Review of It Might Get Loud (2008) by Edith N — 04 Apr 2010

Even Guitar Gods Have Gods.

First, let me note that I've put a review into today's blog because the system is screwy. So it's there, but I'm posting here, because the system doesn't count blogs as having posted.

U2 fandom is another of those things about myself which I'm starting to have to measure in decades, plural. Not since the beginning; the band's as old as I am and their success isn't much younger. Still, you know, a long time. I've never been much into Zeppelin; Heather actually made me listen to "Stairway to Heaven" about four times in rapid succession this summer, because it was not as funny to her as it was to me that I'd never actually heard it. Which is funny, given that I have a cousin who was a member of a band that did Zeppelin covers, actually with some amount of fame. (Dread Zeppelin, for the curious.) As for The White Stripes, they hit after I'd stopped listening much to new music. (Because I'm old.) What's more, while I have a guitar, I haven't played it in ages. By now, actually, I'm afraid to; the thing tunes very badly, and I don't know where my electric tuner is. At any rate, though, I do find the inner workings of performers--of artists in general, I think--fascinating, so when I heard that this documentary even existed, I know I wanted to watch it.

Because what this is, is Jimmy Page, The Edge, and Jack White sharing music. There are other biographical bits outside the soundstage where they're talking--and playing--including Edge's travels back to his old school, the place where he met the other members of what would become U2. There are archival clips of the three men playing with their respective bands, of other musicians who influenced them a great deal. They talk about how they got started in music, how they got instruments the first time, how they play now. The three men sit on a platform in the middle of this enormous soundstage, and it's all about the music. The goal seems to be a "descending generation" kind of thing. No matter how you look at it, though, it's a crying shame that there does not appear to be a soundtrack album available. There totally should be.

Really, when you think about the electric guitar, it's pretty much impossible to avoid thinking of rock. There are jazz electric guitarists, but not many. The folk crowd have never really forgiven Dylan for his guitar. You don't get guitars much at all in most music--they're challenging in marching bands, I can tell you. Rock and roll created this instrument in any practical sense, and the instrument then turned around and defined rock. Jimmy Page is a phenomenally famous man, and he doesn't sing. He plays guitar, man. Eric Clapton sings, and well, but it's not how you think of him. Heck, even Elvis springs to mind with a guitar strapped around his neck. A whole industry has sprung up around this instrument that is just about to turn eighty, and it may well be impossible to overestimate its impact. Yeah, Edge plays his with all kinds of bells and whistles, producing music which could not be reproduced by one guy on an acoustic. On the other hand, it's made quite clear in the movie that he can play a lot of things that a lot of other people will never be able to no matter how much they practice. At heart, it's still the guitar.

This review is short by one paragraph. I don't normally post short reviews, but I'm making an exception here. The thing is, I have nothing else to say. Really. I spent an hour and a half intrigued and entertained, loving the music, listening to them jam. It's not the best documentary I've ever seen, but it's a good documentary, and I'm serious about the wish for a soundtrack. Still, I'm posting the four paragraphs I have. This is because I really, really think people should see this movie, but there's really little to say about it. I mean, is the basic concept of the jam session awesome? Yes. Yes, it is. Is the biographical stuff interesting? Sure! I learned that The Edge wrote the lyrics to "Sunday Bloody Sunday," only one of U2's best songs. I might even check out some White Stripes music. If a soundtrack comes out? I will assuredly spend money on it. So if you're at all interested in the music, go for the movie. If you're not, try it anyway. No, I didn't give it a 10, and no, it doesn't deserve it. It does deserve to be seen.