I watched it last week, not knowing any of his music bar a couple of Byrds hits. A well made doc, but I didn’t come away thinking his music was particularly great nor, crucially, with the feeling that I should go out and investigate it. I think the doc presupposes knowledge of his music – or maybe sacrificed time that could have been given to at least one prolonged performance clip or key audio track set to stills to give it to yet more talking heads.
David Crosby, not a man who is given much to suggesting anyone might be a better songwriter than he (actually not too difficult, I’d say), said that when the Byrds started they would turn up at rehearsals and he and McGuinn might have a new song each whereas Gene Clark would turn up with four or five and they would all be great.
This is one of my favourites – For A Spanish Guitar -(from the White Light album)
Ah, I still remember the emotional free fall of giving my copy of the 2 cd Flying High compilation to a friend, like a GC evangelist, thinking “I’ll just pick up another copy for myself next time in a shop” – only to discover how impossible it was to replace, being out of print..
Carl says
It has been on before, but it is worth watching again.
Colin H says
I watched it last week, not knowing any of his music bar a couple of Byrds hits. A well made doc, but I didn’t come away thinking his music was particularly great nor, crucially, with the feeling that I should go out and investigate it. I think the doc presupposes knowledge of his music – or maybe sacrificed time that could have been given to at least one prolonged performance clip or key audio track set to stills to give it to yet more talking heads.
Moose the Mooche says
Dr Moose prescribes one heavy dose of No Other to be taken aurally*. It’s a belter.
(*hur)
Carl says
David Crosby, not a man who is given much to suggesting anyone might be a better songwriter than he (actually not too difficult, I’d say), said that when the Byrds started they would turn up at rehearsals and he and McGuinn might have a new song each whereas Gene Clark would turn up with four or five and they would all be great.
This is one of my favourites – For A Spanish Guitar -(from the White Light album)
dai says
And they sometimes refused to let superior Gene tracks on albums so they could get more songwriting royalties.
No Other is a complete masterpiece, also great are his first solo album, The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark, White Light and Roadmaster.
Moose the Mooche says
Amen to all.
Sewer Robot says
Ah, I still remember the emotional free fall of giving my copy of the 2 cd Flying High compilation to a friend, like a GC evangelist, thinking “I’ll just pick up another copy for myself next time in a shop” – only to discover how impossible it was to replace, being out of print..