Six Must-See Music Docs You Probably Haven't Heard Of
By Leah Meyers
We’ve all been there: you’re slumped on your couch, surfing the Netflix menu for 20 minutes, trying to figure out what to watch. When you’re interested in learning the history of your favorite band, genre, producer or music festival, turn to documentaries. You’ve probably seen or at least heard of the classics: “Gimme Shelter,” “The Last Waltz,” “Amy,” “Never Say Never” and “Woodstock.” Here are some other well-done but not so well-known documentaries to check out ASAP:
“Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon” (2013)
Produced and directed by Mike Myers, the documentary follows talent manager Shep Gordon as he boldly travels across the country to Los Angeles after graduating college and meeting Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. From there, his managing career took off through a rollercoaster of ups and downs. Now, Gordon resides peacefully in a home in Hawaii. The documentary features guest stars Alice Cooper, Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler and more.
2. “The Other F Word” (2011)
From punk rockers to dads, this documentary follows Jim Lindberg of Pennywise, Mark Hoppus of Blink 182, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tim McIlrath of Rise Against, as they must grow as adults into fatherhood and yet still produce a youth-energized sound. The commentary from the band members is hilarious as they recount stories from their rockstar past and compare it with their present day parenting.
3. “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” (2002)
We all know the classic Motown stars: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations and Gladys Knight & The Pips. But what about the house band that backed their tracks? “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” tells the secret story of the Funk Brothers, the name given to the house band of Motown studio musicians starting from 1959. Although not recognized, the Funk Brothers have created more top hits than some of the most well-known bands—even the Beatles!
4.“Alive Inside” (2014)
This documentary teamed up with nonprofit organization Music & Memory to explore how music can help elderly loved ones suffering with memory loss. Following Dan Cohen, the organization’s founder, the documentary shows first-hand how nostalgic songs can restore your sense of self, something that is so often lost with people suffering from Alzheimer’s.
5. “The Other One: The Long Strange Trip of Bob Weir” (2014)
Dead Heads, listen up! This documentary focuses on the life journey of Bob Weir, one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead, and his friendship with Jerry Garcia. It follows Weir chronologically throughout his life, beginning with his youth and concluding with life post-Grateful Dead.
6. “Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap” (2012)
Directed and produced by Ice-T, the documentary features some of the biggest names in hip hop and rap — Dr. Dre, Eminem, Bun B, Common and many more — and highlights the history of hip hop, along with their craft of writing rap music.