Two terrific new "rockumentary" DVDs were released earlier this week, aimed at the heart of Baby Boomer punks who formed their political ideology under the passion of The Clash and mixed it up to the hyper, free-thinking, free-jazz scramble of punk's 90-second jam band, The Minutemen. Image Entertainment offers up Let's Rock Again!, a loving portrait of Clash frontman Joe Strummer in his final year and a half, touring with his band The Mescaleros before his death in 2002. Far too mentally spry and sly to be called grandfatherly, Strummer was newly humble and motivated, stepping out from a self-described "11-year layoff" and climbing up again from the bottom, even cheerfully resorting to handing out advertisements on Atlantic City's boardwalk. Filmed on stage and off by personal friend Dick Rude, Strummer muses on how going from "a hero to zero is good for your soul," and shares an earnest goal of breaking even on his new record.
Fast and funky, abrasive, cubic, and tripped-out, D. Boon, Mike Watt, and George Hurley found an electric brotherhood in The Minutemen, bruising bodies in the pit and blowing minds across America in the exploding punk scene. Plexifilm's new two-DVD set We Jam Econo: The Story of The Minutemen is a mesmerizing re-telling of the band's history, cut short when Boon was killed in an automobile accident in 1985. It's a beautiful story, a childhood friendship nurtured by gung-ho mothers who cherished the arts and kept an eye on their sons, who were pounding out a horrific noise at home instead of wandering the streets. The innocence of the times and the wide-eyed bewilderment of Boon and Watt is most endearing and often hilarious, with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers spilling the beans about how early on neither understood tuning their instruments, simply going with a feeling of "loose" or "tight" strings on a given day. Jello Biafra, Keith Morris, Thurston Moore, artist Raymond Pettibon, and dozens of others chronicle the early incestuous punk scene alongside the band.
In next month's release of the DVD Wild Life & Wild Times from Magic Circle Music, Manowar vocalist Eric Adams is teamed with outdoors journalist Chester Moore for a 50,000-mile journey into the big hunt, from reeling in mighty Bull Redfish and King Salmon to "milking" rattlesnakes to bow-hunting emu and bison. Make a personal note never to chuck a beer can toward the stage at a Manowar performance, as the foolhardy might be snared, skinned, and filleted before he can reach the exit. Further inspired by the journey, Adams contributes 10 bonus instrumental tracks to the DVD.
Robert Pollard hasn't slowed down his output since disbanding Guided by Voices, with three new projects due this week on CD from Luna Records' Recordhead imprint. First up is Turn to Red from the Takeovers, Pollard's experimental new collaboration with former bandmate Chris Slusarenko, Dan Peters of Mudhoney, and Quasi's Sam Coomes. Things go pop with the Keene Brothers and Blues & Boogie Shoes, in duo with Tommy Keene, recently serving guitar and keyboard duties on Pollard's solo tour. Another GBV and Circus Devils alumnus, Todd Tobias, is Pollard's other half in Psycho & the Birds, reportedly sending demos back and forth to produce the strange fruit of All That Is Holy. All three albums will be issued on vinyl in mid-July.
The Penny-Ante press of Los Angeles has just released an artistic labor of love in the 300-page Book #1, peppered with alternative musicians dabbling in a collage of poetry, interviews, drawings, and photographs. With artwork by Devendra Banhart, Josephine Foster, Tarantula AD, Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu, and Don Bolles of The Germs, this outsider journal of creativity features short stories from Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Michael Cormier of The Volta Sound. Mysterious and full of a hundred "huh?" moments, this one's worth looking for.
A new record label, appropriately named School of Rock, is debuting later this summer with Can You Rock? Sing & Play the Songs of Green Day. Like a karaoke kick in the pants, five songs - including "Basket Case" and "American Idiot" - are rendered three ways: with the vocals removed, with the guitar removed, or with both absent from the mix, letting the practicing player step into the spotlight.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts Ziggy Marley on Friday, She Wants Revenge on Monday and the Goo Goo Dolls on Tuesday; The Late Show with David Letterman serves up Broken Social Scene on Thursday and Paul Simon on Friday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien boasts Cheap Trick on Thursday overnight and Susan Tedeschi on Monday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly sits down with Dave Navarro this evening overnight and Ice Cube on Friday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live presents Blue October this evening overnight and the Brand New Heavies on Friday overnight; and The Henry Rollins Show gets intimate with Dinosaur Jr.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, July 4:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change.
Lily Allen - "Smile" (Regal/Parlophone) debut single from this young Londoner
Animal Collective - "Polly" (FatCat) white vinyl 7-inch single of the Nirvana classic
Balun - Something Comes Our Way (Brilliante) blip-pop experimental electronica from San Juan, Puerto Rico
Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways (American/Lost Highway) featuring two new originals and covers of songs by Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams, Gordon Lightfoot, and Rod McKuen
Josie Cotton - Movie Disaster Music (Scruffy Records) the reclusive singer is back with my pick of the week, a zesty, infectious romp that bridges the sexy cleverness of 1960s girl-singer charm with the smoky cool of a James Bond theme
Pirates of the Carabbean: Dead Man's Chest - original motion picture soundtrack (Walt Disney) score by Hans Zimmer
Plaid - Greedy Baby (Warp) CD and DVD set featuring films by video artist Bob Jaroc
various artists - The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (American Roots) with cover contributions from Todd Snider, Russell Crowe, Brian McKnight, and Lloyd Coll with Jill Sobule
