Who knew they were so funny?

So I picked up the new documentary about The Police, Everyone Stares a) because I love The Police and b) the DVD was eight bucks at Best Buy. Ridiculous!

Anyway, the movie is shot almost entirely by drummer Stewart Copeland an a 16mm camera he bought near the beginning of the group's career. So you effectively get to watch the band's rise to stardom literally from inside the bubble. While it is notable for being quite possibly the only rock doc to do so, it is even more precious because it displays something about The Police heretofore unexamined.

They all had a wicked sense of humor.

Now, any fan of the band has the usual image burned into their head of headstrong Copeland warring with even more stubborn Sting and guitarist Andy Summers just turning his nose up at the whole situation. This is the myth. This is the image best summed up by the expletives written on Copeland's drums that were supposedly aimed at Sting.

Creative tensions certainly did exist, and Copeland doesn't shy away from them in the film. However, what seems to have gotten lost as the legend set was that the boys in the band played together because they, at the core, loved each other and had a really good time making music together! These are the moments uncovered in this movie. Andy Stewart is revealed to have a with rivaling Eric Idle's, "self-important" Sting is rather adept at clowning around and taking the piss out of himself, and Copeland reveals that while he always looked serious, it was primarily because he thought looked goofy when he smiled.

This is certainly a movie no fan should go without, but I think it actually has a lot to recommend it to the casual viewer as well. Period footage of The English Beat, the B52s, and the tour bus The Police shared with XTC (worth it to watch legendary tour manager Kim Fields' easily deciphered card trick performed with a sleepy looking Andy Partridge and few feet away.)

Anyway, I really enjoyed it.

__________
Unsuccessfully trying to change my mind.

So the piece I co-wrote about Catfish Haven has generated some healthy discussion and I like that. I felt, though, that maybe I was missing something so I went to catch the band perform their CD release show Saturday night. I was hoping they might turn me to their side and blow me away, but it was not to be. I stand by my original critical evaluation.

I did run into a fellow blogger at the show and it was certainly nice to meet Jessica after reading her site for the past few years, so I the evening wasn't a total wash. I also woke up the next morning to an email from Tony Pierce telling me he was in town and inviting me to a meet-up, but, alas, I had other plans. next time give me more than six hours notice and I'll be there Mr. Pierce!

__________
And finally, a warning.

Were you thinking of seeing Brian DePalma's attempt at film noir, The Black Dahlia? Don't. I used to say that G.I. Jane was the worst movie a had ever willingly seen. Well, now The Black Dahlia has knocked it off the list to take over the top spot. The only thing even vaguely recommendable about the movie is a hilarious four-minute dinner scene. Oh, and the usual DePalma inclusion of some over the top gore and as much naked lady / lesbian action as possible.

People, my party included, were literally laughing as we left the theater. I felt bad for the studio people there handing out surveys, but I did notice none of the questions on the survey had to do with the movie. All they cared about was what had gotten you to actually purchase tickets in the first place. In our instance it was a losing game of rock, paper, scissors between Photogal who wanted to see The Illusionist) and another person in our party (who, obvs, wanted to see The Black Dahlia.)

Something tells me next time we'll get our way without any argument.

__________
Ending on a high note.

I'll be doing a few review of their album in a few weeks, and hopefully I can twist someone at Chicagoist's arm to preview the band as well, but the new Spanish For 100 album is knocking me the fuck out.

I've been following them since their inception -- due in no small part to the presence of my good friend Aaron in the lead guitar position -- and while I've always enjoyed their discs, I never thought they accurately captured the group's live energy. Well, their new album, Say What You Want To Say To Me, does a pretty damn fine job of starting to harness that energy more effectively in the studio.

They'll be coming through town in a few weeks and performing at Subterranean with some local favorites (more about that as the date (um, October 7) draws closer) but I reckon it can't hurt to give you a taste of the new disc. So here is the opening track from the new album. Prepare to have your eyebrows seared off.

Spanish For 100 "Attack!"
Awesome, huh?