From their website: “BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES tells the story of American music at this precarious moment. Filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen traveled the country, hoping to understand why mainstream music seems so packaged and repetitive, and whether corporations really had the power to silence musical innovation. The answers they found on this journey–ultimately, the promise that the future holds–are what makes BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES both riveting and exhilarating.”
I just finished watching this for the second time because it’s so great. A thoughtful look into what the music industry is and isn’t from those that have been there. Highly recommended.
The best part? If you sign up for free at bside.com you get 1 free movie credit that you can use to download this. Bside.com: Before The Music Dies
Film Trailer:
If you watch it, I’d love to hear what you think too.
Anthony Volodkin
Taylor McKnight
Zoya Feldman
Scott Kidder
John Schimmel
Taylor,
I got home from a day at the studio, downloaded this and just finished watching it. Awsome-very well done. Great interviews with interesting people from Scooter to Les Paul to Branford Marsalis to Clapton. Really cool to hear the perspectives of established artists about the state of our business. The theme of a lot of the artists’ comments was about returning to the core of what creating music is all about. Les Paul’s comment that what is happening now is a returning to, or “getting back” to the heart of music was powerful. I like Bruce’s (from ATO) comment that from ATO’s perspective and the way they conduct themselves, the music business is really healthy. This movie was full of people who are envisioning the future and helping to shape it and that in and of itself is just plain good.
Everyone who is in Cannes at MIDEM right now, needs to watch this movie.
January 30, 2008 @ 3:38 am
I saw this a year ago. Do check it out.
January 30, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
I think that anyone who loves music, needs to see this film! After seeing it, I forced all of my friends to watch it as well. Great movie, that really helps to explain some of the reasons that music is on the decline.
February 2, 2008 @ 10:22 pm
Can anyone tell me how to get the soundtrack, or at least a way to view the songs on the soundtrack?
February 5, 2008 @ 10:42 pm
I just saw it on either Sundance or IFC and it was good, and timely, and damn near essential — but not great. There are a lot of stories related to the sorry state of the music biz today that made me think that Clapton and Dave Matthews are not really the best representatives of the real problems. Both have healthy careers that have nothing to do with current record sales and airplay. It’s nice that Dave’s label ATO can sign and help acts, but “There’s This Band” story from 1994 still resonates so much… and the fact that the entertainment corporations (movie studios included) shoot themselves in the foot marketing- and image-wise every time new technology sweeps the listening public and “threatens” their “business model.”
A good doc is waiting to be made on the history (ongoing) of GREED and usury in the music business.
February 7, 2008 @ 1:28 pm
More centered on a specific scene within the industry (art rock/post punk)…but still…the same story…told much more disturbingly: check out the documentary KILL YOUR IDOLS. Proof that even the underground isn’t safe anymore. Trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfw1pZsAUqI
I think KYI is floating around Sundance or IFC, too. I know it’s on DVD already. BTMD was a bit too…obvious? Both are worth the time and worry.
February 11, 2008 @ 10:08 am
Music will never die, it will always be needed somewhere. When the smoke clears, music will be one of the last survivors.
February 25, 2008 @ 5:46 pm