What Happened, Miss Simone? is a must-see for any musician. (Image via bet.com)
Everyone's flipping out over the N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton, and rightfully so. They were a game-changing group not only for rap, but also for culture as a whole. Excitement for the film, which is Dre- and Ice Cube-approved, is totally justified. (We're pumped too!) But there's a whole other slew of other music history must-sees that have been released in the past few years, each of them illuminating and inspiring in their own right.
The docs below are only a handful of what should seriously be required viewing for musicians, but to avoid overwhelming our students, we've narrowed the list to five newer films conveniently streaming on Netflix. Because, you know, you also have that N.W.A. biopic to check out.
1. What Happened, Miss Simone?
This incredibly moving documentary uses interviews with the late legendary soul singer, as well as snippets from her personal journals, adding a special intimacy to the narration of Simone's struggles and successes. Also included are conversations with her daughter and husband, who doubled as her manager throughout most of her career, as well as the musicians with whom she performed. Simone was an immensely talented singer and pianist; a committed, impactful activist in the Civil Rights movement; and, in general, a very complex, intense woman, and the film illuminates it all.
2. Beware of Mr. Baker
This is, admittedly, the only film on the list I haven't yet seen, and it's about a musician I'm not totally knowledgeable about – but it's definitely next on my list. The subject is Ginger Baker, the drummer for Cream who, to this day, remains one the instrument's most famous and influential players. Commentary comes courtesy from the likes of Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols and PiL, Stewart Copeland of the Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Carlos Santana, and in the trailer, Baker's dubbed a "virtuoso madman." Even without having watched it, I think it's fair to assume this is a good one.
3. The Punk Singer
This doc offers only slightly more than Riot Grrrl 101 – the focus here is Kathleen Hanna first and foremost. Still, for anyone who's only passively familiar with the movement, there's a lot to discover in there about Bikini Kill, their role in riot grrrl, and the mark it left on feminism. Even those who were actually there for its '90s heyday, though, will likely appreciate the show footage and candid interviews with Hanna and other pioneering musicians.
4. Muscle Shoals
Learning about the legendary FAME Studios, where hits like the Staple Singers' "I'll Take You There" and "Respect Yourself" and the Stones' "Brown Sugar" were crafted and recorded, should be mandatory for all musicians and industry professionals. There's even more history within and linked to the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, studios than that: it was a go-to for Atlantic and Stax Records throughout the '60s, and the session band, nicknamed The Swampers, was responsible for some of the biggest hits of the era. Those players, their studio, and the one where they started, plus its original owners, all made crucial contributions to soul, blues, and rock 'n' roll since the '50s, and that's only a portion of the story.
5. The Wrecking Crew
Like the Los Angeles version of the Swampers of Muscle Shoals, the Wrecking Crew consisted of esteemed session players on who helped shape countless hits, particularly throughout the '60s and '70s. The Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, the Mamas and the Papas, the Carpenters, Nat King Cole, and Cher are just a few of the artists who were backed in the studio by this incredibly talented and prolific group. This doc reveals a slice of history mostly unknown to the public, and lauds their masterful and remarkably significant work to the degree it should have been all along.
Jhoni Jackson is an Atlanta-bred music journalist currently based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she juggles owning a venue called Club 77, freelance writing and, of course, going to the beach as often as possible.
