Runnin' Down a Dream

I know I've been slack in posting much more than radio playlists as of late. The first month and a half of the semester did me in. But I've had this post brewing for a few weeks, and it's time to get it out.

I recently watched the Peter Bogdanovich documentary Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream. I've always been a big fan of the Heartbreakers, and was curious as to what insight the documentary would provide. I was a little dismayed when the discs came from Netflix. This sucker clocks in at just under four hours. Now, I love me some Tom Petty, but that seems like overkill for a straightforward documentary on a pretty straightforward rock band.

But overkill it is not. I found myself drawn into the Heartbreakers' story for the film's duration, eagerly awaiting the insights and developments of the next documented phase of the band's career.

The film is rather comprehensive - following the boys from their youth in southern Florida to their stabs at obtaining a record contract, their rise to stardom in the 1970s, becoming video icons in the 1980s, the solo work, the Wilburys, the 1990s material - it's all here. And it's all told with such by the band themselves - every member was interviewed in depth, as were associates of the band (producers, former managers, family members, ex-band members, as well as a who's-who of rock stars from the 1970s through today).

And it is a surprisingly gripping story from the perspective of what was happening behind the scenes (infighting, substance abuse, family struggles, creative differences) and simply being able to see Tom and the band develop their craft over the course of 30 years.

Perhaps most interesting to me were the well chronicled battles between Petty and the music industry. I knew he was always an advocate for fans, but I never realized just how many times he went to bat against the corporate music biz (and he remains so today, critiquing the radio industry on The Last DJ, getting into hot water over offering free downloads, etc.).

To put it simply, if you're a fan of the music, the documentary is an absolute must. The four-disc set includes a DVD of the Heartbreakers' 30th Anniversary Concert in Gainesville, as well as a CD of rarities and outtakes. Rock on.

Check out the trailer:



And what the hell, here's one of my favorites:

Some notes on MJ's This Is It.

Last night I took in Michael Jackson's This is It - in IMAX, no less!

Though I'm certainly an MJ fan, I had my doubts about the London O2 concerts. The live performances that I'd seen from the HIStory tour and the 30th Anniversary show at Madison Square Garden didn't give me much hope that MJ could ever reclaim his throne of pop showmanship.

This is It now has me thinking that those concerts really could have rejuvenated his reputation in global pop culture.

I was encouraged by the promotional clips that had been circulating, which indicated live vocals - and good live vocals at that. The majority of the songs in the film are in fact sung live, and I'm amazed that he was able to get his voice back in shape. This was probably the greatest and most convincing aspect of the film for me.

The dancing wasn't exactly the high-octane performance of MJ's legend. That may be partially due to the fact that these were rehearsals, and may also be the product of middle age. That's not to say the film is devoid of MJ's dancing, just that it's a bit more subdued than one might expect. I will say that in this video footage, his face looked better than it had in the previous 10-15 years.

Most of the man's biggest hits are here"
Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
They Don't Care About Us
Human Nature
The Way You Make Me Feel
Beat It
Thriller
I Just Can't Stop Loving You
I Want You Back/The Love You Save/I'll Be There
Earth Song
Black or White
Man in the Mirror

Noticeably absent are any tracks from the much-revered Off the Wall album. Whether or not those were planned for the shows is unclear. It's possible that their absence is simply a product of what footage existed. (the bulk of the performances hail from four or five days' worth of rehearsals).

As much of the press has noted, what's really interesting to see is MJ in the midst of his creative process. Granted, it's not quite the same as getting access to a slew of demo recordings and hearing those classic tracks take shape. But there is definitely a sense of vision and MJ working to realize that vision of what could have been his reclamation of relevance in popular culture. Of course, the unsettling irony is that he achieved that reclamation in death.

Granted, the film was meticulously edited from something like 80 hours of footage. No doubt the producers of the film worked to present MJ in the best possible light. Even so, you do not get the sense of watching someone on the verge of collapse. This doesn't appear to be a chemically dependent man, out of touch with reality. Quite the contrary - he seems focused, energized and set on blowing the O2 arena to bits.

In short, it was a worthwhile look into the construction of Jackson's O2 stint, and I think a fitting final testament. A concert film classic? Probably not. But something that any fan should make a point to see over the next two weeks (though I'm betting on an extended run. One can't help but think the "two week limited engagement" was a means to drum up advanced sales).

This is it.

This might be a train wreck (though a meticulously edited one), but I'll probably still try to see it.

Cadillac Records

This actually looks pretty good.



Soundtrack clips etc. at the official site. Mos Def makes a pretty good Chuck Berry, I have to say.

Friday Funk (sort of)

Though Krush Groove is available on DVD, the soundtrack remains curiously out of print. Oh, for shame. Never fear, dear readers!

I have to admit, I've never seen Krush Groove all the way through, though I feel as if I've seen the whole movie in various segments. Interesting moment though. I think it's Greg Dmitriadis (though my memory is fuzzy) who makes the argument that Run DMC was the pivotal point where hip hop went from underground party music to a 3:30 pop-structured format. Seems a reasonable argument. The movie is a weird who's who: Run DMC, the Fat Boys (!), LL Cool J, New Edition, Rick Rubin, and of course, Sheila E., who is really the oddball out in the lineup, wouldn't you say?

And for your viewing pleasure, here's Sheila E. with a live performance of "Holly Rock." It's been a while since I've watched it, but I believe this is from the Romance 1600 home video. I didn't think that this track had any Prince involvement, and it turns out I was right (thanks to this handy ASCAP search engine. Of course, Prince did pen (and sing on) "A Love Bizarre," which is also featured in the film (though not on the soundtrack). "Oh, Sheila..."



Krush Groove OST.

Happy weekend!