I BOUGHT THIS BACK IN THE DAY AND WOULD SHOW TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND THEY ALL GOT INTO LIGHTNING BOLT ON THE BACK OF THIS. SOME OF THEM FORMED GNARLY NOISE-ROCK BANDS THAT PLAYED ON THE FLOOR. I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THIS FILM IS BASICALLY AN ADVERT FOR LIGHTNING BOLT. AS A STUDENT OF DOCUMENTARY I WORRY ABOUT SUCH THINGS AS HAGIOGRAPHY AND COUNTER-NARRATIVE. BUT THEN AGAIN THE VERY LIFE THE TWO BRIANS AND SOUND-ENGINEER DAVE LIVE IS PRETTY MUCH A COUNTER-NARRATIVE IN AND OF ITSELF.
WE MOSTLY FOLLOW THE BAND ON TOUR ACROSS AMERICA AS THEY PLAY IN KITCHENS AND DIY SPACES THEREIN. THE TOUR IS A CONVENTIONAL SUCCESS (AUDIENCES LIKE THEM, THEY DO NOT FIGHT OR SPLIT OR GO MAD, THEY SEEM TO MAKE MONEY). WE GET FULL OR NEAR-FULL RENDITIONS OF A NUMBER OF SONGS FROM RIDE THE SKIES AND THE UPCOMING WONDERFUL RAINBOW, ALONG WITH COLOURFUL TABLEAU OF THEIR AUDIENCE PITTING FURIOUSLY.
THE TWO BRIANS SEEM LIKE NORMAL AND WELL-ADJUSTED GUYS. NOT THE MOST VOLUBLE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE CLEARLY WORKING ON INSTINCT RATHER THAN ACCORDING TO SOME PRE-CONCEIVED PLAN. IT'S A NORMAL TOUR AND IT HAPPENS. THE MAGIC IS WITHIN THE PERFORMANCES. WE GET THE PERSPIRATION AND THE INSPIRATION. LOOK, BRIAN'S HIGH STRING IS A BANJO, ETC.
COMPARE/CONTRAST WITH THE FRIENDS FOREVER FILM BY BEN WOLFINSOHN. FRIENDS FOREVER WILL LATER SIGN TO LOAD AND ARE OF THIS LOOSE 'SCENE'. THEIR FILM IS MORE ABOUT THEIR CRAZED PERSONALITIES AND THE OUTSIDE NATURE OF THEIR WORK. GLANTZ PRESENTS LIGHTNING BOLT AS IF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS CONVENTIONAL - WHICH IT REALLY ISN'T - WHILST WOLFINSOHN SAYS "LOOK AT THESE GUYS, THEY'RE FUCKED!"
BOTH FILMS DOCUMENT A WORLD THAT HAS P MUCH GONE NOW. I LIKE THIS FILM PLENTY.
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