Customer Reviews

Flipper: Live - Target Video 1980-1981

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was lucky enough to see Flipper back in '81, '82, '83 etc. I was at the Kezar show. this dvd is a must for anyone who, like me, loved [loves] Flipper. the Berkeley Square footage captures a long-dead era when going to shows was lots and lots of fun- count the smiles in the audience; check out the diversity of the crowd, and how they are acting. that was true freedom! no stupid slam-dancing or moshing because it hadn't infected punk yet with its conformist, lunkhead idiocy. THAT KIND OF PSEUDO-PUNK DIDN'T EXIST. listen to the sophistication of the lyrics. the band, and its audience, are not morons with nothing better to do; they weren't chasing the corporate music business dollar. and they weren't making bubblegum punk for an audience who doesn't know better.
believe me: Flipper was the REAL THING.
maybe you think, no, Flipper can't play; this is not the point. the point is that they ARE Flipper. Ted Falconi's silver-voiced ringing guitar; Steve Depace's primordial beat; Bruce Loose's laserbeam sarcasm, Will's incredible, atavistic bass. they're all in it together, and we lapped it up. watch Will Shatter pummel his sawed-off bass; watch the band laugh at themselves, at the joy of it all. sure the footage is raw and the sound is what it is [I thought it was fine, but I experienced this low-fi era, and loved it] but again, that is not the point. the point is the experience. I did have to speed up "I Am the Wheel" because it became interminable- again, that's the point. who can outlast the song, the band or the audience? yep: that's how it used to be, kids. LOTS AND LOTS OF FUN. I saw a lot of familiar faces...
the Kezar show presents Flipper years later and they are tighter and stronger. it shows another facet of the band, a darker, powerful side; there are terrible truths being spoken here. Will Shatter's- rest in peace, Will- gorgeous version of "I Saw You Shine" is as moving as any great piece of music can be. oh, the awful beauty, magic, longing, and upside-down happiness that was a Flipper show! the audience at Kezar seems mostly puzzled by this great band. the world has yet to catch up with them.
if you like this band, or have any of their work, I highly recommend this dvd. it's a snapshot out of time, like finding a polaroid of a real live T. rex. they just don't make 'em like this anymore.

I'm biased; I flippin' love Flipper. I was excited as all hell when this DVD was released.

For me, these live performances demonstrate how free Flipper was; they didn't care. They just played their damn instruments. They sang, screamed, growled their words. They would even let an occasional audience member sing. Why not? It's music, and music should be about the freedom of personal expression.

If you don't like Flipper, you'll hate this DVD. If you like Flipper, you'll love this collection of performances.

A lot of folks could say that what is contained on this DVD is talentless crap. I say: Flipper was and is music. Flipper was free of the musical industry constraints -- even from the punk constraints of what was acceptable and marketable.

Flipper rules!

If you're a Flipper fan you must own this DVD!! - two gigs from the early day's - every song is great in it's own way - of course the band is messy but that's what makes Flipper so damn good! - my personal pic's have to be "Shine" and "Life" both with the late great Will Shatter on vocals. This DVD is 10/10

The quality of the video is not great, but this is nonetheless video of the original lineup of Flipper. Outside of the other Target videos, the film studio VHS, and scenes from EMERALD CITIES, seeing the original band on film is hard to come by. This DVD remedies that and makes available Flipper in the DVD format for the first time. Flipper opens for Throbbing Gristle at this venue. You see Genesis P. Orridge once in the video, which is cool in itself. The performace of Flipper is stunning. Powerful, out of tune, and HEAVY. Some rare songs and some of the "hits." If you are a fan, you'll love it and you'll know that you are holding history in your hands. Hopefully a few Flipper converts will come from the availablilty of this DVD, too. But, alas, like so much other cool music, this will fall through the cracks in the clamor for Journey, Eddie Money, the Little River Band, and their modern equivalents. Sad.