A Band Called Death
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A Band Called Death is a 2012 documentary about the protopunk / garage rock band Death. Formed in 1971, in Detroit, the band consisted of three brothers Bobby (bass, vocals), David (guitar), and Dannis (drums) Hackney. At the height of Motown, in the very heart of Motor City itself, these three went against the grain with their raw rock sound. Punk before there was punk, Death's music was aggressive, edgy and splattered with distortion. All the elements that any fan of late 70s punk would recognise. The band didn't start out to become one of the early visionaries of what would by the end of the decade become Punk Rock. The brothers originally set-out to form a funk band, they called themselves Rock Fire Funk Express, but after some pushing from David they changed direction and changed their name to Death. And thus became not only the first ever black punk band, but a forerunner of punk before the likes of The Ramones in the US or the Sex Pistols in the UK has even picked-up a guitar and slammed out a distorted power chord.
The documentary tells the story of the band, and the relationships of the siblings. How through dedication and devotion to their music, their ethos and their unusual name, they unwittingly created a little known piece of music history. The band broke-up in 1977, and the documentary goes on to tell the post-Death story of the brothers, and the eventual release of Death's never before heard album ...For the Whole World to See in 2009. |
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The idea of three brothers sitting in their bedroom, rehearsing day after day, playing small local gigs, getting enough cash together to record a single, doesn't sound so strange now. But for three sons of a Detroit preacher, in the early 70s, the route they took was very much that of outsiders. Like bands often labelled as forerunners of punk in the 60s, Death played some of their early gigs literally in the garage. But they were no do-it-yourself bunch of white boys, influenced by Surf Rock and Rockabilly. Death were influenced by Alice Cooper and The Who. The band recorded their own demos, and gigged, but came up against constant opposition due to their name. President Clive Davis of Columbia Records, who funded the recording of their only album, attempted to get them to change their name. The band, under the heavy influence of brother David, refused. Davis halted any further support of the band, which would eventually lead to the break-up of the band in 1977. "His concept was spinning death from the negative to the positive. It was a hard sell," Bobby Hackney said in reference to his brother's commitment to the band's name.
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...For the Whole World to See (Recorded 1975, released 2009)
In 1975, the band went into the studio to record their first album. Supported and funded by Clive Davis of Columbia Records. They planned to record 12 songs for the album, but after the fall out with Davis over their name, the recording of the album ceased with only 7 tracks recorded. The album was never released. Since it's release in 2009, Death have finally been given their rightful place among the emerging protopunk scene in Michigan in late 60s and early 70s. They sit as a beacon of perseverance and hope, besides the likes of Iggy Pop and MC5, as godfathers of Punk. |
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Track Listing
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Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow, And The Word Being The Bird! - The true origins of the song Surfin' Bird. How two songs became one, and a bottle of fortified wine became a dance.
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The Devil And Daniel Johnston - A look at the outsider artist and musician, as famous for his battles with mental health as much as his moments of lo-fi musical genius.
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