Revenge of the Mekons

If my review title sounds full of contradictions, welcome to the odd world of The Mekons, who started in the late 1970s as art student punks who knew almost nothing about music, only to slowly integrate folk music, American country and western and other influences in with their slowly but steadily growing musicianship, and their passionate politics.

They've never gotten rich or famous, but they have put out a treasure trove of recordings full of their love of music and crazily mixed up musical ideas. These are people who are in it for the joy of playing, touring, and communicating with their passionate if limited audience, not money or adoration. And if they're well into middle age and still traveling around in a shabby van, that doesn't seem to stop them from enjoying the adventure and still loving the music. In fact, the film makes the argument that the lack of 'success' and its trappings may be what has kept them together and kept them going: Friends making music for friends.

They're also an intelligent, articulate, funny and likable lot, full of self-deprecating humor about themselves and their accomplishments in a way we rarely think of rock musicians.

I didn't really know the Mekons before seeing this film. Now I like them and want to really get to know their music. That's a pretty good endorsement of a rock-documentary.