The Damned - “Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead” Bluray/DVD

Wonderful look at punk's all-time greats

This long-awaited (and downright necessary) documentary was crafted by “Lemmy” filmmaker Wes Orshoski, so you know to expect a comprehensive and quality work full of historical documentation and intimate, honest portrayals of the band. You’d be accurate, as this is a wonderful and lovingly honest look at the boys nowadays, as well as their 40+ year history.

The nearly 2-hour running time is jam-packed with interviews with classic members Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Brian James, who unfortunately don’t all get along or play together these days, but all respect the times dating back to the band’s 1976 debut single, “New Rose”, which of course was the first “punk” vinyl single ever released, ahead of both the Sex Pistols and the Clash. The Damned never got the same acclaim or notoriety, sadly, as those bands, though their songwriting prowess, by my standards, far exceeded them. There is a bit of resentment from the members on their NOT being able to cash in on their history as well as the aforementioned, but that’s beside the point. The Damned are legends, and the fact that the original members are all alive and kicking (and playing music still) is a blessing we all have to be thankful for.

That said, “Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead” also features personal accounts and appreciation from interviews with peers like Chrissie Hynde, Mick Jones of the Clash, Don Lets, Lemmy, Billy Idol, Steve Diggle of the Buzzcocks, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd (who produced the band), Ian MacKaye, Jello Biafra, former members like Roman Jugg and Bryn Merck. Not to mention the chats with Fred Armisen (who professes a serious love for the band and manages to busk with the Captain here), Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode, Dexter Holland of Offspring, and others. It’s a serious and intensive look at the band’s history, with tons of live footage from all eras, including very early VHS clips alongside looks at recent gigs.

A treasure trove for Damned fans, this is the literal Damned bible on video. The package includes both a DVD and BluRay version, and there are plenty of nice bonuses added on, too. A great viewing for fans, both casual or hardcore. 

MVD Visual

Official Damned site

Depeche Mode - "30 Years At The Edge" 2xDVD

Reprising a couple of previously-released Depeche documentaries, this nicely-packaged set is unauthorized, but a wholly entertaining watch for fans of this influential electronic act.
Reflecting on a career that quickly rose from teen-dance pop to dark-edged electronica, these bios feature interviews with many Depeche collaborators, peers, and journalists, and offer critical analysis as well as review of the band's works.
I already reviewed part of this one, "Depeche Mode - The Dark Progression" here.
The other disc I wasn't familiar with, but it seems to have been released previously, as well, under different titles ("Random Access Memory" and "The Ministry Of Sound"), and is less valuable, even going so far as to interview a Depeche Mode cover band. Fans, beware of this dubious release. Anyone who's not seen any prior unauthorized documentary bios, pick this one up if it's cheap. (Pride DVD via MVD Visual)


Depeche Mode official site

Depeche Mode - "The Dark Progression" DVD

Reviewing these unauthorized documentaries is kinda tough. After all, they themselves are critical reviews. This particular one examines the origins and rise of England's masters of dark electronic pop/rock, from their days as the teeny new wavers of 'Speak & Spell' to the international rock superstardom of 'Violator' and 'Songs Of Faith And Devotion'. This one's nice in that it features interviews with peers like Gary Numan, OMD, and Thomas Dolby, as well as producers Gareth Jones, Dave Bascombe, and the usual critics and biographers. There's plenty of clips from Depeche's classic videos, and brief interviews with the band to round things off. Quite enjoyable for fans, as there's some nice little trivia included here. My only real gripe? The fact that the assessments only go on through 'Faith & Devotion' (that was 16 years ago, folks!) with no time given to the band's later years. So this one's probably a rehash/re-edit of an earlier release. Ah well. It's still a worthy addition to any serious fan's collection. Newbies? Head towards one of the group's fine 'best of' collections first. This is one strictly for the hardcore. (Chrome Dreams/Sexy Intellectual via MVD Visual)

Depeche Mode - "Sounds Of The Universe" CD

At this point in time, I'm not going to convince any of you non-DM fans to buy this. It's really what you'd expect from these oldster electro-rockers -- dark-edged electronic pop, with some hints of subversion among the anthemic hooks and 'ready-for-club-mix' beats. What I can do, however, is present old fans with a hint at what 'SOTU' has to offer. The integration of vocalist Dave Gahan as part-time songwriter hasn't hurt the band at all. And his vocals have really come together in recent years -- he's found his range and strengths. Gahan's now a perfect foil (and duet partner) with Martin Gore, and the two seem to blend their voices almost seamlessly in tracks like the opener, 'In Chains'. The lead-off single, 'Wrong', is a heavier and darker cut with a video that needs to be seen to be believed (I would have linked it below, but dmode.cm has disabled all embedding, sorry!). 'In Sympathy' is a funky little 80's-retro number, and another possible single. 'Jezebel' is the requisite M.Gore ballad, and as such is kinda melodramatic and schmaltzy, but that's DM, right? 'Sounds Of The Universe' is a strong album, for sure, but I can't help but feel that this is by-the-numbers Depeche Mode. Which for some bands, would be career-making. I'm just not thrilled. (Mute)

Depeche Mode website