DVD REVIEW
By Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler
Pale Griot Films
It’s about time that mutant punk/funk/ska trailblazing act Fishbone got its own Behind the Music. Much in the same way that Faith No More or Ween or Jane’s Addiction—eclectic, genre-blurring acts that inspired legions of cult-like followers but never captured complete mainstream success—Fishbone stands distinct on the musical map. And filmmakers Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler have distilled 107 minutes chronicling the likes of a goofy band from South Central that ended becoming an underground sensation (Give a Monkey a Brain and He’ll Swear He’s the Center of the Universe being a seminal release) among ska-heads and misfits—largely on the strength of an intense live show and a frenetic hybrid style that the Red Hot Chili Peppers and No Doubt took to the bank and cashed in for commercial acclaim. Through animated skits, vintage performance film and unabashed, all-access footage, the filmmakers truly make a case for Fishbone as “California’s black punk sons.” (Michael Carlos)
