Rock Docs

Latest Episodes:

All I Can Say - Blind Melon's Shannon Hoon with Ryan Bradford Mar 12, 2024

Show notes

Today's episode is about "All I Can Say", from 2019, directed by Danny Clinch, Taryn Gould, Colleen Hennessy, and, posthumously, Shannon Hoon.

Our guest today is Ryan Bradford. Check out his Substack at https://awkwardsd.substack.com/ as well as our previous episode with Ryan about GWAR.

"All I Can Say" is compiled from VHS footage taken by Blind Melon singer Shannon Hoon from his early days as an aspiring musician right up until a few hours before his death at 28 from an accidental drug overdose. Shannon compulsively filmed his life during his unlikely rise to fame, from intimate family moments to hanging out with Guns N' Roses. The "found footage" approach takes us into the recording studio, on the road with Blind Melon, and even into the delivery room when Shannon's daughter is being born. The movie is an unexpected and fitting tribute to Shannon's talents as a musician and visual artist.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts

Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

The Greatest Night in Pop - We Are The World Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

Today's episode is about "The Greatest Night in Pop", a 2024 Netflix doc about the making of "We Are the World", directed by Bao Nguyen.

The move has two acts - Act 1 is a heist film-style tick-tock about how the concept came together at the behest of Harry Belafonte, the song got written despite Stevie Wonder ghosting Lionel Richie, and the Avengers of 80s Pop was assembled just in time for the recording.

Act 2 has us in the room during one very long night as Quincy Jones triest to wrangle several dozen superstars and capture performances from everyone from an eager Huey Lewis to a truly miserable Bob Dylan.

Plus: how Sheila E was unsuccessfully used by the producers as a honeypot to get Prince to the recording, why Waylon Jennings muttered, "ain't no good old boy ever sung in Swahili", Diana Ross' unexpected moment of sweetness, and much much more.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm with Eamon O'Flynn Feb 13, 2024

Show notes

Today's episode is about "Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm", from 2010, directed by Jacob Hatley.

Our guest today is a returning champion, Eamon O'Flynn, host of Record Roulette Podcast, which can be found on Twitter @rrmusicpod - check out our previous episode with Eamon about "Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band".

"Ain't in It for My Health" is very different from Robbie's movie - it offers an intimate and revealing picture of The Band's legendary singer and drummer, Levon Helm, as he struggles with cancer while recording what ended up being the final studio album he released during his life, the Grammy-winning "Electric Dirt". We see Levon crack wise and offer hard-earned wisdom surrounded by family and friends (famous and obscure), undertake a short tour under challenging conditions, and work closely with guitarist/producer Larry Campbell.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

The Song Remains the Same with Cam Herdt Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Today on Rock Docs we discuss "The Song Remains the Same", a 1976 film about Led Zeppelin directed by Peter Clifton and Joe Massot.

For those who haven't seen the film, or whose memory of seeing it is lost in a drug-addled haze (as it was meant to be seen), the movie starts with LZ manager Peter Grant dressed as a 1930s gangster shooting a Nazi werewolf and it just gets weirder from there.

This is nominally a concert film (is it even a rock doc at all?) shot during the band's 1973 shows at Madison Square Garden, but it also includes footage shot on a soundstage in England made up to look like MSG, as well as fantasy sequences featuring each of the band's members.

Our guest, and the man who selected this cinematic masterpiece for us to review, is comedian and actor Cam Herdt. Check out Cam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mistercam/?hl=en and on his own Best Show Ever on the Osiris Network: https://linktr.ee/bestshowever

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone with Dallas McLaughlin Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

Today on Rock Docs we discuss "Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone", a 2010 film about the alternative rock band Fishbone, co-produced and co-directed by Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler, and narrated by actor Laurence Fishburne.

Our guest for this episode is Dallas McLaughlin, Fishbone superfan and the world's foremost satirist. Check out his stuff at dallasmclaughlin.com

Everyday Sunshine goes into the backstory of Fishbone, how busing, desegregation, and the clash of various LA music scenes led to a band whose music is a unique blend of funk, rock, metal, pop, and genres yet to be defined. The movie gets pretty heavy as the band goes through a variety of struggles and lineup changes, personal troubles, and a toxic level of theremin abuse. This is not a clean, pretty story where everything wraps up in a neat bow. Recommended if you like your rock docs served raw.

As of this writing, you can watch the movie on

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Sound City: Nick's Picks Vol. 3 Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

Welcome to Nick's Pick's Vol. 3, in which we invite our friend and returning champion Nick McCann on to discuss any documentary he chooses.

Today's episode is about "Sound City", a 2013 doc about the LA recording studio Sound City. The movie was directed by Dave Grohl.

The movie features a bunch of Dave Grohl's buds such as Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Stephen Pearcy from RATT (underrated!), Rick Rubin, and of course Rick Springfield.

Also: if you directed a music documentary, would it be good?

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Don't Look Back with Ray Padgett Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is about "Don't Look Back", a 1967 doc about Bob Dylan directed by D. A. Pennebaker.

Our guest for this episode is Ray Padgett, author of "Pledging My Time: Conversations With Bob Dylan Band Members", the Dylan Substack "Flagging Down the Double E's", and the "Every Tom Waits Song" Substack.

Don't Look Back is one of the most well-known and well-regarded music documentaries of all time. What is there to say? It's Don't Look Back for chrissakes. Enjoy our conversation about the movie with Ray, a true Dylan head and a lovely gent.

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts

Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

X: The Unheard Music with Juliana Hatfield Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is about "X: The Unheard Music", a 1986 doc about the LA-based punk legends X. The movie was directed by W.T. Morgan.

Our guest for this episode is another legend: Juliana Hatfield!

Juliana is known for her many solo albums along with her work with the bands Blake Babies and the Lemonheads. Her new album, Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO, is out now. We can't get it out of our heads.

X: The Unheard Music features the band performing many of their classic songs (along with their cover of the Doors' "Soul Kitchen" featuring a very dadcore Ray Manzarek). In between, we get to spend some time with each of the band members as they discuss their lives and the evolution of the band.

D.J. Bonebrake plays a Benny Goodman tune on the vibraphone! John Doe and Exene Cervenka cover Hank Williams! We get a revealing conversation from a clown-ass record executive explaining why he chose to sign long-forgotten 80s rockers Point Blank over X! What more could you possibly want?

Also: did you know that Hollywood has a dark underbelly?

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

The Last Waltz with Julia Swanson Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

It's our 2nd annual Thanksgiving look at The Last Waltz. This time we're joined by Julia Swanson, noted superfan of the late Robbie Robertson.

Plus: imagine all of the guests at the Last Waltz got sick and had to cancel at the last minute. Who among the constellation of rock stars circa 1976 would you draft for your very own Last Waltz team?

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts

Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Anvil! The Story of Anvil with Left-Handed 2nd Baseman Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

Today's episode is about "Anvil! The Story of Anvil", a 2008 doc about the then-obscure Canadian heavy metal band Anvil. The film was directed by Sacha Gervasi.

Our guest for this episode is Fran Broderick, who records as Left-Handed 2nd Baseman. Check out his new album "The Dogs Race to the Door" and more at lh2b.com.

The movie follows the band's two core members, childhood friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner, as they confront the challenges of being middle-aged rockers who never found the success they felt they deserved. Lips and Robb work delivery and construction jobs, scrape together gigs, and try to support their families while continuing to chase their rock star dreams. We see them go through a calamitous European tour, a heated album recording process, and various ups and downs (more downs than ups, to be honest).

The movie is an enduring classic because Lips and Robb are such loveable, sympathetic characters. Lips' heartfelt, inspirational speeches are unforgettable. Regardless of whether you are a metalhead or a metal-agnostic, you can't help but root for these guys.

\m/

Rock Docs is a Treble Media Podcast hosted by David Lizerbram & Andrew Keatts Twitter: @RockDocsPod Instagram: @RockDocsPod Cover Art by N.C. Winters - check him out on Instagram at @NCWintersArt

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected