Excerpts from Electric Degeneration, Degenerate Press' semi-weekly e-zine, free and ad-free. A full episode contains sections for music reviews, upcoming events, blasphemy, classifieds, and anything else we feel like saying. If you'd like to subscribe just contact us.
You can surf the entire archive.
6/2/2005
DEGENERATES ABROAD
Our Puerto Rican review is up:
http://www.degeneratepress.com/travel/puerto_rico_2005
FILM FLAM/EAR PLUGS
Wednesday we headed over to Landmark Midtown Art Cinema to see Rock School, a
documentary about the Paul Green School of Rock Music. But before the film began
we were treated to a short performance by Diamonds Rage, a group of 16-17
year-olds in a local summer camp for musicians, Camp Jam. Diamonds Rage do
straight up rock with some degree of skill. They missed on a few notes or beats
and their thrashing and posing seemed a bit put-on, especially in front of a
seated movie theater crowd, but they obviously enjoy what they do and they were
better than some local acts I've seen. They did a couple of original tunes,
vaguely reminding me of local act Motor 76 (formerly The Ditchdiggers.) Their
t-shirts spoke of their influences, Aerosmith and AC/DC, which came through in
their classic hard rock sound. Not great, but definitely not bad for beginners!
Rock School follows the kids who are attending Paul Green's after school program
for wannabe rock stars, age 9-17. Well, some of the kids want to be rock stars.
Some of them are typical fuck-ups who don't practice and are there because they
don't fit in any where else. And some of the kids are there because their
parents wanted to be rock stars but weren't so now they hope to live vicariously
through their talentless children who struggle with music beyond their
capabilities. A generation ago these kids might've been shipped off to baseball
practice or piano lessons, but these days it's ok if kids want to rock, or their
parents want them to.
And some of these kids ROCK. I couldn't help but think the current generation of
rock stars are only years away from being overtaken by these kids. The music on
today's radio is literally child's play to some of the kids in Rock School. So
what will they do next?
Paul Green's technique might offend some folks. He curses and screams and rages
at the kids like some kind of rock and roll drill sergeant, "Goddammit, you
can't make a mistake, not during Rebel Yell!!" Sometimes it's funny, sometimes
it's not, and let's hope nobody from the Christian Right sees this flick 'cause
there's a long series of clips where Paul hails Satan, only half jokingly, and
gets the kids to join along. Jack Black is a Disney character by comparison.
Paul tries to be larger than life, but despite the size of his mouth it's the
kids who are the charmers in this film. When they travel to Germany to perform
at a Frank Zappa fest and win over not just the crowd but a former Zappa band
member it's a misty-eyed moment.
Rock School is rated R for language but appropriate for any wanna be rock stars
of all ages, so take the kids.
For more, see
www.rockschoolthemovie.com
 |
Take
me to Degenerate Press' home page! All content on this site is owned by Degenerate Press and cannot be used without our permission. We have lawyers for friends with nothing better to do than cause trouble (no kidding), so play nice. Copyright © 2005, All Rights Reserved |