[TypicalGirls] Kill Your Idols
sasscer1 at bellsouth.net
sasscer1 at bellsouth.net
Sat Jul 8 10:43:43 EDT 2006
A Brief Review of Kill Your Idols
curently playing in manhattan, palm pictures/blockbuster distribution may mean its coming to a theater or video store near you
This is the No Wave film by S.A. Crary, a chronological and slightly social history of downtown NYC's No Wave of the late 70's, interviews with 80's torch carriers Swans and Sonic Youth, and winding up with several bands who emerged on the rock radar in the early 2000's that have supposedly tangential roots to the No Wave; the giggly Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the grouchy A.R.E. Weapons, the unnecessary Black Dice, and the great Liars (pre de-bassing).
Mr. Crary did a very fine technical job; titles of 'chapters' each have their own little video/music montage, the editing and sound is very smooth, the photography is fine. Much of the archival footage is understandably rough, although it is a treat to actually see some of it at all. I wish there were more complete performances, but this was not a concert film.
The first shot, and the first sounds, correctly go to Marty Rev of Suicide, and they (and he) sound great. There are various ways to identify No Wave music, but two that were prominent in the film were the inner angst of the musicians and the aggressive, confrontational expressions of it in sound and performance, and the 'anti-blues' chord choices/sequences/structures of the songs, and Suicide was there first.
A quick montage takes us through the Dolls/Ramones/Television/CBGB era and its time for No New York. Of the bands on that album, Contortions get short shrift, and Mars are virtually absent (I believe Arto Lindsay mentions an early art magazine attempt by himself and Mark Cunningham, but no footage of Mars, and precious little (if any) music. There are several clips of DNA and Teenage Jesus, I think all of which have been copied/distributed before, although not widely and are nevertheless great to experience.
Not surprisingly, Lydia Lunch gets a lot of air time, which was great with me. What was surprising was an old news clip of a (14? 15?) year old Lydia dressed like a suburban teenybopper club hopper circa 1975 (cusp of disco era), telling the newscaster that she likes getting into clubs and meeting the musicians because she 'likes to fuck them' Much is made of her sexuality, her personal angst, most of it not flattering, and her assured comments are as sure to divide reactions today as they probably did back then. Personally, I agreed with virtually everything she said.
Arto Lindsay comes across as arty, poetic, and vague, with some sharp insights and a gentle, relaxed humor. He seems like a great person to have dinner with, to hang out with for an evening. DNA's music is unassailable, and Arto tells a bit about his/their motivations, but no new revelations.
Glenn Branca was the other original 70's scenster who was extensively interviewed, and he talks as much about the others as about his own work. I don't remember much, if any, Theoretical Girls video, precious little music, and little or none of the guitar symphonies.
Michael Gira of Swans and Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth are all given some time to explain their backstories and I must say that one of the distinguishing factors to me of this music (70's and early 80's incarnations) is the intelligence of the artists, and the fact that 'art' is an operative word. Maybe it would be truer to say that these guys were more self-concious as artists (like the 60' English Invasion bands, so many came out of art school), but they are all articulate, critical thinkers, and seem fairly well rounded in their subsequent life education, not a common thing in fringe rockers as a rule.
'Articulate, critical thinkers' however, would not apply to the newer bands, at least on the evidence in this film. (Liars may be an exception, I confess they are the only band of this current crop that I follow, and I really like their work.). I have no idea what the fuck A.R.E. Weapons are about, and am not likely to pursue the answer anytime soon. Black Dice get some points for pure noise, but they didn't invent it, and one of the tenents of the no wave (of ART, of Ezra Pound), is MAKE IT NEW! !!
Karen O has sex appeal, Nick Zinn plays great guitar, the Yeahs have a real good drummer in Brian, and that first Ep with Art Star was great, but they are a POP band, full stop. No more relevant to No Wave than the Strokes.
The film has some humorous and at times insightful comments from the guy in Gogol Bordello, but his band is not at all no wave, and I guess his appearance in the film is due to geography (ie; they are based in New York).
Now, if I come across as as a grouchy old timer ('tings jest ain' da way dey usta be), fair enough, although in my defense, that attitude comes across from the first generation of no wavers, too. Jim Sclavunos (sp?) and others seem uncomfortable with any connection between this newer crop of musicians and what went on in the 70's, although if the geographical constraints were taken off and bands from Chicago's great no wave scene of the 90's, or the japanoise people, or Rough Trade, etc. were brought up, I think the grappa might come out and shouts of 'paisano!' might be heard.
T.
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