Monday, August 17, 2009

It Might Get Loud (Must See Film!)

I saw a fantastic documentary over the weekend: It Might Get Loud. It's absolutely the best music documentary I've ever seen (and I've seen tons of 'em).

It Might Get Loud is fly-on-the-wall insight into the inspirations and creative processes of Jimmy Page, U2's The Edge, and White Stripes' / Racanteurs' Jack White...three generations of rock musicians playing the records that influenced them (yes, we're talking honest to goodness vinyl here), playing music (separately and together), and explaining techniques they used to develop their trademark sounds on their most well-known tracks.

It's the stuff that most musicians get together and talk about and do...only, this is on 11. It's the stuff every guitarist, if they had the chance, would want to learn from or talk about with their idol.

If you think you know music, or you think you know these guys' music, or you think you know guitars, or even if you think you don't like these particular musicians, watch this movie and think again! It's absolutely inspiring. (And I'm pretty damn jaded.)

Highlights: Jimmy Page breaking into impromptu air guitar while listening to one of his favorite records. The Edge going through a box of his 4-track demo recordings and letting us hear some of the tracks that later became U2 songs. The opening scene of the film with Jack White. The three of them sitting in a circle on a huge soundstage with their guitars but making it seem like they're in a tiny room, and that we, the audience, are eavesdropping...bringing home the idea that THIS, the musical interaction of the circle, is what it's really all about.


Best moment: the gleam in The Edge's eyes as he moves closer to watch Jimmy Page play "Whole Lotta Love"...and Jack White's reaction. Priceless!

Disclosure of Endorsements/Recommendations/Financial Compensation or Business Relationships per FTC Blog Disclosure Regulations in effect December 1, 2009: In the 90's I worked for the talent agency that represented Jimmy Page and Robert Plant when they toured as Page-Plant, as well as for a concert promoter that presented some of their shows. But cool as that was, for me this documentary upped Jimmy Page's cool factor even more. This is the stuff of why I got into music. MusicBizAdvice.com, and, by extension, my blog, is an Amazon Associates music seller.

Am I too old to buy a Jimmy Page poster??? Just kidding...sort of.










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Randi Reed
Founder / Editor in Chief, MusicBizAdvice.com
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