Review: Negativland
Friday August 2, 2024 - Hollywood Theater
Standby for Failure is the most recent documentary (1) about Negativland by Ryan Worsley, who also made How Radio Isn’t Done about Don Joyce. She also has a youtube series called “Shit Happens” about people shitting their pants in public.
There was a Q and A with Ryan and Wobbly, and then a 20 minute intermission. Then Negativland played live! They did “We Can Really Feel Like We’re Here” with Sue C doing visuals from her home across the country. Then they played “Escape from Noise” and then The Weatherman beamed in from Seattle, complimenting the theater on the quality of transmission, taking us on a tour of his transistor radios, and closing out the night with some sweet old man style.
First off, the documentary isn’t the story of Negativland. It uses the collage and culture jam approach and leaves out talking heads and most people who think they have something to say about the band. It’s really a verite about being in Negativland, and the relationships these guys have with each other and their art. The editing is stunning. There is so much here, and it’s just a gorgeous and loving portrait. Ryan was the editor and she’s incredibly talented. The editing makes the movie. For sure, having the well spoken and charming members of the band on your side is crucial, but the work of making a bunch of footage into a movie is the magic of editing. Ryan is a wizard!
I loved learning about Negativland as individual people. The Weatherman, Richard and Mark went to Don Joyce’s radio show and never left (well, not for years. Don REALLY never left). Wobbly started calling in as a teenager before he joined the band. The Weatherman moved to Seattle to live with Pastor Dick after he had to leave his East Bay home (why? Who knows? His mom had died, then they were cleaning the house out. Then he was in Seattle. I don’t mind the mystery). They way they went through the deaths of the band members was tender and special. I’m really glad that was filmed. I always thought the 409 stuff was a bit, but it’s a true obsession. There was some excellent Berkeley bickering. The shots of KPFA made me miss doing radio, but the worries Don had in the hospital of the radio station taking Over The Edge off the air if he missed a show, well, that really dumped me back into community radio reality.
We are so lucky in this media landscape to have people who can input this much media, critique the shit buffet with playful intention, sharp wit and FUN. They are having so much fun. I am so appreciative they exist, and still in awe with a huge grin. I’m so glad they’re still playing (Wobbly said that even though some of the other members are dead, they are still present and playing because he and Mark are using many loops and bits that they made. I love that sentiment).
I guess what they do is called Plunderphonics, which is a term that’s about a week old to me, but apparently came around in 1985. I would find out about Negativland about a year after that term was born thanks to KDVS and I’d also hear Culturcide and other people who’s art and manipulation and culture jamming would influence me deeply as an approach to life and art and punching up.
There’s many episodes of Over the Edge on the Internet Archive, and lots of Negativland interviews available, including this by local radio heros Rich and Dr Zomb.
1) Other documentaries about Negativland include Sonic Outlaws by Craig Baldwin and Media about Media about Media by William Davenport . They’re also featured in RIP: The Remix Manifesto which also features my uncle the Air Pirate.
