AMERICAN HARDCORE The History of American Punk Rock 1980 - 1986 RATING: 8/10 Buy now

By JEFF MAKI

For someone like me, who was only 7 or 8 years old and more interested in Star Wars figures than anything else when the hardcore scene started, American Hardcore is an excellent education in the '80s movement, giving diehards and new fans a look back at the early beginnings of Bad Brains, Minor Threat and Black Flag, along with a raw look into the scene.

Just because I was too young when hardcore emerged doesn't mean my words don't hold any merit. I guess the first real hardcore band I was into was Suicidal Tendencies back in the late '80s and early '90s. My metal years followed, with a late introduction to Minor Threat by a friend, leading me to where I am now, listening to a little bit of everything. American Hardcore gives great insight into what it was like in the early '80s for these bands. Centering around President Reagan's administration, hardcore was about going against the system, against the blue-collar working class and normal everyday life. The message and lifestyle was every bit as important as the music. Bands, labels and fanzines spread like wildfire from the east to west coast. Do-it-yourself was a way of life for hardcore bands, down to the album packaging and promotion, which simply used flyers and word of mouth. Bands played in abandoned buildings, friends' houses, wherever they could find space.

The documentary features interviews with dozens of band members and other key figures of the hardcore scene, including Keith Morris of the Circle Jerks (true fact: Live-Metal's Ryan Mavity recently roomed with Keith Morris in L.A.), Harley Flanagan (Cro-Mags), H.R. (Bad Brains) and, the one and only, Henry Rollins (Black Flag). The interviews run short (each clip is roughly 15 to 45 seconds), but they combine to effectively tell the story. By far, the best and most interesting interviews are with Rollins and Minor Threat's Ian MacKaye. MacKaye talks about the beginnings for Minor Threat, his controversial lyrics, the relationship they had with Bad Brains and the straight-edge movement. MacKaye sounds the most intelligent and his words make absolute sense as he covers everything down to the origins of the term "hardcore". In fact, as the DVD roles on, the viewer slowly becomes aware that Minor Threat was largely responsible for the entire hardcore movement. Henry Rollins is next best, talking about joining Black Flag, police brutality at shows and relationships he had with other bands. There is plenty of footage: short, grainy and sometimes black and white. One can't help but appreciate the rawness of the look and sound, not to mention Rollins with long curly hair, though still shirtless and wearing his spandex shorts.

The violence that accompanied hardcore is not something I was completely aware of. From police shutting down shows and beating up kids to rival band members, violence is an integral part of the genre's history. Be sure to catch the clip of Rollins on stage, pummeling the faces of attacking fans, all of which appears to be in good fun. We also get a few snippets of commentary from the heavy metal world: Phil Anselmo (Superjoint Ritual/Down), Hank III and Wino (The Obsessed, The Hidden Hand), among others.

Throughout the movie, a map of the United States is used with band logos pin-pointing their locations and making it easier to distinguish the different scenes. I hadn't even heard of many of the bands that are mentioned. The documentary is extremely detailed, with perhaps too many interviews and not enough live footage. But remember, this was in the early '80s, long before much of the technology we have available to us today. The interviews jump around quite a bit, lending to a little disorganization, but in the end, everything ties together until the end of the movement is explained.

American Hardcore thoroughly explains the rise and fall of the hardcore movement. I could have done with more live footage and some montages accompanied by the music, but this isn't a rock video. Much like the scene, the DVD is raw, sometimes sloppy, but highly educational. If you think about it, hardcore was basically the bridge between punk rock and heavy metal. You have to wonder if bands like Pantera would have been the way we know them without the influence of hardcore. I highly recommend this film to hardcore fans and those interested in music history.

There are some bonus features, including live footage from select bands. There also is a soundtrack on CD, which is sold separately. Check that out here.