Death rockumentary hits T.O. August 16

Before Bad Brains, the Sex Pistols or even the Ramones, there was Death. Formed in the early 1970s by three teenage brothers from Detroit, Death is credited as being the first black punk band, and the Hackney brothers, David, Bobby, and Dannis, are now rightly considered pioneers. But it wasn’t until recently — when a dusty 1974 demo tape made its way out of Bobby’s attic and was issued by the Drag City label nearly thirty years after Death’s heyday — that anyone outside a small group of punk enthusiasts had even heard of them. Equal parts electrifying rockumentary and epic family chronicle, the story of Death is one of brotherly love and fierce, divinely inspired expression. A Band Called Death opens Friday (August 16) at TIFF Bell Lightbox (350 King West at John) and runs until Thursday (August 22). Call 416-399-TIFF for tickets or visit the TIFF site right here.

NOTE: Producer Scott Mosier will be present for a Q&A following the 7:15pm screening on Friday, August 16th to field queries better answered by the film's directors Jeff Howlett & Mark Covino and/or the members of Death.

Overdue documentary on Detroit proto-punks Death finally unleashed

On VOD/iTunes May 24th and in theaters June 28th

Before Bad Brains, the Sex Pistols or even the Ramones, there was a band called Death. Punk before punk existed, three teenage brothers Bobby (bass), Dannis (drums) and David  Hackney (guitar) formed a band in the spare bedroom of their Detroit home in 1971, began playing a few local gigs and even pressed a single in the hopes of getting signed. But this was the era of Motown and emerging disco. Record companies found Death’s music— and band name—too intimidating, and the group were never given a fair shot, disbanding before they even completed one album. Equal parts electrifying rockumentary and epic family love story, A Band Called Death chronicles the incredible fairy-tale journey of what happened almost three decades later, when a dusty 1974 demo tape made its way out of the attic and found an audience several generations younger. Playing music impossibly ahead of its time, Death is now being credited as the first black punk band (hell...the first punk band!), and are finally receiving their long overdue recognition as true rock pioneers. Watch the trailer below...



LINKS
Death site
Drag City label