Chris Fallon
03/24/09, 03:07 AM
NOFX - Backstage Passport [DVD]
Production: Fat Wreck/Fuse TV
Release Date: March 17, 2009
For many of us, it would be a dream come true to spend one year of our lives away from home and the bill-paying, work-a-day lifestyle in order to head out on tour with a band we love. Imagine, living your life like a rockstar everyday for one year - sure, the lack of showering, home-cooked meals and homesickness might get to you eventually, but it's an experience many regular people will never get to be a part of. And I don't mean the kind of touring you get on a luxurious bus financed by a label - I'm talking finding your own transportation and sleeping wherever you are able to, maybe not even sure if a good meal awaits you or if you'll get paid by some rather shady individuals who speak bad English.
This is why we have the DVD, people. Sure, it's helpful when it comes to renting cinematic masterpieces like Space Buddies, but it gets viewers up close & personal with their favorite musicians, as well.
In terms of pure filthy entertainment, a band like NOFX does it better than most. For nearly 30 years, the band has remained a punk staple in the independent scene and have been incredibly successful at it (perhaps more than you might think). They aren't looking to please anyone, they do things the way they want to -- and frankly, if you don't like it, they just don't give a shit. Keeping all that in mind, the band kept the cameras focused on them for 14 months, documenting their world tour which was narrowly accomplished through a series of misadventures, and then made into an 8-episode series entitled, Backstage Passport.
There isn't much to indulge on, because if you aren't a fan of the band, you'll likely find no interest with this two-disc set of all eight episodes and 2-1/2 hours of extra bonus footage that was not included on the regular television broadcast. The story behind it all is far more fascinating, and if you're in a band or looking to be in one, it's the business side of things that might peak your interest over seeing a legendary band like NOFX rescue their crew from Peruvian police, get swindled by conniving promoters or witness a bizarre drug-fueled evening in China.
Airing on cable network Fuse last spring, the show is not only a vastly entertaining chronicle of a band's whirlwind tour into lands many stateside bands ignore, miss or simply don't go to, it's also quite interesting seeing a band deal with its fans and promoters on such a frank level. There's no hidden puppet strings here -- NOFX steers the ship entirely by themselves (in accordance with their loyal team of crew members and longtime manager, the ever-lovable Kent). To be honest, the most intriguing elements here concern seeing a band many people have pigeonholed into obnoxious punk rockers be normal dudes who happen to play rock songs.
For fans of the bands, there's plenty here to wrap your arms around -- even enough to want to watch it more than once. As much joy one can find by having the episodes as an ample time-killer, they are also very humorous & surprisingly tender. The only sad part about all this is that we were unable to see the experiences in every country, and a few continents are condensed into one or two episodes. 14 months on tour must have led to so many stories, it would require 24 episodes to tell them all -- however, the bonus footage lets us see some of these experiences that failed to make it to the air, and expands on other highlighted stories we only saw glimpses of (including Fat Mike's touching personal moment in Israel).
Your dream has come true, it's just not going to lead you into spending one year on a bus with Motley Crue or I don't know, whoever your dream tour band might be. The Veronicas? Aiden? Fred Durst's Janitorial Jamboree Junction? Backstage Passport is close enough, believe me.
Fat Wreck Store (http://www.fatwreck.com/record/detail/740)
Production: Fat Wreck/Fuse TV
Release Date: March 17, 2009
For many of us, it would be a dream come true to spend one year of our lives away from home and the bill-paying, work-a-day lifestyle in order to head out on tour with a band we love. Imagine, living your life like a rockstar everyday for one year - sure, the lack of showering, home-cooked meals and homesickness might get to you eventually, but it's an experience many regular people will never get to be a part of. And I don't mean the kind of touring you get on a luxurious bus financed by a label - I'm talking finding your own transportation and sleeping wherever you are able to, maybe not even sure if a good meal awaits you or if you'll get paid by some rather shady individuals who speak bad English.
This is why we have the DVD, people. Sure, it's helpful when it comes to renting cinematic masterpieces like Space Buddies, but it gets viewers up close & personal with their favorite musicians, as well.
In terms of pure filthy entertainment, a band like NOFX does it better than most. For nearly 30 years, the band has remained a punk staple in the independent scene and have been incredibly successful at it (perhaps more than you might think). They aren't looking to please anyone, they do things the way they want to -- and frankly, if you don't like it, they just don't give a shit. Keeping all that in mind, the band kept the cameras focused on them for 14 months, documenting their world tour which was narrowly accomplished through a series of misadventures, and then made into an 8-episode series entitled, Backstage Passport.
There isn't much to indulge on, because if you aren't a fan of the band, you'll likely find no interest with this two-disc set of all eight episodes and 2-1/2 hours of extra bonus footage that was not included on the regular television broadcast. The story behind it all is far more fascinating, and if you're in a band or looking to be in one, it's the business side of things that might peak your interest over seeing a legendary band like NOFX rescue their crew from Peruvian police, get swindled by conniving promoters or witness a bizarre drug-fueled evening in China.
Airing on cable network Fuse last spring, the show is not only a vastly entertaining chronicle of a band's whirlwind tour into lands many stateside bands ignore, miss or simply don't go to, it's also quite interesting seeing a band deal with its fans and promoters on such a frank level. There's no hidden puppet strings here -- NOFX steers the ship entirely by themselves (in accordance with their loyal team of crew members and longtime manager, the ever-lovable Kent). To be honest, the most intriguing elements here concern seeing a band many people have pigeonholed into obnoxious punk rockers be normal dudes who happen to play rock songs.
For fans of the bands, there's plenty here to wrap your arms around -- even enough to want to watch it more than once. As much joy one can find by having the episodes as an ample time-killer, they are also very humorous & surprisingly tender. The only sad part about all this is that we were unable to see the experiences in every country, and a few continents are condensed into one or two episodes. 14 months on tour must have led to so many stories, it would require 24 episodes to tell them all -- however, the bonus footage lets us see some of these experiences that failed to make it to the air, and expands on other highlighted stories we only saw glimpses of (including Fat Mike's touching personal moment in Israel).
Your dream has come true, it's just not going to lead you into spending one year on a bus with Motley Crue or I don't know, whoever your dream tour band might be. The Veronicas? Aiden? Fred Durst's Janitorial Jamboree Junction? Backstage Passport is close enough, believe me.
Fat Wreck Store (http://www.fatwreck.com/record/detail/740)