Saturday, October 23rd 2010

News:  Movie Night

Before The Music Dies

By Skwerl

Hey there, what’s shaking? Nothing much? Just hanging out? Well, do you want to watch a movie? Here’s a documentary we found called Before The Music Dies. You will be inspired.

In lieu of a trailer, here’s the clip that first drew me in, featuring Questlove, Dave Matthews, and Erykah Badu.

Summary:

Ever since MTV arrived in our living rooms, there has been an inordinate amount of emphasis on beauty and youth and appearance – none of which enters our consciousness through our ears. Never have so few companies controlled so much of the music played on the radio and for sale at retail stores. At the same time, there are more bands and more ways to discover their music than ever. Music seems to have split in two – the homogeneous corporate product that is spooned to consumers and the diverse independent music that finds devoted fans online and at clubs across the country.

Before The Music Dies tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. The answers they found on this journey–ultimately, the promise that the future holds–are what makes Before The Music Dies both riveting and exhilarating.

At the heart of Before The Music Dies are interviews with musicians, industry insiders, music critics, and fans that reveal how music has reached this moment of truth. Featured performances from a truly diverse group of artists, ranging from The Dave Matthews Band and Erykah Badu to Seattle street performers and Mississippi gospel singers show us that great music is always out there… as long as you know where to look. Before The Music Dies will renew your passion for great music, and inspire you to play an active part in its future.

The audio synch drifts off in spots, but you get what you pay for I suppose. There’s DVDs on Amazon for $15.

Thanks to our BFF Cathy at Sargent House.