Before Jimmy Page can even pluck that first note to "Stairway to Heaven" you press pause and Led Zeppelin is frozen in time. With no beer lines or disgusting bathrooms, music DVDs are the next best thing to the real show. When it comes to bands like Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, these artifacts serve as the only opportunity for the current generation to put a face on the music. In hybrid rock documentaries, we are even given a look into the often quirky, seldom glamorous, lives of the rock icons who are usually given divine status. As Penny Lane said in 'Almost Famous', "Famous people are just more interesting." These prized films give us a chance to be groupies, or band-aids, from the comfort of our homes. Also, with the advent of new technologies, it has become easy for even the smallest bands to release a well-packaged DVD. Here is a short list of some of the best from both eras.
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
This freakishly delightful performance from one of the few new-wave bands that still matter (listen to anyone considered indie to see why) comes very close to "Burning Down the House." David Byrne, creative genius and lead singer, enters a sparse, fully lit stage with just a boom box and acoustic guitar and plays "Psycho Killer" over an artificial drum loop. A new instrument is added in each song until the entire band gets down on "Burning Down the House." Famous for including very little stage lighting and minimal shots of the audience, Byrne and company rely heavily on the strength of the music.
The Who: The Kids are Alright
This documentary should come with a disclaimer that reads, "Many innocent musical instruments were harmed in the making of this film." The Who bring us into their lives and charm us with their witty banter as they attempt to age gracefully in the late '70s. Keith Moon is outrageous, arguably living up The Who's early claim, "I hope I die before I get old." Sadly, he passed away shortly after production was finished. Luckily, The Kids Are Alright captures Moon's gaudy personality.
Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii
Before the release of Dark Side of The Moon, Pink Floyd's music was merely a disillusioned sketch of greater things to come. Shot in Pompeii among the volcanic ruins of an empty stadium, a youthful Pink Floyd immerses itself in its natural surroundings in this highly impersonal performance. The main set is sandwiched between both ends of the 20-minute epic "Echoes," which features perhaps the funkiest breakdown of all time with Roger Waters carrying the groove on bass. Sadly, this is one of the few videos to surface that features a Waters-Gilmour Pink Floyd.
2008 Woodie Awards
