Are you still basking in the warm glow that Iron Maiden left behind? Since you are in the mood to revisit the greats, Ganashree Kedlaya has put together a list of must-watch DVDs and fascinating books
Are you still basking in the warm glow that Iron Maiden left behind? Since you are in the mood to revisit the greats, Ganashree Kedlaya has put together a list of must-watch DVDs and fascinating books
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DVD watch
The DoorsOliver Stone's homage to the 60's rock group, The Doors, also doubles as a biography of the group's late singer, Jim Morrison. The movie follows Morrison from his days as a film student in Los Angeles to his death in Paris in 1971, at the age of 27. Val Kilmer, who not only looks like Jim Morrison's long-lost twin, but also sounds like him, does much of his own singing in the film. The soundtrack contains over two dozen of The Doors' songs. There are also two songs by The Velvet Underground and Nico.
Some Kind of Monster This is a 2004 American documentary featuring the heavy metal band Metallicau00a0 It has many studio rehearsals and fragments of concert footage. The movie also addresses the early 2001 departure of long-time bassist Jason Newsted. Newsted is interviewed, and footage of his own group, Echobrain, both in rehearsal and playing live, is shown. Former Metallica guitarist Dave Mustaine also appears briefly in a scene where he confronts Ulrich on the band's decision to fire him for excessive substance abuse. Mustaine speaks about his resentment about how his own successful group, Megadeth, never achieved the same level of popularity that Metallica has. Some Kind of Monster won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Last daysAn official selection in the 2005 Cannes Film festival, Gus Van Sant's Last Days is a fictionalised account of the last days of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. The film introduces us to Blake (Michael Pitt, The Dreamers), a brilliant, but troubled musician and his life.
A Hard Day's Night This is a 1964 British comedy, written by Alun Owen, starring The Beatles, during the height of their popularity. It was directed by Richard Lester. The film was made in the style of a mock documentary, describing a couple of days in the lives ofu00a0 The Beatles.
WoodstockThe documentary celebrates the world's most popular music festival Woodstock. It is a 1970 documentary on the Woodstock Festival that took place in August 1969 at Bethel in New York. You get an intimate look at the festival, from preparation through cleanup, concert footage, from drug use by performers to naked fans sliding in the mud, from the collapse of the fences by the unexpected hordes to the surreal arrival of National Guard helicopters with food and medical assistance for the impromptu city of 5,00,000. You also get to watch performances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Janis Joplin, and Santana among others. The film was directed by Michael Wadleigh. It received the Academy Award for Documentary Feature, as well as a nomination for Best Sound.
Browsers' Nook
The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones By Stanley BoothStanley Booth, a member of the Rolling Stones' inner circle, met the band few months before Brian Jones drowned in a swimming pool in 1969. He lived with them during their 1969 American tour. His thrilling account culminates with their final concert at Altamont Speedwayu2014a nightmare of beating, stabbing, and killing.
Before I Get Old: The Story of The Who By Dave Marsh Written at the request of Pete Townshend and endorsed by the rest of the band, this in-depth history of The Who, took author Dave Marsh three years to research and write. Complete with photographs, it covers the group's origins and meteoric rise to fame, reveals inside information on the personalities and lives of the band members, and documents the relationships, the drugs, the destruction, the money, and the mayhem behind the music of this legendary rock band.
Masters of Heavy Metal By Jas ObrechtThis book documents interviews with rock star guitarists who were big in the 70's and 80's and lays emphasis on the technical aspects of electric guitar playing.u00a0
You get to find out things like how Eddie Van Halen used to hand-craft his guitars and what components he used and how Richie Blackmore modified his amps. You get specific guitar playing instructions from Leslie West.
There's an absorbing section on Jimi Hendrix. Jimmy Page is here too, sharing his first-hand insights into the history of rock guitar. Ted Nugent brags about playing so loud that he's killed small animals with his amp (By the way, he admits he's gone totally deaf in one ear.)Clapton The Autobiography By Eric Clapton
As he retraces every step of his career, from the early stint with the Yardbirds and Cream to his solo successes, Clapton also devotes copious reams to his days of drug and alcohol addiction. He also talks about his collection of contemporary art, defending hunting and fishing as leisure activities, and explains his fascination with country life.
Hendrix. Setting the record straight By John McDermott with Eddie Kramer
The first complete, definitive account of the career, music, and legacy of Jimi Hendrix, based entirely on first-person recollections and new, exclusive interviews with musicians and key figures in the Hendrix inner circle. Saucerful of Secrets The Pink Floyd Odyssey By Nicholas Schaffner
Saucerful of Secrets is the first in-depth biography of the most popular psychedelic rock band-Pink Floyd. The making of Dark Side of the Moon and Floyd's other great albums is recounted in detail. The book also explores the many battles between bass player/song writer Roger Waters and the rest of the group.
Wilderness By Jim MorrisonThis book lets you meet the real Jim Morrison, where his poetry skills shine through effortlessly. It includes unpublished poems, drawings, photos, and a candid self-interview of the singer. The poems are honest, and intriguing and cover a wide range of topics.
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