10 Greatest Rock Documentaries (Part 2)

Continued from last post

2) Gimme Shelter- There's an air of something's wrong here. This movie's mainly about The Rolling Stones and a free concert put on in 1969 at a place called Altamont. It was supposed to be the west coast version of Woodstock, with bands like The Grateful Dead, The Jefferson Airplane, Santana and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young performing. And because this was supposed to be a counter cultural event they didn't get police to do security but used the Hell's Angels instead. And so what happens is we get footage of what looks like a descent into hell. A crowd that's restless and not right, moving in closer to the stage, met with pool cues and knives, there's no band here that's safe. Marty Balin, from the Jefferson Airplane, beaten unconsious by a Hell's Angel during the middle of their set, Mick Jagger punched in the face by a female fan seconds after arriving, and Jerry Garcia, wiser than the rest, sensing something wrong at Altamont and taking the Dead away. But the Stones aren't wise, they're set to headline it tonight. And isn't that what you wanted? You said sympathy for who? From the stage, Mick, look upon it. Tonight all your dreams come true.




3)Gospel According To Al Green- The last of the great ones. The line that descended from Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, to Jackie Wilson and James Brown, to Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin, ends at last in Al Green. A great songwriter, an amazing talent, an incredible stage presence and an incredible voice. When people describe his music as "seductive" or "sexy" they're classing him in with singers like Luther Vandross, Boyz 2 Men, and any other "R & B" singer who's ever released a souless and overproduced piece of crap Justin Timberlake thinks is supposed to be good. And Justin, you're already going to rot eternally in hell, stop using the term "baby making music" or you'll only make it worse. Al Green is a singer with the fire of God bristling inside him; with all hell, revelations, flames, prayers, for his tunings; and each hit that he made a calling out to be blessed. This movie is about his career and why it was that he switched to singing only religious songs in around 1978. Who wrote the Gospels were who felt too human; there's acres of churches in "Love and Happiness".





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