Lollipop Magazine

The Damned – Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead – Review

May 27, 2016

Of all the late ’70s punk godfathers, The Damned always seemed to be the ones to use the nascent punk sound for its purest purpose: To make great music.

Soilwork – Live In The Heart of Helsinki – Review

March 1, 2015

This first-ever live DVD/Blu-Ray from Soilwork, arriving right around the two-year anniversary of the band’s excellent 2013 double album, The Living Infinite.

The Stone Roses – Made of Stone – Review

December 7, 2013

A fantastic documentary of the Roses’ reformation in 2012 after 16 years off the map, by director Shane Meadows.

Orange County Hardcore Scenester – Review

August 31, 2012

Unless you were there, chances are the pillars of the Orange County hardcore scene of the ’90’s don’t ring a bell like their East Coast counterparts do. Lucky for you, filmmaker Evan Jacobs was there, and he brought his video camera.

House of Flesh Mannequins – Review

March 16, 2012

A bizarrely interesting mindtrip for fans of the outlandish. Acting is stiff and awkward, but very entertaining. The rapid-fire outrageousness is worth a look.

Father’s Day – Review

February 17, 2012

The glorious poster art promises great things. Forearm-sized pistol barrels, bloody chainsaws about to get licked, heaving cleavage, and daisy dukes.

X – The Unheard Music – Review

January 27, 2012

X is the coolest band ever. From the twisted poetry of Exene and John Doe to the steely-eyed perpetual smile of Billy Zoom to a drummer named D.J. Bonebrake.

Shot By Kern – Volume 1 – The First Season – Review

December 11, 2011

A fascinating look into a photographer’s process. Kern puts the girls in all sorts of unique poses that are sexy, bizarre, creepy, beautiful, or just weird.

Thankskilling – DVD – Review

November 11, 2011

Spawning the quotables “Gobble, Gobble, motherfucker” and “Nice tits, bitch,” this is a low budget movie that’s more an attempt at comedy than a horror film.

Pagan Metal – A Documentary – Review

October 10, 2010

Turisas, Korpiklaani, TYR, Finntroll, Leaves Eyes, and others are universally nice, even as Bill Zebub drags the questioning into his predictable banality.

Black Label Society – Skullage – Review

May 1, 2010

Heavy on the big guitar riffs like his work with Ozzy. Wylde often relies too much on his distorted vocal tricks, but the disc is a fine primer for the curious.

Metal Retardation – Review

April 1, 2010

Being interviewed by Bill Zebub is enough to melt anyone’s patience. A testament to the tolerance of Peter Steele, George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, King Diamond.

Goth Kill – Review

April 1, 2010

Wild Eye Releasing lowers the budget bar to pocket change with Goth Kill, a cheapo horror thriller that makes Blair Witch look like Avatar.

Iggy Pop – Lust For Life – Review

September 1, 2009

This documentary carries a buncha footage from 20 years ago with Ig, some choice Stoogeliness, and interview footage with guitar player Ron Ashton. It’s great.

The Yardbirds – The Story of The Yardbirds – Review

January 1, 2009

They amped-up blues, cut it with psychedelic pop and a teenage impatience that came to define garage rock. They were great.

Johnny Winter – Live Through the ’70s – Review

January 1, 2009

Widely considered one of the finest rock guitarists of his time, the opportunity to see him play makes this an ideal gift for the guitar nerd in your life.

The Little Rascals – The Complete Collection – Review

November 1, 2008

All 80 shorts, uncut and restored to perfection, of the unforgettable characters: Spanky, Alfalfa, Froggy, Weezer, Pete the Pup, Miss Crab Tree and more.

Lydia Lunch – Video Hysterie: 1978-2006 – Review

October 1, 2008

A menacing cool urban ’50s heroin vibe jimmied through a less-polite take on the ’90s Tom Waits/Cop Shoot Cop wheezy industrial/song writerishness.

Iggy & the Stooges – Escaped Maniacs – Review

October 1, 2008

Sex Pistols, Dead Boys, and The Damned covered’m: Their groove landed in The Avengers lap, the Flesheaters hands, then, with their true heirs, Black Flag.

Hanoi Rocks – The Nottingham Tapes – Review

July 1, 2008

Straight-up live show from a band linking The New York Dolls and the hair metal thing. Not up to Gun N’ Roses’ or Aerosmith’s level, more roots rock and roll.

D.I. – The Suburbia Sessions – Review

July 1, 2008

Practice space run through shot live and unedited by the Flipside crew. You may already know “Richard Hung Himself.” (Slayer rocked it on Undisputed Attitude.)

Dead Boys – Return of The Living Dead Boys: Halloween Night 1986 – Review

April 1, 2008

On Halloween night, 1986, Midwest’s hammering punk legends Dead Boys showed up to collect their beer money. In the ’80s, we called this “good bootleg quality.”

Punk’s Not Dead – Review

March 1, 2008

A really good movie about some specific fallout from the P-word. Well shot, nicely edited, thoughtfully put together, a buncha nice interview stuff appended.

Tad – Busted Circuits and Ringing Ears – Review

February 1, 2008

Pure hard rock riff action without Soundgarden/Alice In Chains’ metal, Mudhoney’s salt blast garage howl, or Pearl Jam’n’Nirvana’s classic rock balladry.

Linda Linda Linda – Review

February 1, 2008

Four Japanese girls in a band are set to perform at their high school’s festival when one of the girls is injured and can no longer play. Controversy ensues.