Electric Purgatory

A documentary that examines the struggles of black rock musicians and the industry's ambivalence towards them.
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Category:

• Documentary

Starring:

• Flip Barnes
• Charlie Braxton

Directed by:

• Raymond Gayle

Produced by:

• Marc Newsome

Written by:

• Raymond Gayle

Tags:

• James
• Brown
• Prince
• Michael
• Jackson
• Jimi
• Hendrix
• Fishbone
• Living
• Colour
• TV
• on
• the
• radio
• black
• rock
• African
• American
• The
• Roots
• Quincy
• Jones

[ladychickana]

Great video. I hate having to feel like I have to defend myself to people who assume because I am a person of color that somehow I shouldn't be into indie rock, alternative or whatever. People always look confused when I don't bust out with some rapper or r&b singer that I listen to; rather respond with some rock band that they've labeled as "white music". Someday society may come to the consensus that music knows no boundaries and it is genderless/raceless/classless.

[CelestialSymph0ny]

Aren't you guys tired of fighting about this black and white stuff? You all know this crap never ends right?

[mukraker1]

MAN, I've played drums in black clubs since 1964, when I was 14. I had false ID and the owners didn't care because I was a good drummer and the band liked me because of that. This video is RIGHT ON THE MESSAGE. PLAY YOUR MUSIC AND BE FREE. GREAT VIDEO. MUCH TRUTH HERE!!!!

[TheUnluckyEverydude]

Just watched the part talking about Sound Barrier. Dude, the reason you guys weren't marketed well wasn't because you were black. It's because you were still playing glam metal in the 80s.

[ibebo543]

this video is wierd

[TembaSaggicorn]

You're really quite amusing, CelestialSymph0ny. The individuals in this movie discussed their experiences in an unjust industry, which is, in reality, a microcosm of the larger society. MAJOR PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. You're expecting the victims of injustice to NOT discuss it and find a solution.

What really makes me laugh is how uncomfortable some people get just by the mere discussion. Is that the mark of a guilty conscience?

[sleepyredbull]

@Volumesofdoom I know your comment is 6 months old and everything, but I agree, why are these artists so bitter. thanks for the band names, though. as a black person i like to see other black rockers so i don't feel like a weirdo. peace.

[TheScottKirk]

@ratmanf13 I agree that all of the guitarists you listed are proficient, but they are not the reason why we have Rock n' Roll. They continued the Rock tradition, but that's not saying anything.

You're thinking 70's and 60's, but rock mostly started in the late 40's and the 50's. The black (Rock) artists that were mentioned in this documentary are of course the inovators and pillars, but the list also includes Presley, Buddy Holly, Lewis, etc. for making it massively accepted.

[TheScottKirk]

Sorry guy, kids don't listen to Prince because his music is a bit dated. Prince isn't bad, but he's not relevant either.

[JandritoBlues]

The plight of Black rockers is not that different from any artists who don't fit into convenient molds of marketing schemes. The phonograph record business started off marketing to three markets. The general public, poor rural Whites and the Black market. The labels have changed -- Race>R&B>Soul>Urban but the categories haven't changed. If you don't fit into a pre-defined category they don't know what to do with you. I'm kinda glad the era of giant labels came to end.

[JandritoBlues]

@FedExHumper I'm gonna guess and say racist Whites and Uncle Toms. But that's just a guess.

[ratmanf13]

Blackmore, May, Van Halen, Tipton, Gilmour, Young, Vai,Iommi, Whylde, Lee, Rhodes, Page, Townsend, Sykes, Cavazo,Hendrix, Cooder, Clapton, Winters, Richards, Harrison.These Are the Gods of Thunder.

This is why we have Rock and Roll!!!!