Rockers L7 were a band made up of four talented female
musicians. But in a world where people attempt to peg every act out there they
were known first as an all-female band rather than just a rock band, something
they weren’t fond of. Who’s to blame them? I mean how many all-male bands are
designated that way? And yet that sort of labeling continues to this day.
I was unfamiliar with the band so looked forward to learning
about them via this documentary, a film that takes a look at the band from
formation to their current status. Formed by Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner,
the band played a heavy grunge style metal music that found fans around the
world. The band was not the typical all girl band though the labelers tried to
give them that identity. Instead they rocked out with the best of them.
The movie takes us to the meeting of the two, their fast
friendship and love of metal music and their formation of the band. It moves
forward from there to the time they spent on the road, living that hard
lifestyle so familiar to fans of rock and roll. Touring began in small vehicles
and never really extended to that huge mega private jet that most band shoot
for. Instead this band kept it real, kept it tight and kept playing.
But the perks of mega-stardom come hand in hand with album
sales and sell out concert halls. While the band was popular with a select
crowd it never peaked at the level that was required to push them to that
point. Music videos helped as did numerous appearances on shows, mainly on MTV
back when they actually played music on the channel. But something always
seemed to keep them just from that top notch.
Eventually the band succumbed to the tried and true issues
that all bands seem to. Burn out, agitating atmospheres and the grind of daily
travel and performing for smaller crowds in smaller venues took its toll on the
band. One by one some were replaced with the leaders of the band tiring at some
point as well. While their popularity in some countries was high in the states
it never did as much. Eventually the group disbanded in 2001.
Now they have a chance to be rediscovered with this
documentary. Considered a huge influence on female rockers to have attempted
that role in the heavy music world the band gets the recognition long deserved
with this film. Compiled with over 100 hours of home movies taken by the band
over the years it shows us life on the road for them from the start. We get to
see the highs and the lows, the places played and the crowds that embraced
them. We get to hear the music they made, music that once heard will make you
want to pursue finding it in digital or disc format.
The movie pretty much follows the usual method of showing us
a band in various stages as well as interviews. It breaks no real new
boundaries in style but that’s not what we came here for to begin with. Those
of us not familiar come to the movie to learn about the band. Those who were
fans come to celebrate the band that they loved. And along the way new fans
will be made and perhaps, one day, we’ll see the band opening for major acts
again. Who knows, it might just lead to their finally hitting that pinnacle all
bands aspire to.
Click here to order.
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