Music Documentaries

Prepare for an eclectic journey through The Old, Weird America. Rani Singh's new documentary film tracks the history of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music from its initial compilation of 78 records from rural Americana to its release on Folkways Records in 1952. Instrumental in helping inspire the urban folk revival of the 1960s, the Anthology continues to influence modern music. An incredible set of interviewees reveal the lasting impact of the Anthology and the remarkable personality of Harry Smith. After the box set's re-release on CD in 1997, Hal Willner's Harry Smith Project concerts celebrated Smith's idiosyncratic vision, from Nick Cave's cathartic take on spirituals to Lou Reed's mesmerizing evocation of Blind Lemon Jefferson. The film includes rare archival footage, performances, and interviews with Elvis Costello, Beck, Sonic Youth, Beth Orton, Philip Glass, David Johansen, John Cohen, Greil Marcus, and more. Join us for a wild ride through a remarkable musical landscape.

30 years ago a gang of suburban teens stumbled across a bunch of abandoned instruments and formed The Fleshtones

'It's Gonna Blow!!! - San Diego's Music Underground 1986-1996' chronicles a period when San Diego was touted as 'the next Seattle'. A motley community of musicians with a do it yourself ethos and an aversion to mainstream culture developed their idiosyncratic sounds in the isolation of San Diego but soon found themselves at the center of bidding wars and expense account lunches. What happened when the outcasts from the sticks became the next big thing?

What would you do if you came home and found your wife dead? Do you call the cops? Her parents? That's where the true nightmare begins. A story of love. A man and a woman's final night together.

A documentary on the 1970s Finnish punk rock scene.

Undisputedly written into the annals of rock history and dedicated to the most sincere methods of the DIY ethos, Northwest musicians Dead Moon (Andrew Loomis and Fred & Toody Cole) have intentionally cut out the bullshit, and left the major labels and "commercial success" behind. Unknown Passage: The Dead Mood Story follows the band on the road and at home, chronicling lifestyle rock and rollers who happen to also be small business owners and grandparents. Beginning with footage of a 14 year-old Deep Soul Cole ("the white Stevie Wonder"), Unknown Passage tells the history of one of the most reclusive bands through their various garage, psych, folk, and punk rock incarnations. Today, pressing their records at home, in a house they built from the ground up, Dead Moon run their own "frontier mini-mall," record label and music store, while in their spare time "keep one gig ahead of a day job" by touring through the US and Europe-with the occasional 15-hour penny-slots casino pitstop. Here stands the triumph of a family of "old-west homesteaders" against corporate control and gracelessly growing old. Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story is Fred, Toody & Andrew's Dead Moon experience, a culmination of their 40-year life in music and love.

A Documentary film exploring the history and evolution of vinyl records. Featuring Interviews with the experts, musicians and fans alike, 'Stuck in the Groove' takes you on a journey of vinyl-mania, music and nostalgia.

'PUT THE NEEDLE ON THE RECORD' is an award-winning documentary which explores the evolution of electronic music and the rise of the DJ in pop culture. Filmed in Miami during the hot and sexy Winter Music Conference, a yearly week-long event attended by over 20,000 electronic music professionals and fans, the film takes an inside look at a growing global phenomenon in the world of music. Interviews with top artists, footage from events around the globe and a brilliant soundtrack are combined to create a highly energetic piece of filmmaking. First-time director Jason Rem brings an unexplored genre of music to the masses for a glimpse at a movement that is driven by passion, creativity and business. The film has been called "A rock solid documentary," and "An event to savor in wonderment," and is not to be missed.

Superstar DJs discuss the history, culture, technology, spirituality and the future of electronic dance music - the music that catapulted the Club DJ to "rock star" status and united dance floors across the globe. LIQUID VINYL brings together the DJ's, the people behind the scene, and the dancers from the floor that all ultimately share in the magic of the music.

A retrospective look at the life and work of influential electronic music DJ, Adam Goldstein, known as DJ AM.

On a bicycle trip across the country, a young Neill Kirby McMillan Jr. experiences The Mojo Revelation. After teaming up with the enigmatic Skid Roper, he unexpectedly finds mainstream success but makes a decision that could jeopardize his career.

Brian Wharton better known as Sharkula has been a part of the Chicago landscape since the early 90's. A legendary figure in the city and Sharkula does it all breaking, street art graff and an MC.

Written and directed by San Diego based musician and filmmaker Jason Blackmore, Records Collecting Dust documents the vinyl record collections, origins, and holy grails of alternative music icons Jello Biafra, Chuck Dukowski, Keith Morris, John Reis, and over thirty other underground music comrades. Records Collecting Dust is set for theater release in January 2015.

A look at the roots of the historic music scene in L.A.'s Laurel Canyon featuring the music of iconic groups such as The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and The Mamas and the Papas.

The story of the notorious 1970s New York City nightclub.

A look at the life of genre-blending artist and style icon Lil Peep.

Follows the two of the most respected men in underground music, Roger Miret and Vinnie Stigma of the band Agnostic Front.

What is the world's greatest rock band? A thousand musicians and fans gather in Cesena, Italy to celebrate their favorite, the Foo Fighters.

Focused on the life of the band and their collaborators over the 3 vital years in which they developed critically acclaimed albums, 'Humanz' and 'The Now Now', and undertook their most ambitious world tour to date.

A band struggles to reconcile for a reunion tour a decade after a contentious break-up and a fatal accident.

Through the eyes, words, and songs of its popular music stars of the 50s, 60s, and 70s, 'Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock & Roll' examines and unravels Cambodia's tragic past, culminating in the genocidal Khmer Rouge's dismantling of the society and murder of two million of its citizens. Combining interviews of the surviving Cambodian musicians themselves (a total of 150 hours of interviews were filmed) with never-before-seen archival material and rare songs, this documentary tracks the twists and turns of Cambodian music as it morphs into rock and roll, blossoms, and is nearly destroyed along with the rest of the country.

Freedom is George Michael's last and final work. George reflects on a life changing period of his life when he allows us access to his memories, thoughts, unseen footage and photographs never before seen.

FANNY: The Right to Rock reveals the untold story of a Filipina American garage band that morphed into the ferocious rock group Fanny, who almost became the female Beatles. Features Bonnie Raitt, Joe Elliott.

A film that not only captures the signature annual music and cultural event that has been called America's greatest festival in all of its beauty and glory, but also delves deep into the rich culture of The Big Easy.

Documentary on Britain's 2 Tone Ska Era from the late seventies to the early eighties.