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I’ve been rewatching documentaries a lot this week. Sometimes like wallpaper, just on in the background. Picking up things here and there. I’m usually just going to include a trailer (if I can find it online) or a song or two here. It all depends on what form my consumption takes.

I’ll start with this one.

Lightning Bolt is one of my absolute favourite bands and this, The Power of Salad, is a documentary following them on a 2001 tour through the USA. If you’re a fan of the band and haven’t seen this, see it! If you’re curious about some extreme music that falls on the slightly more conventional side of extreme, see it. This link is for the entire documentary. It’s been up since 2017, so I don’t think it’s getting taken down anytime soon. 

I’ve been listening to Howlin’ Rain this week. A real throwback band featuring Ethan Miller of Comets on Fire. They’ve got a real classic southern rock sound for modern times. 

I’ve watched the documentary Unknown Passage; The Dead Moon Story and been listening to Dead Moon as well. A husband, wife & friend band that ran from 1987 till 2017, with a break from 2006-2014. The lead singer, guitarist, songwriter and husband, Fred Cole, unfortunately passed away in 2017. He got his start in 1964. Pretty amazing band. Complete DIY. Here’s the trailer for the documentary and This one is a full show from there hometown of Portland from 2015.

Saw the news about the My Bloody Valentine (1983-1997) reissues happening soon, and that got me thinking about other bands of that era & ilk. Started listening to Loop, initially running from 1986-1991. Here’s a clip from 120 Minutes from MTV Europe

Moved on from them to one of my absolute favourite bands, The Telescopes. Started in 1987 and still going now. Here’s an astounding clip of a 30 year old (at the time) band.

I’ve been reading Will Oldham on Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy by Alan Licht & Will Oldham. 

It’s a book length interview with Will Oldham (aka. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy). Will always seemed like such an enigma to me for so long. He was always said to be somewhat cantankerous and evasive during interviews. Slowly it feels like  he lifted the veil on himself, his process, his life and we are the better for it. This is one of my favourite finds of Wills. During the pandemic/lockdown, he did a zoom discussion with Louisville Academy of Music, a group of youngsters answering questions about his process and playing some music. As a slight aside, Will and Bill Callahan did a series of collaborations over the lockdown with various other. Well worth checking out too.

I’ll add to this as the week goes on.

Here’s a playlist of some of the stuff I’ve been talking about here and a few more things that have been going through my senses