DVD Decadence

Power pop seems to be making something of a comeback, it seems to me. Maybe I'm just paying more attention these days. But there's a great deal of classic stuff out or coming out on DVD, mostly within the last couple of years.

For example, last night I watched my newly-arrived copy of Getting the Knack, a documentary which came out a few months ago outlining the rise and fall of the best-known act to come out of the era. A (probably unnecessary)confession: I loved them. Perhaps at some point I will dig out a picture of myself at thirteen, posed in front of a wall of posters and magazine clippings, all Knack-themed. It's a good film, really, and a good reminder that, while "My Sharona" continues to be annoyingly catchy, they were actually a good, solid pop band despite the hype. Personally, I had all but fogotten the Knuke the Knack campaign, which gets a pretty good-natured retelling here.

Similarly, Teenage Kicks, also released last year, tells the story of the Northern Irish popsters. It's particularly poignant because the film prominiently features the late John Peel, who helped break the act and always cited "Teenage Kicks" as his favorite song of all time. I also recently acquired, on CD, the first Undertones' record I ever owned, The Positive Touch, and was struck again by the magical combination of the writing of the O'Neill brothers, the unusual sounds they coaxed out of their guitars, and the indescribable voice of Ferghal Sharkey. It looks, from the DVD, as though the rift which split the band in the 80's remains unhealed. Sad, really.

And, according to Black Vinyl,

Work is also being done on a SHOES DVD which looks to include all 7 "official" SHOES videos; "Too Late", Tomorrow Night", "In My Arms Again", "Cruel You", "In Her Shadow", "When Push Comes To Shove" and "Feel The Way That I Do", interviews and even some concert footage! No release date is available, yet.

I'm the biggest dork about this band on the planet, and I've only seen a couple of these, so I am beyond excited.