Is this the first Mock Rockumentary or is it Rock Mockumentary?

Cafe Society
21

I’m so happy I thought of it first. The Rutles. (I said Buggles)

I had the name wrong. But that is exactly what I saw one weird afternoon. All you need is cash.

I actually thought, at the time, Am I in an alternate universe?

Dang, I’m so good :grin: I amaze me!

22

I had it from the thread title. The Pre-fab Four, the group that made the 60s what they are today, a living legend that will live on long after other living legends have died.

Awesome film

23

Smarty pants. :laughing:

24

The Buggles are a real band, formed in 1977. For a long time I too confused their name with The Ruttles, and couldn’t understand why people were talking about this fictional band The Buggles as if they were real.

25

Oh, I didn’t know that. I’ll be looking for it.

(Oh, I know that “video killed the radio” song, thx)

26

“Video killed the radio star”

Which, by the way, was the perfect song to kick off MTV…

27

Yeah, sorry skipped a word.

28

Beckdawreck bad good x 3

29

There’s also this…

30

I think the distinction is that This is Spinal Tap is a feature film. Maybe it was the first mockumentary feature film. All You Need is Cash was made for TV. It was first broadcast on NBC (Lorne Michaels was a producer) and a week later was broadcast on BBC.

31

I did consider this. But I figured when we’re talking about something like a movie’s genre, the broadcast format isn’t very relevant.

32

But if Reiner is saying Spinal Tap was the first that’s probably what he meant. I don’t know what the exact quote was.

33

Yes, “The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash.” It came out in the late 1970s.

34

Here is documented the origin of Keith Moon.

35

I also meant to say the broadcast format doesn’t mean much today. Prior to about 2020 it meant a lot, especially with those that worked in the business. Television and movies were very separate with movies being looked at as the higher art form. Which was hammered home during the monologue of every Golden Globe broadcast. Rob Reiner who came from TV and who’s first movie was Spinal Tap would be acutely aware of that.

36

I know it’s not the same, but the 1972 Dr Hook song The Cover of the Rolling Stone had lyrics that may be exagerations based on other groups:

  • We sing about beauty and we sing about truth at 10, 000 dollars a show (right)
  • I got a freaky ol’ lady name a cocaine Katy who embroideries on my jeans
  • I got my poor ol’ grey-haired daddy driving my limousine
  • We got a lotta little teenage blue-eyed groupies who’d do anything we say
  • We got a genuine Indian guru, he’s teaching us a better way

Since it was on their debut album it’s not likely that it was autobiographical. And it was written by Shel Silverstein so parody is likely.

37

It was on their second album Sloppy Seconds.

They got on the cover, but in caricature, and only three of the seven members were shown.

38

If you want to go down that road, The Byrds’ 1967 hit “Do You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star”, thought to be a swipe at the Monkees, is way earlier.

So you want to be a rock ‘n’ roll star?
Then listen now to what I say
Just get an electric guitar
Then take some time and learn how to play

And with your hair swung right
And your pants too tight
It’s gonna be alright

Then it’s time to go downtown
Where the agent man won’t let you down
Sell your soul to the company
Who are waiting there to sell plasticware

39

Not a documentary parody, of course, (and hardly “the first,” since sitcoms all had episodes where rock bands were the butt of jokes) but Cheech & Chong’s Earache my Eye from 1974 deserves mention

The world’s comin’ to an end, I don’t even care
As long as I can have a limo and my orange hair
And it don’t bother me if people think I’m funny
'Cause I’m a big rock star, and I’m making lots of money

40

Thanks, I’m not that familiar with their discography.