By Cleo Brown

Produced, written, and edited by Raymond Gayle along with Marc Newsome and Kerry Maniam, ELECTRIC PURGATORY, the fate of the black rocker is an insightful look into the careers of the musicians who comprise the band known as Fishbone; and the reasons why Fishbone has not reached the stature of White Rock Bands which have been mainstreamed although Fishbone has been rocking since 1982 beginning in the Los Angeles, California Area.The title would suggest that, as musicians, the professional soul of Fishbone is in purgatory waiting for redemption by the Music Industry. Fishbone, however, in their own words and in the words of other musicians and journalists interviewed in this telling documentary, has not been redeemed because they are not conventional and because they are not white.

The Documentary begins with the origins of Rock which can be found in African-American Rock and Roll which was began and made popular be artists such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, and Jimmy Hendrix. Spacey T. of Fishbone maintains that because Jimmy Hendrix was Black and prominent (making him consequently powerful among youth who in turn influenced their parents who, in turn, influenced their family and friends) that mainstream White America decided that no Black Rock Musician would ever again achieve Hendrix stature in the Recording Arts Industry. Other Black Artists were to emerge such as Rick James, Sly Stone, Bob Marley, and Prince, but no one Black ever again equaled the prominence of Jimmy Hendrix in The United States.

Payback Productions, which released ELECTRIC PURGATORY in 2005, has interspersed clips of Fishbone performing Rock and Funk in concerts which illustrate the first-class quality of the band. The fact, however, that they have performed in the United States since 1982 without the acclaim they deserve and have achieved in Europe, Japan, and South America has left the group disillusioned. And, although Fishbone, as well as the other musicians interviewed within the context of the film have a valid point to make- which is “If you have an all Black Band your chances of succeeding are a lot less unless you have a ‘white token’ to help you get your foot in the door”(Angelo Moore of Fishbone)- the documentary fails to make as strong a point as it could because the producers of the documentary were not willing to play the music of many of the greats (James Brown, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and Rick James) mentioned in the film ( the music of Chuck Berry, Jimmy Hendrix, Prince, and In Living Color is briefly featured in ELECTRIC PURGATORY).

More of the work of musicians mentioned with-in the documentary needed to be explored so that viewers could gain a better sense of Fishbone’s genius. In spite of this omission, however, I highly recommend ELECTRIC PURGATORY if for no other reason than the words and the music of Fishbone and the music of ZIN/ D.R.U.M. featured at the end of the film as well as for the discussion of the historical context within which to place Fishbone’s music and standing in the Recording Arts Industry as well as that of other “black rockers.”

ELECTRIC PURGATORY,the fate of the black rocker is available for free at (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXZRLEr4bh0). Or, it can be purchased on AMAZON VOD and i Tunes at (www.itunes.com/movies/electricpurgatory). On a scale of from one to twelve roses I give ELECTRIC PURGATORY eleven roses.

http://www.electricpurgatory.com/

About The Author: Cleo E. Brown has a Master’s Degree in Contemporary African-American History from The University of California at Davis in Davis, California. She also has a B.A. Minor Degree in Political-Science and has completed course work towards a Ph.D. in Education from The University of San Francisco in San Francisco, California. She is a Free Lance Writer and a Senior Editor at HHR