First of all, let me state that I'm almost 60 years old and a big fan of the band, especially up to and including Beneath the Shadows. So I was really looking forward to watching this when I saw Jack post about it on his Instagram channel. But of all of the documentaries about early '80s punk and hardcore, this is by far my least favorite. I found his fake stand-up comedy routine (dressed in some goofy overcoat with a huge crucifix hanging around his neck) schtick annoying and pointless. I mean, a crowd of cops, detectives, priests, and nuns, all laughing hysterically and applauding almost your every word? WTF was that all about? Just weird. And quite often it was a distraction to the story he was telling, not at all complementing it in any way.
Also, why'd he have to go and treat Lisa Fancher that way? "Posh Boy with tits"? Seriously? It's exactly that kind of male, sexist attitude that was a big problem in the "boys' club" that was the HC scene in those days, and he seems to have learned nothing by continuing to use that kinda derogatory language, especially toward someone who did so much for the SoCal scene in those days. Completely uncalled for and unnecessary.
The stories of the band meeting, hanging out, getting into fights with cowboys and jocks, touring, and recording were for the most part pretty entertaining and enlightening. I appreciated his comments about musically progressing and refusing to be bogged down to one certain sound or style like 90% of the other bands of that ilk. But the story about the police pulling over their RV in Kansas was incomplete. It was probably one of the more interesting ones, too, with regard to the guns that Steve Phauter (aka Human T-Shirt) found in the cellar of some building and then sneaking out in the bass guitar case. He's talking about how there are all these cops (dozens of cars from how he explains it) stopping them and then it just suddenly stopped!? WTF happened? Did they get arrested? Did the cops find the guns? Drugs? Just weird to not tell the whole story.
In conclusion, I think it's worth watching. But I can't recommend this. Just too schticky, long, and weird. It could've also used more live footage and photos of the band from the early days and less Jack on that stage in front of that oddball "crowd."
