Music Films

In our second episode of the season, we discuss Neil's superb, recently published book Music Films: Documentaries, Concert Films and Other Cinematic Representations of Popular Music.

We explore their significance, evolution, and the complexities surrounding their creation and reception, along with Neil's reflections on the challenges of writing for diverse audiences and the expectations of music fans. The conversation touches on the validity of music films in modern culture, the messiness of the genre, and the importance of representation, particularly regarding black artists and women in music. They also examine the ethical implications of music documentaries and the power dynamics at play in the portrayal of artists. 

Neil's book is so comprehensive we couldn't cover everything but some of the films under discussion include Don't Look Back (dir. D. A. Pennebaker, 1967), Lonely Boy (dir. Roman Kroitor and Wolf Koenig, 1962), Whatstaxx (dir. Mel Stuart), The Punk Singer (dir. Kathleen Hanna), In Bed with Madonna (dir. Alek Keshishian, 1991), The Last Angel of History (dir. John Akomfrah, 1996), American Interior (dirs. Dylan Goch, Gruff Rhys), Miss Americana (dir. Lana Wilson, 2020), and many more.

Here's a link to Dario's Substack article: 10 Music Films you may not seen (and are free on YouTube)

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Music Films and Their Impact

02:37 Neil's Journey with His Book

06:34 The Validity of Music Films in Modern Culture

08:54 Expanding the Canon of Music Films

11:31 The Messiness of Music Films

14:20 Writing for Diverse Audiences

17:23 Navigating the Expectations of Music Fans

19:50 The Balance of Coverage in Music Films

22:55 Exploring Authorial Voice in Music Documentaries

24:14 The Evolution of Music Film Styles

28:40 The Role of Technology in Music and Film

31:49 Gender Dynamics in Music Documentaries

34:31 Exploitation in Music Documentaries

37:28 The Complexity of Artist Representation

39:28 The Importance of Black Artists in Music Films

42:05 The Legacy of Music Documentaries

46:46 Women in Music: A Historical Perspective

50:47 The Power Dynamics in Music Films

55:32 The Ethics of Music Documentaries

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Music Credits:

‘Theme from The Cinematologists’

Written and produced by Gwenno Saunders. Mixed by Rhys Edwards. Drums, bass & guitar by Rhys Edwards. All synths by Gwenno Saunders. Published by Downtown Music Publishing.