Documentary: Refused are fucking dead

[RED_X_INFINITY]

Today I bought the dvd: REFUSED ARE FUCKING DEAD – a short documentary which follows the journey of Dennis Lyxzén, Kristofer Steen, Jon Brännström and David Sandström (aka REFUSED) with a brief recap of the formation of refused, leading to the creation of their seminal record – “The shape of punk to come” and their subsequent touring downfall.

In late 1997 Refused started to record their third full-length album, the critically acclaimed "The shape of punk to come". The result was overwhelming. They had managed to compile hardcore with wide musical influences from jazz, techno, pop and other. All this was played with real hardcore/punk-intensity stuffed to it's limit with highly political lyrics. Never has a band put out a record this dangerous, provocative and revolutionary. Of course the masses loved it, adored it and still do. This record is considered as one of the most ground-breaking and most important hardcore/punk records of all time by many. It's a true classic to say it's least.

This album marked a sharp and conscious departure from Refused's earlier work. The philosophy of the album, expounded in the ample liner notes and encapsulated in the song "New Noise", was that punk and hardcore music could not be anti-establishment by continuing to package revolutionary lyrics in sounds which had been increasingly co-opted into the mainstream. The album also took on the idea of "political interludes" between songs, reminiscent of the DC band The Nation of Ulysses.

It’s an interesting dvd to watch, especially since the documentary itself is only about 45 minutes long (although it could be construed as too short at the same time) – it’s excellent insight that even though you may become rich and famous, there are downfalls and limitations to fame and in this case, what they lose, is their passion for what they initially believed in – music! The years of touring after forming finally pay off and within the band there is a feeling of bitter fatigue – weary and tired, refused dutifully put on a series of uninspired performances, grinding down what little energy they have left to nothing.

When police officers finally forced their way through the crowd to shut them down at their last show – it seemed a fitting end to a story of revolutionary and merry rebellion, however the bandmembers felt liberated as well as conflicted by the intervention, far from the defiant emotions of their audience. Ironically the last song refused ever played was “rather be dead” however before they were shut down before they could finish the last part of the song which starts “but I’d rather be alive…”

The DVD also comes with live-footage from the shape of punk to come era and also some extra music videos.

If you don’t own “the shape of punk to come” – get it now. Their most mainstream song off the album is new noise (one of my personal favourites too).

[RED_SaineZ]

New Noise is a fking awesome song. Used to have a copy of TSOPTC...will have to get hold of it again

[yurgs]

I do remember that particular song you mentioned. I think I’ve still got it on my hdd somewhere and it's a dam shame they've parted company