Films > Film Reviews
Bunch of Kunst
Cinema City
11/05/17
This film is an everyday tale of working class midlanders who, through some kink in the time-space continuum have carved a space for themselves in contemporary culture where it really shouldn’t exist, but thank the lord of discount lager and angst that they do. It follows our plucky heroes from early 2015 when they recorded the breakthrough Key Markets album to the triumphs of playing Glasto and signing to Rough Trade. By turns hilarious and inspiring, you would need a heart of stone not to be pumping your fist in the air at times, such is the genuinely tangible sense of One Of Ours making it happen in the face of incredible odds.
We are treated to some brilliant footage of the “studio” at Rubber Biscuit studios in their home town; Jason (Williamson – words and movement) reading the lyrics off his phone, scrolling through too fast and blowing the take, Andrew (Fearn – music and behind-the-beer-crates-moody-shuffling) not getting the rambled directions for a track repeatedly despite nodding sagely throughout the brainstorming session. Wonderful warm scenes of two guys who love what they do and don’t really give a monkey's if the music industry or press are looking their way. Steve (Underwood – manager, original label boss and freshly ex-bus driver) is a character you see go from not really believing anyone is into the band, through driving them to gigs in a VW Polo to the man communicating with national radio and booking tour buses with beds and a kitchen in. Quite the turnaround in a very short period, and it must have been amazing for Christina Franz (director) to have been present and have witnessed the transformation of this band from playing pubs in Scunthorpe and Boston as part of their Spit & Sawdust tour into a headline act whose fans are legion.
Jason’s wife Claire is interviewed and makes appearances, her infectious charm and intelligence must surely have helped ground him. On his return from tours she refers to the “C*nt Flu” he suffers from, and Jason himself complains about having to walk the dog before headlining Nottingham's Rock City. Chris Martin might want to take notes. After walking offstage at Glastonbury ("Fuck off Glastonbury" he screams as they take the stage - it becomes the fourth most watched BBC iPlayer set of 2015’s coverage), he has to watch the baby as his wife runs after his eldest daughter, real life taking precedence as it should.
Too many magic moments of playing live to audiences of staunch fans to pick out a fave, but the interview with the guys said a lot when they spoke about how gutted they had always been that people had witnessed the Sex Pistols, Nirvana etc, and now they have a band for Now. Inspiring stuff for sure. I’m certain I have not done suitable justice to this film, but I would strongly recommend that anyone interested in live music, punk ethics, social politics or British documentary making should go and see it at once. The cinema was less than half full which was crazy, as everyone there had a blast, so much laughter and seat dancing that I felt like I’d been at a gig.
On Wednesday 8th November they're playing live at UEA - you would be missing out on a life changing experience if you don’t get yourself there. Watch this film and see why.