Without a shadow of a doubt, documentary making is a difficult thing to master. I know, I was fortunate enough to make a short one on Boston United many moons ago in my college days. Balancing what is going to be of interest to the viewer and what is relevant to the cause is easier said than done, and more often than not, DIY productions can prove to be poorly produced and edited. Fortunately enough though, ‘Fifteen Years’ is a wonderous piece of film making, which gives a startling insight into the world of the Bouncing Souls.
Unlike other punk rock dvds which have been released, this is no mere collection of raw footage of the band fucking about on the bus or playing pranks on unsuspecting tour members. In ‘Fifteen years’ we see in great detail the rise of the band, the angst of losing childhood friend and drummer Shal, and the endless amount of effort, love and energy put into their music. A lot of ‘rockumentarys’ such as these turn out to be nothing more than Spinal Tap-esque shit (Not to see Spinal Tap were shit, their spoof film is fucking amazing), ‘Fifteen Years’ avoids all pit falls though and comes out shining.
Footage is culled from all current band members along with close friends and ex-roommates such as Timmy Chunks (who funded the label for their debut record release), Johnny X and the futon shop owner who gave the lads a decent wage and let the band grow. Luckily all featured seem comfortable in front of the camera and do nothing but reoice at the stories of old, the tangles they get themselves into and the quite frankly staggering parties they used to throw. The fact all members of the band and friends a-like recount stories with the same details and glow in their faces simply re-affirms the fact of what a closely knit punk rock wagon they are. But it is not all peaches and cream…
The gruelling tours the band put themselves under in front of near empty bars and clubs paid off down the line, but back in the day it left the band isolated and homeless, simply travelling in their mobile home ‘The Hoverpod’. Times like these are testament to the band that they have remained so tightly knitted. Tales recounting the mental anguish of frontman Greg Attonito and bassist Bryan Kienlen also give the film a darker edge as both came close to leaving the band at various points but the strength of the unity within held them together. Dark days indeed. The most sombre and tragic element is the recounting of drummer Shal leaving the band though. The emotion is written all over the remaining band members faces as they talk about the gradual breakdown of communications between the quartet and the eventual sacking of Shal. It is edited superbly and you genuinally feel the anguish which gushes through the TV screen.
So what of the extra’s? Well if the 140 minute documentary isn’t enough, you have extremely insightful recording diaries of the band from three previous albums, two short and hilariously crude films the band made, six music videos and the section where the band visit Buddy Hollys grave is both hilarious and dark at the same time. Plus a whol heap of more shorts.
It really is quite difficult to sum it all up, this dvd virtually redefines how music documentaries should be made. It has everything, and cannot possibly be faulted on a single level. It will appeal to all music and film fans, and doesn’t necessarily pigeon hole itself into the punk rock genre. It’s worth every penny.
Jay