The history of British popular music is full of explosions of creativity from single geographical locations. Liverpool in the 1960s, through Sheffield in the late 70s/early 80s, and Manchester a decade later. At the same time electronica was taking hold in Sheffield, a wave of guitar based jangly pop was emerging in Glasgow. That brought us great bands like Aztec Camera and Orange Juice both initially on the pioneering record label, Postcard. In the mid 90s, the Scottish capital again became the centre of interest for the discerning listener, and again, one record label was largely responsible, Chemikal Undergound.
Set-up by members of the brilliant The Delgados, it featured a roster of exciting bands, most notably the astonishing Mogwai. In 1997, a number of the acts on the label travelled to the small French town of Mauron to play a gig in a cramped venue. Eighteen years later, most of the same people returned to the club for a reunion show. Along the way they reflect on the experiences of the first trip, as well as their careers at the time and how Chemikal Underground fuelled their creative process.
All the participants come across as well adjusted and there is no bitterness about not finding the widespread fame their talents deserved. Stewart Henderson, Stuart Braithwaite, and Emma Pollock all make engaging company: articulate with insightful views and amusing stories. The modern footage is all good, with Mogwai demonstrating again that they haven’t lost their power to stir the emotions over the years. It is a pity that The Delgados didn’t appear to reform for the occasion, and that clips of the original trip are really few and far between.
The only other gripe I have is the focus on Franz Ferdinand towards the latter part of the film. The most successful band, in terms of record sales maybe, they were one I didn’t really ever warm to. The lead singer, Alex Kapranos, seems a genuinely nice bloke though.
This is absolutely essential viewing for the fans of the bands involved and a wallow in nostalgia for people of a certain age like myself. People without that investment may not get as much out of it, but they may be charmed by the people involved and draw parallels with their lives and experiences.
Rating: 9.25 out of 10