Sunday, August 21, 2016

Punk at the pictures

It's fair to say that when Thurston Moore recommends, I listen - especially after the list of his 38 favourite songs that he put together for The Fly. So when I came across another list, this time of his top ten punk films (as included in the August issue of the BFI's Sight & Sound magazine, a punk special), it was inevitable that my own must-see list would get longer.

The only one of Moore's recommendations that I've already seen is Anton Corbijn's Control (yes, I haven't even watched The Filth And The Fury) but Shellshock Rock (a documentary to accompany Good Vibrations, by the sounds of it), Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer and the Minutemen documentary We Jam Econo (as mentioned in Michael Azerrad's brilliant Our Band Could Be Your Life) in particular sound worthy of investigation. He obviously couldn't resist a shout-out for old Sonic Youth ally Dave Markey - Lovedolls Superstar promises much, according to his precis, but does it really deliver? Guess there's only one way to find out.

One of my own tips would be the Ramones film End Of The Century, though my enjoyment of that documentary was probably coloured favourably by the fact that every time a new song came on in the cinema (the lavish Art Deco palace that is Birmingham's Electric Cinema) the mohicaned punk in the row behind us moshed so hard our seats were shaking.

Of course, it would be remiss not to mention Moore's own star turn in 1991: The Year Punk Broke, which covers Sonic Youth's tour for Goo, features a stellar supporting cast including Nirvana and Dinosaur Jr, and remains one of my most prized viewing pleasures.

(Thanks to Tony for the link.)

No comments: