Supersonic hasn’t even had it’s official release and yet the Oasis documentary is already making headlines after Noel Gallagher allegedly shunned it’s premiere.
With their notorious history of great songs and even greater arguments, Supersonic promises to be one of the best music documentaries of recent times.
But while we wait patiently for it to have its cinema release on 14th October, here are eleven other music documentaries you can feast your eyes (and ears) on in the meantime.
1. Made Of Stone
Photo: Warp Films
The other Manchester band characterised by infighting and break-ups, Shane Meadows took a break from directing This Is England to put together a compelling documentary on The Stone Roses.
Meadows follows Ian Brown, John Squire, Mani and Reni as they embark on a European tour following their 2012 reformation.
Meadows doesn’t even try to play down his love for the band, making this a must-see film for fans of the Stone Roses, by a fan of the Stone Roses.
2. Beef
Photo: Image Entertainment
The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Blur and Oasis. Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. Some rivalries in music are generated by the media, others in a bid to increase record sales – but some are very real, and this film focuses on the latter.
Beef documents the history of hip-hop feuds, what drives them, and how they can lead to some of the greatest music of our time (and some of the most tragic deaths). Featuring interviews with the likes of Jay Z, DMX and Snoop Dogg, this film offers a startling picture of some of the most notorious music conflicts in living memory.
3. Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Photo: Abramorama
You may have watched This Is Spinal Tap! And thought to yourself, “What band is actually like that?” Anvil. Anvil are actually like that.
This documentary takes a look at the almost-famous Canadian metal band from the 1980s as they try to hold on to the brief amount of fame they once had, discovering what it’s like for a band to try and stay relevant. You occasionally find yourself wondering whether this is a documentary or a comedy.
4. The Great Hip-Hop Hoax
Photo: BBC Scotland
So often bands and artists are criticised for “selling out”, changing their style or their music to make the most of commercial opportunities – but what is it actually like to do that?
The Great Hip-Hop Hoax follows the lives of two rappers from Scotland who changed everything from their clothes to their accents to have a shot at fame. A fascinating and sometimes hilarious exposé of the music industry, and what happens when it all crumbles around you.
5. Pearl Jam 20
Photo: Tremolo Productions
In the early 1990s, the music scene was awash with grunge bands from Seattle as the mainstream welcomed outsiders with open arms. Of those who emerged from the Washington wilderness, only Pearl Jam have survived the last 25 years intact.
This documentary looks back at the makings of the grunge scene, what it’s like when the alternative becomes the norm, and how to survive as a group when all those around you fall.
6. Marley
Photo: Shangri-La Entertainment
One of the most instantly recognisable musicians on the planet, as well as one of the most influential, Bob Marley brought reggae music out of Jamaica and gave it to the world.
This documentary charts Marley’s rise from the streets of a small village called Nine Mile to international superstardom, and how he had to deal with racial issues and violence in his home country.
As well as his music, the film also covers Marley’s involvement in Rastafari and the impact that had on his tragically short life.
7. American Hardcore
Photo: AHC Productions
An oral history of the close-knit DIY punk scene in 1980s America, featuring contributions from some of the people that made hardcore one of the best-kept secrets in music.
Members of Black Flag, Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Fugazi offer their memories of a music scene that heavily relied on the help of one another to get their music to different cities, bands in different studios, gigs in different venues, and floors in different houses to sleep on.
8. 20 Feet From Stardom
Photo: Tremolo Productions
A film shining the spotlight on those who are sometimes in the shadows, 20 Feet From Stardom focuses the camera on the backing singers of some of the most celebrated musicians in history, as the likes of Mick Jagger and Stevie Wonder discuss those they often share a stage with.
The winner of Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars in 2014, 20 Feet From Stardom gives a voice to those voices which are normally hidden by those far more famous.
9. Amy
Photo: Film4
The story of Amy Winehouse is one that everybody may think they already know; a woman whose life was played out in tabloid newspapers, with every drink she had and every rehab she checked into.
The truth, as this documentary seeks to show, is that she was a musician with an amazing voice and phenomenal songwriting ability, but personal issues and addictions that would prematurely end her life. A touching and intimate film that’s best approached with an open mind.
10. Searching For Sugar Man
Photo: Red Box Films
Searching for Sugar Man charts the journey of two men in their quest to locate a musician known as Rodriguez, whose albums inspired a generation of people during Apartheid-era South Africa, but had long been rumoured to have passed away before his time.
Their pursuit leads them down a surprising, but heartwarming and inspiring path. In an industry of egos, it’s difficult to find a man as unassuming as Sixto Rodriguez.
11. Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
Photo: Parallel Films Productions
Safety pins, tartan, 1977 and all that. Punk came and went within almost the blink of an eye but its legacy and influence lives on nearly 40 years later.
This documentary hones in on the life of Joe Strummer, founding member of The Clash, and how he became one of the mostly highly regarded anti-establishment icons in music. The film uses documentary footage of Strummer, as well as interviews with the likes of Johnny Depp, Bono and Martin Scorsese, to tell the story of the man behind songs such as White Riot and London Calling.
