What About Me: The Rise of the Nihilist Spasm Band

 

"When you eliminate the scale, the key, the repertoire, the category, the traditional rules, and even breaking the rules, what is left?" -Hugh McIntyre, bass They've played together for the last 35 years and are London, Ontario's biggest claim to artistic fame since Guy Lombardo. By day the band members, now in their sixties,work as teachers, artists, and in medicine - some are now retired. But almost every Monday night, the Nihilist Spasm Band, an international phenomenon after successful tours in Japan and the United States, make "noise," a brand of music freely improvised using homemade instruments not tuned to any scale. WHAT ABOUT ME: THE RISE OF THE NIHILIST SPASM BAND, Zev Asher's boisterous documentary, examines the history and the recent recognition of this unique band formed back in 1965. Now, their new and old recordings are distributed on a label in Japan, where they seem to be legends, touring and performing on television variety shows for their rabid fans. WHAT ABOUT ME: THE RISE OF THE NIHILIST SPASM BAND features archival and recent concert footage; interviews with the six remaining original band members, family, former colleagues and students; Thurston Moore, rock icon and member of Sonic Youth; and artist Michael Snow, who calls the band members "trailblazers." An absolutely appealing film filled with unforgettable characters and sly humour, underscored at all times by the motto "want for nothing, believe in nothing." (TIFF)