The lives and struggles of touring musicians as they expose a little seen face of the music industry, and how it is changing.The lives and struggles of touring musicians as they expose a little seen face of the music industry, and how it is changing.The lives and struggles of touring musicians as they expose a little seen face of the music industry, and how it is changing.
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Interesting but incomplete documentary
I stumbled across this documentary by accident in a local indy record store. I'm more of a progressive rock, British 70's metal and early thrash fan, so I didn't really care for much of the music. On the DVD there's a selection of videos featuring whole songs. Tub Ring look like college frat boys, not at all like rock stars, and their name is a bit dorky, but their music is just quirky enough I'll probably check them out later.
Anyway, on with reviewing the movie.
The format here is pretty straightforward. Director Justin McConnell goes on tour and into the recording studio with three up-and-coming acts, then mingles in some candid and frank interview snippets of music celebrities who've already "made it." I don't know if McConnell has seen or is referencing Penelope Spheeris' "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years," but "Working Class Rock Star" is definitely a worthy follow-up to that. And in comparing the two films, something greater might just be revealed about where we currently stand in history. The decline of western civilization, indeed.
Whereas Metal Years focused primarily on how musicians dealt with the onslaught of fame (or the narcissistic desire for fame), this documentary focuses primarily on the musicians' support network friends, family, lovers, and (lastly) record labels and everyone's egos seem to be firmly in check. Frank Marino of Mahogany Rush (his hair still looks great, btw) gives a little monologue at the end of this film giving away the Secret Rock Star Formula, which was brilliant, but would probably have been more relevant to the Spheeris film. This film is about where these guys (and one gal) get the creative, moral, spiritual and financial support to do the things they love doing... making music and taking it on the road. The portrait of the family behind the band Bloodshoteye is absolutely beautiful (if only the singer didn't go all Cookie Monster, I might want to listen to them).
The documentary is incomplete, however, in that while it continually condemns the greedy aspirations of record labels, it never actually goes to a record label to see what those conniving worms might have to say in their own defense. Maybe McConnell just couldn't get an audience with anyone willing to talk on camera, I don't know. But it certainly would have been interesting and informative to hear what the corporate bean-counters have to say about how they view the music industry and how it operates.
So, bottom line... I enjoyed this film greatly, and would recommend it highly to anybody who even thinks they'd enjoy it.
Anyway, on with reviewing the movie.
The format here is pretty straightforward. Director Justin McConnell goes on tour and into the recording studio with three up-and-coming acts, then mingles in some candid and frank interview snippets of music celebrities who've already "made it." I don't know if McConnell has seen or is referencing Penelope Spheeris' "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years," but "Working Class Rock Star" is definitely a worthy follow-up to that. And in comparing the two films, something greater might just be revealed about where we currently stand in history. The decline of western civilization, indeed.
Whereas Metal Years focused primarily on how musicians dealt with the onslaught of fame (or the narcissistic desire for fame), this documentary focuses primarily on the musicians' support network friends, family, lovers, and (lastly) record labels and everyone's egos seem to be firmly in check. Frank Marino of Mahogany Rush (his hair still looks great, btw) gives a little monologue at the end of this film giving away the Secret Rock Star Formula, which was brilliant, but would probably have been more relevant to the Spheeris film. This film is about where these guys (and one gal) get the creative, moral, spiritual and financial support to do the things they love doing... making music and taking it on the road. The portrait of the family behind the band Bloodshoteye is absolutely beautiful (if only the singer didn't go all Cookie Monster, I might want to listen to them).
The documentary is incomplete, however, in that while it continually condemns the greedy aspirations of record labels, it never actually goes to a record label to see what those conniving worms might have to say in their own defense. Maybe McConnell just couldn't get an audience with anyone willing to talk on camera, I don't know. But it certainly would have been interesting and informative to hear what the corporate bean-counters have to say about how they view the music industry and how it operates.
So, bottom line... I enjoyed this film greatly, and would recommend it highly to anybody who even thinks they'd enjoy it.
helpful•00
- pyxysyzygy-1
- Dec 6, 2008
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $200,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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By what name was Working Class Rock Star (2008) officially released in Canada in English?
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