There are worse vices: I spend part of my time searching television platforms for good biographical documentaries, concerts, programs or films about great rock figures. Especially from the golden years of the genre, the sixties and seventies, but not only; some are current productions, others were filmed around the time this happened; A good handful focus on parallel phenomena such as punk, soul, folk, reggae, ska or new waves of the eighties. These are the reviews I published in columns in El País Televisión last year. The films are available on Movistar+, YouTube, RTVE Play, Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Filmin or Apple TV+. This is the selection:
The best black music of the 20th century emerged from or passed through the legendary venue. The documentary “The Apollo Theater” on HBO Max examines what shared space means to a community’s identity
The English festival, which Movistar Plus+ discusses in five chapters, prides itself on its versatility and generational diversity. The poster features old greats like Elton John and new divas like Lizzo. Everything fits here… Anglo-Saxon. Only one young big star opposes them
The young guitarist was only in the band for five years, but they were the best. The film “Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones” shows the fame he achieved in two concerts in 1972. But he didn't look like one of them.
The goddess of the “hippies” had listened to the pioneers of blues, jazz and soul and claimed their songs as her own. The documentary “Janis” clears up the cliché of the tortured girl who gave her all on stage
The documentary “At the Matinée” recalls the day's events in and around the punk mecca of New York. In this space in the middle of a run-down neighborhood, the urban tribes made a lot of noise
The charity festival, which took place 38 years ago, was described by Joan Baez as the Woodstock of a different generation. Memorable for those who followed him, although something creaked
The documentary Syd Barrett and the Origin of Pink Floyd attempts to explain the mysteries of a key figure in psychedelic rock. He founded one of the biggest bands of his time and disappeared. The crazy diamond didn't want to shine
The documentary “The Final Act” goes far beyond the career of the Queen leader and the tribute concert at Wembley Stadium: it deals with the double discrimination against homosexuals due to their illness and AIDS in very tragic years
The 1965 film on Netflix travels back in time with a generation of pop-rock bands that made history. Irresistible, if it weren't for what we now know about its presenter Jimmy Savile.
Three documentaries by the German Wolfgang Büld captured the social and countercultural upheaval of the late 1970s. And they address the debate about miscegenation and racism
The documentary “Crock of Gold” portrays the leader of the Pogues without skimping on the crudeness. From his broken voice and toothless mouth flowed verses of intoxicating melancholy.
The Now and Then mini-documentary insists on the story of the demos, which John left before his death because he thought McCartney would finish them. Harrison is no longer there either, but they imitate him
Brett Morgen's documentary omits important passages from his career, but is an immersive and fascinating experience that delves into the mind of the creator beyond his masks
The group enjoyed less fame than recognition, but they left behind timeless albums and ensured that Scorsesse was immortalized in The Last Waltz and Once Were Brothers.
The documentary “Kneeling at the Anthem DC” includes two performances by the musician in Washington in 2018. He's one of the few hopes left for guitar rock, but he's an elusive guy
The documentary “Pink Floyd: Technicolor Dream” reconstructs the legendary 1967 festival at which mad genius Syd Barrett's band stood out
The 1968 documentary “All My Loving” brings together pop stars and their critics to discuss whether the music movement of the time was truly culture or just the pastime of a generation addicted to intoxication.
The previous order was capricious; Below I group six pieces about Spanish music of the last decades, focusing on Movida and one of its relatives: radical rock, but not only.
The documentary about the founder of Barricada refutes the clichés of the sober, homely and sensitive musician who has reconciled with his past
The group “Litus and Novoa” invites personalities such as José Mercé, Josele Santiago and Luz Casal to their studio to exchange confidences and improvise their own or other people's songs. They have a feeling of chaos, that everything is spontaneous
The documentary “Tequila: Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll” is an honest account of how success overwhelms some young people in their transition years. What came next was a different reality
The program La 2 combines unreleased material and memories of the singer's environment. His death 50 years ago was a shock in a Spain that needed songs like “Libre.”
The leader of the punk band delivers his speech with few nuances, but in “We Are Nothing” we see an affable, modest guy who enjoys life in the country. Especially when he's standing next to Pilar
In the series “What a night that year!” on RTVE Play, the Granada singer brought colleagues from three decades to his set. It has abused its prominence, but is a valuable document from the era when live music played the leading role on television
Do you want more? A little over a year ago, I did the same exercise, collecting columns about documentaries and musical films. I came up with 16 featured titles, but also added a detailed overview of everything else available on streaming. With stories about rock greats like Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix; the southern sounds of Johnny Cash or Lynyrd Skynyrd; blues and jazz stars such as Billie Hollday, Ma Rainey, Robert Johnson and Miles Davies; the fury of Rage Against the Machine… We'll keep going as long as we can and they allow us to explore television's most attractive gems for music lovers. No matter how hidden they are in the menus.
I'm not sure music makes the world a better place, but at least it helps us cope. Let's enjoy it.
We select films and concerts about rock and roll, blues and jazz stars that are available to mythomaniacs and music lovers just a few clicks away. And a few more classics
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