When this popped up on my Netflix recommended list I couldn't wait to give it a watch. "3 Decades of Drum and Bass" had me thinking this would be THE definitive history of a music genre that most people would have expected to have faded out a long time ago but is still going strong. What we got instead was a bit of a Terry Turbo love in and self promotion device.
While some of the stories were nostalgic the narrative did not flesh out much of anything about the actual music: its evolution from acid house and rave, breakbeats, pirate radio, hardcore, the split with happy hardcore, reggae / ragga samples, sub bass, further shifts into jump up and intelligent sub genres, modern innovators etc. Many of the clubbing stories felt like 'you had to be there' to really appreciate and not be bored by them after the nth one.
And I guess if you were there, raving at the events depicted I'm sure you would love this film but if you were not and watched this to learn about the genre you would I you will not have gained much knowledge other than the impression that Terry Turbo was the one and only, Don King of the club and rave scene. So many huge legends in the scene spoke on the film yet it didn't depict their talent and why they were legends. A good documentary should enlighten and engage strangers to the subject not only cater to all the old heads who were there at the time.
While some of the stories were nostalgic the narrative did not flesh out much of anything about the actual music: its evolution from acid house and rave, breakbeats, pirate radio, hardcore, the split with happy hardcore, reggae / ragga samples, sub bass, further shifts into jump up and intelligent sub genres, modern innovators etc. Many of the clubbing stories felt like 'you had to be there' to really appreciate and not be bored by them after the nth one.
And I guess if you were there, raving at the events depicted I'm sure you would love this film but if you were not and watched this to learn about the genre you would I you will not have gained much knowledge other than the impression that Terry Turbo was the one and only, Don King of the club and rave scene. So many huge legends in the scene spoke on the film yet it didn't depict their talent and why they were legends. A good documentary should enlighten and engage strangers to the subject not only cater to all the old heads who were there at the time.