Best Music Documentaries and

where do you find them?

Beware Of Mr Baker - https://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/beware_of_mr_baker
or if you have Prime - oops, it's unavailable.

 

Watching one now about Jeff Beck on Prime, I think it is. Called Jeff Beck: On The Run. I always enjoy stuff about 60s UK because that's out of which I came myself. Last week I watched a long one (2+ hours) about Eric Clapton which had footage I hadn't seen before, including unpleasant coverage of his drinking days. Quite honest, I have to say.

And by the way, RIP Ginger. I supped a beer and watched a YT of Toad in respect.

 

Also, forgot to mention. I never saw Ginger Baker live but I did see EC quite often, but more importantly, I saw Jack Bruce back in 1970 at Newcastle City hall with Tony Williams Lifetime and which meant that was my first exposure to John MacLaughlin of whom I have been a lifetime (Ha! pun not intended!) fan.

When I was a pimply youth growing up in the northeast of England I was going to be Jack Bruce II. Never happened but I have enjoyed many years of striving to get a handle on the bass and the guitar. No regrets, coyote.

 

I either read about them in a publication like Vintage Guitar, Guitar World, etc or come across them while wasting time on-line. Some I've heard about here. We Fix Flats starts threads about them, from time to time. I like to own them, so I usually order from the artist, or Amazon. Oh yeah, almost forgot, PBS is a great place to find them. I will order from PBS instead of Amazon, if I can.

 

Looks like you can get it from Google Play, i-Tunes or YouTube.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bew...7j0l6j69i60.3954j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

and Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Beware-Mr-Baker-Ginger/dp/B00BCMT0AQ

EDIT: Sorry, currently unavailable to order on Amazon.

 

+100. And it has a very young Joe Bonamassa, as well.

"Hired Gun" is another wonderful one. Great look into the world of the sideman.

There's a recent one call "Hitsville", I think - history of Motown. Very good, if somewhat uncritical look at the history of the label.

I've seen a ton of these the past few years. Showtime and AXS-TV show a lot. I love seeing behind the curtain. "Sound City" is great. I enjoyed the one from the Foo Fighters. "20 Feet From Stardom", about background singers, is really good.

 

The man invented mixing console faders!!! And worked on the Abomb!!! Can’t recommend that one enough.

 

I had the opportunity to see Cream at Vets Memorial in Columbus, May 14, 1968, Was always a fan of all three, even though Bruce and Baker were often at each other.

 

Hitsville was outstanding!

 

I found a copy of that Baker doc on eBay. There may be more out there.

 

I really liked La Bamba

 

Beatles Anthology. 4 DVD's of awesomeness.

 

Sound City was definitely one of my fave docs. Hired Guns was great except that it forever altered the way I think about Billy Joel now.

 

Liked Hired Guns. The Hitmaker (Nile Rodgers doc) was also very good.

 

Several of my favorites have already been mentioned, so I'll just add these:
The Wrecking Crew
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
The Terry Kath Experience
Buena Vista Social Club

 

Standing in the Shadows of Motown is an oldie but great.

Bad Brains: Band in D.C. is great.

.... and that Quincy movie about Quincy Jones is another “must see” IMO.

 

And.... Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage!

 

The Search for Robert Johnson: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272834/

 

I was familiar with some of the Billy Joel stuff, particularly some of the stuff around Doug Stegmeyer. I didn’t realize just how shabbily he treated the rest of his old band.