Our two favourite things here at Tone Deaf are music and film, and when the two come together in the form of a music documentary, we are most certainly in our happy place.
With the arrival of The Rolling Stones on our shores, we got to talking about their notorious gig at Altamont all those years ago, which lead to the discussion of the shocking documentary which naturally lead to the idea that we and our readers needed to watch this film. And with that, we decided to compile a new list of documentaries that you can watch online for free right now.
From the perilous tales of tortured singer-songwriters to the story of a forgotten Aussie icon to the golden era of ’90s alt-rock, we’re certain the following five docos we’ve hand-picked are sure to keep you entertained.
This is our fifth issue of documentaries you can watch for free, click the following for any of the previous issues: documentaries 1, documentaries 2, documentaries 3, documentaries 4, if not, grab some popcorn and settle in for a night of quality viewing.
The Devil And Daniel Johnston (Dir: Jeff Feuerzeig, 2005)
The downward spiral of a tortured artist is the kind of story that’s equal parts alluring as it is depressing, and for Daniel Johnston, this sentiment is emphatically relevant.
For those who aren’t familiar, Daniel Johnston is a 53-year old singer-songwriter born and raised in Sacramento, California who produces rough DIY low-fi and folk tunes. As intriguing as he is sonically, Johnston’s main draw is his shattering real-life lyrics sung in his truly one-of-a-kind nasal-drenched high-tone vocals that put the likes of The Tallest Man On Earth and Spookyland to shame, just see ‘I Live My Broken Dreams’ as proof.
Having fought an on-going battle with schizophrenia and bipolar from a young age, Johnston was troubled as a youngster, seeking refuge in his kaleidoscopic creativity through drawing, film and of course, music. With such a strong passion for film, Johnston recorded a vast majority of his teen years on a Super-8-camera, which Feuerzeig dug-up and seamlessly adds to the film.
From losing his mind on acid with Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers, to visiting New York City to record with members of Sonic Youth – only to disappear and cause the band to freak-out and search for him, to giving one of the most renown performances in SXSW history, to nearly killing himself and his father in aeroplane, The Devil and Daniel Johnston is one of the most gripping and heart-breaking music documentaries in existence.
This is unequivocally an undisputed favourite here at Tone Deaf HQ however before you continue, we just want to issue a warning: have the Kleenex ready.
Gimme Shelter (Dir: David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Charlotte Zwerin, 1970)
A controversial entry to our list of docos you may watch for free this month, but we don’t mind, if you’re a fan of music and film, this is a must-see.
The film’s focus is on the one and only Rolling Stones just after the release of their stellar record, Let It Bleed. The blues rock outfit were finishing up their 1969 tour of the US which saw them perform a free show at the Altamont Speedway in California, one of the most notorious live shows ever performed in music’s history.
Wondering what adds such notoriety to what should be an incredible by the biggest band in the world? The security hired to “bounce” the excitable audience are none other than bikie gang, The Hell’s Angels, who are armed with pool cues and are more interested in drinking, drugs and as the concert continues, grow very tired of the crowd they are responsible for controlling.
Without giving too much away, “security” and audience tensions rise beyond belief, and violence breaks-out, resulting in the death of one crowd member at the hands of the ill-employed Hell’s Angels.
There’s no point sugar-coating this documentary, it is laden with violence and tragedy, there are however live performances from the band as well as interesting insights of before and after the insane event.
1991: The Year Punk Broke (Dir: Dave Markey, 1992)
Are you an ’80s and ’90s purist who can’t move past Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr and The Ramones? Don’t worry, neither can this writer, and when there’s documentaries like The Year Punk Broke, why should we?
This brilliantly pieced together road documentary is predominately centred around the titans of experimental and alternative rock, Sonic Youth whilst they are on tour in Europe of 1991, with pop-ups of the likes of Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr, The Ramones, Babes In Toyland, Mudhoney and Courtney Love. With such a healthy stock of the “so what” gen X culture, satire is splashed over nearly all dialogue between the travelling bands as they frequently mock the Madonna documentary Truth or Dare.
1991: The Year Punk Broke is a significant visual tome in the history, it marks the year where “alternative rock” truly made its cross from underground to the mainstream, pinpointing the bands that were the vehicle, and how little they cared.
With a countless amount of killer live performances and the bitter-sweet videos of a happy Kurt Cobain acting like a punk with his bandmates and Sonic Youth, this is a wonderful snapshot of a musical movement that will never be forgotten.
Autoluminescent (Dir: Lynn-Maree Milburn & Richard Lowenstein, 2011)
When a person mentions the name Rowland S. Howard, there are usually two reactions: “who?” or “genius!”.
For those unaware, Howard is a guitarist and songwriter hailing from Melbourne who gained fame a part of Australia’s supreme post-punk outfit, The Birthday Party, and his subsequent solo career that spawned the unbelievable Teenage Snuff Film and Pop Crimes.
Famed as one of the most innovative guitarists of the 1970s, Howard’s unique approach to sonics reshaped the soundscape of punk and post-punk universally. This film documents the musical career and influence the artist holds on the musical world, with both Aussie artist such as former bandmate Nick Cave, Mick Harvey, Adalita as well as International artists including Thurston Moore, Henry Rollins and Bobby Gillespie all paying heartfelt tribute to the late and great musician.
Sadly, Howard passed away in 2009 and thanks to such a beautiful documentary, his legacy will never be forgotten.
A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake (Dir: Jeroen Berkvens, 2002)
The mystique that surrounds the brief life of Nick Drake is unlike any other in the history of music.
Despite allegedly taking his own life way back in 1974, the folk singer-songwriter has a cult following that is forever-expanding, and rightfully so. His three records Five Leaves Left (1969), Bryter Layter (1970) and Pink Moon (1972) have been cited as some of the most influential works, with the likes of Beck, Norah Jones, Swans, Placebo and Sebadoh all covering his songs. Drake’s strongest suit is his lyrics, noted as stunning works of bleak, forlorn poetry that cuts through to the heart like no other.
This documentary is told through the teary-eyed lens of Drake’s older sister, Gabrielle, who details of his crippling depression that inflicted on his studies in Cambridge, the terror of his one and only “tour” and his eventual apparent overdose that saw him lose his life.
We would like to inform you that there is no video footage of Nick Drake in this film, but that is because there is no known footage of the ‘Pink Moon’ artist.
