A Band Called Death

"What good will it do to gain the world and lose your soul?" (Mark 8:36)

At some point in our lives, most of us surrender our dreams to responsibilities of life. Family, mortgages, and the careers to sustain them. All these things of life. Some necessary. Some necessary evils. And all those unfulfilled dreams follow us to our graves. Let's face it, for most of us, it takes balls to follow your dreams, because it takes balls to fail big.

"Death", and its lead-man David Hackney, had the balls to follow their dreams. Bound by faith, family, and an unshakable confidence, they followed their dream despite the odds stacked against them. They weren't afraid to fail big. They knew that their music and their vision for the band had risks.

Listening to their music, it's evident that they were way ahead of their time, and yes, unfortunately, not what the mainstream audience expected. But still, they persisted past the rejections, disappointments and heartaches, buoyed by family loyalty and love of music.

The bright light shining through the disappointment and heartache, is the love of family. The the real core and power of this movie, is how your family's love and faith doesn't fail, even when everything else has.

Here's to the dreamers. Your dreams will be realized long after your departure. Your dreams will be your legacy and your loved ones the beneficiaries.

Rock on, all you misfits.

A bittersweet tale involving the intensity of rock and roll of the wildest, most bracing sort, the vindication of art and the uncompromised vision of a dreamer, an artist like so many, who had to die before the world caught on to his genius.

A heartwarming tale of the strong bonds of family and the unknown surprises lurking in almost all of our pasts.

A film where the heroic role of the rescuers and redeemers is taken up by record collector nerds and glasses-wearing hipsters (YAY!)

A story that, like all the greatest documentaries, is true, but feels so much like a feel-good Hollywood fairy tale that you can't believe it all really happened. But it did.

This is really corny, but hey, when a film is this good, why not indulge in the oldest possible style of film hype: You'll Laugh! You'll Cry! You'll Cheer! Go See A Band Called Death! The Most Feelgood film of the year with the word death in the title!

If you like this, check out "Anvil! The Story of Anvil." Just as tearjerking and entertaining.

If, by the title, you suppose this is a documentary about sour grapes, i.e., some pre-Ramones, The Clash, or even The Sex Pistols punk band that never got its props, you're mistaken. There's not an iota of bitterness among these guys who stubbornly defied all odds, most of which were housed in their home town Motor City. I mean, what could have possessed three black teenage brothers to think they could form a prototype punk rock band just blocks away from Berry Gordy's mellow soul factory known as Hitsville USA? Having nothing more than British rock band singles, insurance-money instruments, and cloud formations to guide them, DEATH did it. (Note to my friendly reviewers: they weren't just the prototypical "black" punk rock group, but the forerunning "punk rock group" of any color...period.) But being so original, so very far ahead of the curve, came at a cost. Now therein lies the supremely inspirational message of "A Band Called Death" that anyone can leap into like a mosh pit. It took thirty-five years--35 friggin' years!--before surviving brothers Bobby and Dannis got their recognition. Sadly, David, the group's visionary, passed away years earlier, emotionally drained and physically terminal. Although only old tapes of David are featured in the film, his haunting presence throughout the film is undeniable. By the time you hear David's son share his emotions about hearing his deceased father's voice on a cult-hit record, you'll choke back tears. Even if you're not a punker, a funker, or a rocker, you owe it to yourself to check out this inspiring documentary. Dreams deferred don't always shrivel, sometimes they hibernate. So if you miss DEATH's story this time around, the group will wait, patiently, for as long as it takes. They're accustomed sleepers. But mark AfroPixFlix's words (and his nine forks of good judgment), you'll not long be able to escape DEATH's grip.

This film is about more than music, Band names or 'firsts'. "A Band Called Death" is about FAMILY, FAITH and BROTHERHOOD. Loved every frame.

Write this one up as fiction and no one would buy it. Three black brothers in Detroit back in the early seventies. Their parents come into a chunk of money and buy their music-loving kids the classic bass/guitar/drums rock configuration. David, the band's guitarist and de facto leader, decides that if he can play chords like Pete Townsend and solo like Jimi Hendrix, he'll be capable of making an all-powerful sound. And as with so much of what David proclaimed, he was right.

This movie feels like a pure rock and roll myth, and like all myths, it has its tragic act. The band called Death independently records an amazing album, but they never get the major push they were hoping for. Their extreme (at the time) name is a constant stumbling block. After a long string of rejections, Death hears word that Clive Davis might sign them - but only if they're willing to change their name. Brothers Bobby and Dannis are willing to make the change in a heartbeat, but David - an uncompromising visionary on every level - dismisses the idea without even a moment's consideration, seemingly dooming the band to permanent obscurity.

Eventually the other Hackney brothers move on without David, evolving their sound into a reggae act. In 2000, David ominously delivers their earlier recordings to his brother, telling him to keep them safe because "the world's going to come looking for the Death master tapes someday." He wasn't wrong on that one, either, or this movie wouldn't exist.

As a documentary, "A Band Called Death" is extremely well made. The Hackney brothers provide lively interviews, as do other family members and people connected with the band. Black and white photos from their well-documented studio sessions fill in the visual pieces that home video would handle in a more modern story. The film is paced well, and even though by its very existence you'll realize that the band and its music were ultimately vindicated, there are many nice surprises along the way.  If you're into music (especially hard rock, punk, hardcore, or thrash) and immersive documentaries like "The King of Kong" and "Capturing the Friedmans", you'll need to check this one out as soon as you have the chance.