought for the newfound opportunity for fame and fortune.
The interviews in Hype! are incredibly revealing and hilarious. The film also includes a bad quality but equally brilliant clip of the first time Nirvana ever played Smells Like Teen Spirit live.
Amy (2015)
Amy Winehouse wasn’t only a beautiful singer, she was a beautiful soul. After her untimely death, Asia Kapadia made the documentary Amy which provided fans with an intimate and touching portrait of Winehouse’s personal life.
Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black is, in my opinion, one of the greatest albums ever made. Her voice and her sometimes tragic lyrics have often brought a chill to my spine. Her musical style and soulful voice belonged to a different generation but she made it relevant, incorporating it with modern sounds.
Winehouse’s life was never easy, heartbreak, drug abuse and pressure from the media made her life at times a living hell. In previously unseen footage, we see an intimate portrait of the singer as a young woman, before the intensity of the music industry had gotten to her. It’s a side to her that her fans never really got to know.
Stop Making Sense (1984)
While technically Stop Making Sense is more of a concert film than a documentary, it’s one of my all-time favorite music-related movies.
Talking Heads met in art school. That’s likely why their lyrics, musical style, titles and performances stood out from everything else out there at the time. Talking Heads weren’t afraid to do their own thing and push boundaries when it came to style and form. Fronted by the whimsical character, David Byrne, they went on to make some of the greatest albums of all time. His performance features his iconic ‘Big Suit’. If you want to provoke an acid flashback, then go ahead and check it out.
The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
The Devil and Daniel Johnston is a sweet but sometimes upsetting look into the life of artist and musician Daniel Johnston. While Johnston is considered a musical genius, he is also a deeply troubled man. Johnston suffers greatly with bipolar disorder, depression and severe delusions.
The film is beautifully constructed from footage, old and new, audio recordings of Johnston and interviews with his family and friends. It explores his ongoing issues with mental illness from childhood.
In The Devil and Daniel Johnston filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig puts forward the idea that by praising mentally unstable artists as more authentic than their sane counterparts, it’s possible that we are encouraging destructive behavior. The sad fact is, while Johnstons’ music was wonderfully strange, he was a danger to those around him and this documentary truly captures the life of a tortured artist. One scene even depicts how Johnston, during a psychotic episode forced an elderly woman to jump out of a window to escape him, severley injuring both legs.
It chronicles Johnston’s art, portraying the effect that his mental illness had on his ability to create which relates heavily to my previous article on mental illness and creativity. Johnston’s poetic, strange and haunting music is like no other.
Aaaaand some honorable mentions:
Meeting People is Easy (1998)
Marley (2012)
Gaga: Five Foot Two (2017)
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