Band/artist documentaries.

"The Decline of Western Civilization", by Penelope Spheeris, on the circa-1980 LA punk scene, is imo a must watch.

Agreed. 

Yacht Rock - a Dockumentary is a fantastic doc about the genre and the interconnection of so many of the bands of the era. 

This Everly Brothers documentary!

https://www.pbs.org/show/the-everly-brothers-harmonies-from-heaven/

Add “20 Feet From Stardom” to the list.

Gimme Shelter (1970) about the Rolling Stones Altamont free concert of which one of the mistakes made was having the Hells Angels in charge of security.

@immatthewj The Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” was written as a response to that concert. They helped organize it, were slated to play, but left without doing their set after things went south…

In the 90’s I lived in Burbank, and one restaurant in the neighborhood that I occasionally ate at was located on the ground floor of the building in which was the KROQ studio (somewhere near the top floor). One Sunday night I was having a late dinner, and saw Rodney come in and sit down at a table. I had never seen or heard a word about his physical condition (though I had seen photos of him), and was kind of shocked by what I saw. He was extremely skinny, and walked in a way that suggested pretty severe disabilities. I gained a new level of respect for a guy who didn’t let that stop him from pursuing his Rock ’n’ Roll dreams.

Ooh here is a great documentary I totally forgot about - Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003).

It's not about specific musicians but rather the life of rock impresario and longtime KROQ DJ extraordinaire Rodney Bingenheimer. It's also a great reflection on fame and success and time and the fleetness thereof.

Anyone who was in the music scene in LA around 1980 ought to watch this.

I cannot remember how long ago (sometime post summer of '15) I was surfing the streaming channels and as that piqued my interest I watched it.  I'd never heard of Bingenheimer and I was most definitely not in any music scene, let alone the LA scene in the '80s,  but I still found that interesting.

On an aside, wasn't that about the same time and area that the Wonderland murders happened?

Ooh here is a great documentary I totally forgot about - Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003).

It's not about specific musicians but rather the life of rock impresario and longtime KROQ DJ extraordinaire Rodney Bingenheimer. It's also a great reflection on fame and success and time and the fleetness thereof.

Anyone who was in the music scene in LA around 1980 ought to watch this.

Steely Dan the making of the iconic album Aja.  Geniuses at work. 

https://www.amazon.com/Steely-Dan-Aja-Classic-Albums/dp/B07JQWS5F4

- The Band. About the making of their 2nd (brown) album (Rhino Home Video)

- Ain’t In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm

- Rockpile: Born Fighters

- Muscle Shoals by Greg Camalier

- Gram Parsons: Fallen Angel

- Elvis ’56 (narrated by Levon Helm)

- Professional Drum Shop’s 50 Years

- The Wrecking Crew

- The Last Of The Blue Devils: The Kansas City Jazz Story

- Standing In The Shadows Of Motown

• The Song Remains the Same
• Help
• A Hard Day's Night
• Hungarian Rhapsody

@wharfy 

Yes I have, I knew folks on the crew

This old engine makes it on time
Leaves Central Station
'Bout a quarter to nine
Hits River Junction at seventeen to
At a quarter to ten
You know it's travelin' again

You gotta love it, @wharfy !  **snort**

@devinplombier -

"The Decline of Western Civilization", by Penelope Spheeris, on the circa-1980 LA punk scene, is imo a must watch."

Yes! Seeing X upclose is pretty cool. Ray Manzarek produced their first album, Los Angeles.

Have you watched "The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years"?

@immatthewj 

I'm old enough to remember when cocaine was described as a safe recreational drug. 

What!?  You mean it is not!?

:snort:

Driving that train
High on cocaine
Casey Jones you better
Watch your speed
Trouble ahead
Trouble behind
And you know that notion
Just crossed my mind

There is a cool video on Tom Scholtz and how he created the whole original Boston album by himself with custom gear he built. 

Gimme Shelter (1970) about the Rolling Stones Altamont free concert of which one of the mistakes made was having the Hells Angels in charge of security.

I'm old enough to remember when cocaine was described as a safe recreational drug. 

What!?  You mean it is not!?

"The Decline of Western Civilization", by Penelope Spheeris, on the circa-1980 LA punk scene, is imo a must watch.

25x5 The Rolling Stones

@curtisvill -

Great choice! I watched it and was deeply moved by the story behind Crazy Diamond. Syd Barrett's descent into mental illness is really sad. 

@slaw 

"That's minor league compared to Fleetwood Mac 😮 "

I'm old enough to remember when cocaine was described as a safe recreational drug. 

@immatthewj -While not a film/doc, this is a fun read about the Eagles.

https://grantland.com/features/the-eagles-greatest-hit/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVsQLlk-T0s

DeKay

If I Leave Here Tomorrow was a pretty good doc film about Lynyrd Skynyrd.  Another band whose music I am not really crazy about, but their story fascinated me.

I watched the Chicago documentary. The amount of cocaine they consumed is astounding.

I didn't know much at all about Chicago, and although I only had a passing familiarity with them from the days listening to certain FM stations in the '70s/80s that was a great documentary I just watched.  It was so good I watched it twice today just trying to keep all the players straight in my mind.  

Be Here to Love Me and Heartworn Highways-Townes Van Zandt documentaries

Absolutely!

In my old age I am no longer a super big fan of The Eagles, but I really did enjoy the 2 part doc film about them, The History Of The Eagles. 

I watched the Chicago documentary. The amount of cocaine they consumed is astounding.

I am not a huge fan of Chicago either, but that sounds like an interesting doc.  

That's minor league compared to Fleetwood Mac 😮 

@slaw -

I watched the Chicago documentary. The amount of cocaine they consumed is astounding.

On Prime..

"Now More Than Ever" The History Of Chicago

The Tragically Hip "No Dress Rehearsal" Season 1

Gordon Lightfoot "If You Could Read My Mind"

Tom Petty "Somewhat You Feel Free"

Elliot Smith "Heaven Adores You"

I made a mistake in the title of a Leonard Cohen doc-

Marianne and Leonard: Words of Love, not Goodbye Marianne.

Thought of two more- Todd Haynes movie about The Velvet Underground

While this one isn't a music doc, it's still a must see-

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

The Story of Wish You Were Here is a 2012 documentary that delves into the creation of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album Wish You Were Here. Directed by John Edginton and produced by Eagle Rock Entertainment, the film offers an in-depth look at the album’s development, themes, and enduring legacy. Can’t get enough lately. 
 

john

Off the top of my head-

Goodbye Marianne-Leonard Cohen documentary

Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song

Long Strange Trip-multi episode about the Grateful Dead

I Called Him Morgan-Lee Morgan documentary

Miles Davis: The Birth of the Cool

Be Here to Love Me and Heartworn Highways-Townes Van Zandt documentaries

No Direction Home and Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story-both by Martin Scorcese