Greetings,
Normally, the only time I review a whole series is when it only lasts for one season, but I found one I'd like to talk about that has a longer history. If you're a hardcore music lover, you may have already heard of it. It is the British documentary series called Classic Albums.
Technically, the first episode of the show was a documentary entitled The Making of Sgt. Pepper, and that became a template for what the series would become. And this series is unlike most of the docs you may see about famous musicians. It's less for those who are interested in the gossip-y angle to what happened within a band and more for those who are really interested in artistic process. I know that may sound dry to some people, but honestly, the way they carry it out here is extremely fascinating.
Unless my memory is playing tricks on me, the first time I heard of this show was when they were airing episodes on VH1 and I think it was the one about Fleetwood Mac's legendary album, Rumours. I was quite entranced by what I saw. Perhaps, it was because I love that music so much, but it was also something else. As I hinted at. this series doesn't just tell the stories of a band's or artist's highs and lows, as they do on something like Behind the Music, which is also an amazing show. THIS series really delves into the actual making of the album. We hear about how specific songs came to be, both lyrically and musically speaking, but they also are in the studio, at the mixing board, showing how everything was created, showing how all those individual sounds turned into beloved songs.
While the show does tend to explore artists that would be somewhere on the spectrum of rock, they have delved into some other genres. Still, every album that has been featured is certainly unique to itself, as are the stories, the experiences and the processes. It gives quite a bit of insight on those artists and those with whom they work, producers, engineers and so on. You truly can tell a lot about someone by how they work. And considering how many artists have been featured on the show, like Paul Simon, Lou Reed, U2, Metallica, Bob Marley, Steely Dan, Jay-Z, just to name a few, you will absolutely get a wide range of tales being told.
The last episode I know of was from back on 2013, and I haven't heard of any new ones since. It's a shame, since I think it may be just what we need in this time of music. A time where singles are more appreciated than albums, when it seems that almost no one wants to tell a story through music anymore. They just want to rack up the downloads and sound like everyone else. Not everybody, of course. I know some real artists still exist out there. But, like I said, it's a real shame.
Now, as I said, the Classic Albums series is more about the process of music making rather than the tabloid side of a music career, which is why I may be more inclined to recommend it to people who are more interested in the technical aspects of it. However, anyone who loves music may be able to find something about this that they like. Certain episodes are a must watch if you are a fan of any of the featured artists, and starting off with one may lead you to another. As someone who loves the creative process, all aspects of it, I was definitely drawn to this series. So, if this sounds like something that may interest you, a lot of the episodes can be rented or bought, and I think they are even occasionally aired on TV from time to time. Any one of them is worth a watch.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
