From the first sequence of this show I had a feeling I was going to like it. Opening with a “wail of a record” and the Desperate man’s knee slapping enthusiasm, the vibe and pace of the Australian made documentary sets out quickly. Desperate Man Blues is both a record of the musical heritage of America’s south and the story of Joe Bussard, the man whose passion for its preservation has led him on a long and self fulfilling journey. Here is a man whose rapturous excitement at listening to his old shellac 78rpms is a lesson in keeping the passion strong, regardless of what in life that might be for you.
The American south of the early 20th century is a birth point of so much of today’s popular music yet so much of the ceramic and shellac 78s that store this heritage are gone and with it almost every trace of the artists. Yet Joe Bussard has been travelling the back-roads of south east America for 47 years compiling an extraordinary library of a time and place where music was life, everyone played it and quite often they cut it on to a record. Now Joe’s got the best of it: 25000 records and barely any of it dating post 1940, and it is not just jazz and blues but the white man’s folk of hillbilly and bluegrass. Much of it is obscure, popular only in its time and region yet these are class acts built on an exceptional guitar playing tradition. Watching Joe shuffle and boogie to it all, it is clear to see that this hobby is his life and his pursuit of it is both a validation and a noble cause.
There is no doubt in my mind that Joe Bussard is a true resource. The music he has saved is a wonderful compilation from a time and region whose folk traditions influenced so much yet have all but disappeared from the evolution of music, to be replaced by what Joe refers to as rubbish, music “not worth a lick.” In fact, it is not too hard to sense that this collector may be a little too obsessive and singular in his pursuit, describing rock ‘n roll as the cancer of music. Lighten up old man, even Muddy Waters understood that “the blues had a baby and they named it rock ‘n roll.” And from the lady at the diner we discover that Joe is compulsive about his breakfast too.
A unique part of the Desperate Man Blues is the medium through which it is told. The viewer is not paraded past a list of dry Smithsonian style facts but rather we learn of the artists, the labels and the scene through well crafted anecdotes; some first hand and some passed down. They may not be the usual liner notes of history but it is a chance to learn of something from a different perspective. Although I wonder if Joe would ever have fit in to this culture, his excited recollections are a link to those remarkable days. Some of the original footage used to bolster this link is of a typically poor standard but it is original and gives us a context in which to frame the music and its importance to the people who danced to it. There is none of the usual voiceover narration, relying instead on the infectious, immovable passion of one man which allows us to become engaged with this character and share his elation at playing an old favourite or finding that rare gem at a garage sale.
The long list of extras accompanying this presentation is excellent. Like a rare vinyl, there are many out-takes from the artistic release. As with clips from the feature, these cuts are little gems and include a showcase for Joe’s storytelling prowess, even if some of the anecdotes may prove a little boring over time. Other extra scenes give us more of an insight into this man of singular obsession. As a young man his pirate radio station was shut down by the FCC, which I thought was pretty cool. He plays guitar and blew a mean jug in a genuine jug combo – a jug combo!?! I just don’t know how I feel about this guy!
It is hardly surprising that the photo gallery is joined by a running commentary from Joe. It is interesting and insightful, including a quick grab on all the long gone artists featured in the pictures. This device is used to great effect, much better than the usual noiseless image galleries of actors drinking coffee and siting in chairs. Combine these thumbnails with the extensive audio commentary Joe rattles off over the feature itself and you end up with multiple documentaries of merit. From these we learn more on the art of collecting as well as the fascinating history of the records and the legends that made them.
If the feature concentrates a little too much on the collector and not on the collection, then a selection of extra tracks including rare film clips of John Lee Hooker and Son House serve to even up the balance. This documentary creates a thirst for the blues roots and hillbilly of the swamps and deltas, so along with a lengthy excerpt from Joe’s radio show, these tracks quench the curiosity nicely. Also included is a sparse 8 page booklet and a CD soundtrack is available.
The soundtrack is a fantastic collection from the Desperate Man’s incredible catalogue – the centre of the man at the centre of this piece. The all important sound is as good as it can be, remembering that many of the tracks are typical of the era: scratchy and out of one speaker. This must be forgiven as unavoidable yet the sound reproduction is very good and sits well in this stereo presentation. The scratchiness of some tunes spices up the authentic flavour. Picture quality is excellent in its full frame aspect ratio with the file footage being an excusable exception to this. The overall appearance is good, a typical subject to camera presentation.
One minor annoyance was the use of record labels for some of the scene selection screenshots on the index. Although a cute idea, it is difficult to associate the song with the scene even if you could read it.
Desperate Man blues is a very good documentary. Although primarily a documentary exploring the passion of Joe Bussard - collector and backroom historian, the man himself will always remind us that it is all about the music. For guitarists, lovers of blues roots and hillbilly folk and its history, this is a great piece worth having. It is the story of a collector yet it is rich with the music upon which his passion is grounded. The extensive extras package is thoughtful and well produced and makes this DVD even better value. Brimming with great stories and wonderful music, this is an intelligent and engaging documentary about a great slice of 20th century American culture and a fascinating man whose obsession may help to save it from extinction.
