Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, And Rage (2021)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

Maybe it’s time to—I don’t know—stop hosting Woodstock? I don’t know, while the original concert was something, as the documentary accurately explains, romanticized, it was also a disaster. It also acted as a means for a whole generation to blow off steam and wreak havoc. 1999’s “Woodstock” which ushered millennials in to a new century ended up not just as pure chaos and mayhem, but it indicated that new generation were just getting fed up with the boomer generation. Not to say that those that were involved in the massive riot and incident at the 1999 Woodstock concert were justified, but were coming off a tumultuous decade.

Not only did we have to deal with wars and recessions, and the implosion of idols like Bill Clinton and OJ Simpson, but we ended it all on a massive school shooting that foreshadowed darker times.

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Jimi Plays Monterey (1986)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

People like Jimi Hendrix come along only once every so often. If we’re lucky they enrich our lives with amazing, outstanding art for decades to come, but too often they fizzle out in their prime as Jimi Hendrix did. Although a lot of Hendrix is recalled through is iconic performance at Woodstock, Hendrix also pretty much blew everyone out of their seats in the equally important Monterey Pop concert in 1968. With his ability to take control of the crowd with his smooth words, sultry vocals and extraordinary guitar licks, Hendrix was in a league all his own.

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Blurred Lines (2022)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

In 2013, pop music artist Robin Thicke released a massive hit song alongside music producer Pharrell called “Blurred Lines.” The song became almost iconic, but it also instantly became infamous. Robin Thicke was accused of stealing the tune to Marvin Gaye’s “Gotta Give it Up” by Gaye’s family estate. Despite their initial denial, Robin Thicke and Williams were taken to court and forced testify, leading to a startling musical precedent that also ruined Robin Thicke’s career momentum.

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Nightclubbing: The Birth of Punk Rock in NYC (2022)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

“Max’s was where punk was a movement; CBGB’s is where you went to get a record deal.”

I’ll admit that while I’m very well versed in the history of rock and roll, I almost never heard of Max’s Kansas City. I always heard about CBGB’s throughout my life, but almost never heard about Max’s Kansas City. The club was known as the premiere scene for not just rock and roll stars, but movie stars, celebrities, tabloid makers, and anyone that the alternative scene could produce. There’s a very fascinating story behind Max’s Kansas City and how it set the template for the punk rock scene, but never really got the credit it deserved. All the while CBGB’s was almost universally heralded.

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The History of Metal and Horror (2022)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

It should serve as no surprise that heavy metal and horror go hand in hand. If there’s horror there’s bound to be a heavy metal fan. If there’s heavy metal, you’re sure to come across at least a dozen hardcore horror geeks. But why do the music and the genre work so well together? Mike Schiff’s documentary “The History of Metal and Horror” is a great look at the history of the genre and the roots of heavy metal that are deeply embedded in the roots of horror. Schiff leaves no stone unturned going back to medieval times and dropping us right down in to modern times.

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Making Of Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1983)

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Felix Vasquez

1983’s “Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” is a documentary I watched so much as a kid. I fondly recall my uncle owning a copy of it on VHS and while he lived with me and my family, we’d sit down with him and watch this almost everyday. Despite it being a pretty basic documentary by today’s standards, for 1983, “Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” was humongous. Not only was it a look behind the scenes of the biggest video of 1983 and perhaps of all time, but it was an important video release that changed pretty much everything.

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