The Undertones - Teenage Kicks [2003]

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You've got their number...

class

One of the best music documentaries ever

From the Bogside to the USA - a band growing up in public

Untouchable

The Undertones - Teenage Kicks [2003]
Starring: The Undertones
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Visual Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Hypnotised

Undertones

ASIN: B0000BZNJV
Release Date: 2005-03-07

Amazon.co.uk Review

The first few minutes of Teenage Kicks is as much an account of the unbridled influence of John Peel on the British music industry as the story of The Undertones themselves. The mythological tale, destined to be quoted in pop music almanacs for forever, of how Peel discovered the band dominates the early parts of the feature. It's no surprise, then, that Peel presents this 70-minute documentary, successfully using his influence to involve all the original members, even though continued bitterness between former singer Fergal Sharkey and the other four is evident throughout. While John O'Neill, Damian O'Neill, Michael Bradley and Billy Doherty opt to be interviewed in their home city of Derry, Sharkey chooses the more neutral territory of Peel Acres.

Although many fans share Peel's enthusiasm for their most famous song, "Teenage Kicks", the documentary touches on the band's bemusement at their posthumous elevation to rock legend status. Their lack of pretentiousness still shines through, as they recount stories of how they returned to their parents' houses after performances on Top of the Pops, and how they still hold day jobs despite top ranking at international pop festivals. Part of their enduring down-to-earth appeal also reflected here is that The Undertones emerged from Northern Ireland during the height of the troubles. Overall though, the feature provides only a sketchy account of the band's development and continued existence, preferring the band members' own narrative of key events.

On the DVD: Teenage Kicks on disc includes 45 minutes of additional interviews, along with exclusive live footage. Like a lot of the material included in the main feature, the extra interview footage is only likely to appeal to die-hard fans. Seven promos (restored and mixed in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound) are also featured, including the recently discovered video for "There Goes Norman". The early videos are basic, and appear to re-create their stage routine from early gigs at Derry's Casbah ("Teenage Kicks" and "Wednesday Week"). Their final video together, "Got To Have You Back" is, bizarrely, set in psychiatric ward and provides a hint of the sound of Sharkey's later solo material (for example, "You Little Thief"). --John Galilee

Customer Reviews:

You've got their number..........2004-02-13

Unafraid to show lots of great footage including the earliest Casbah stuff. Absolutely unbeatable for anyone who rates The Undertones. Or indeed good pop music. Surprising insights into what makes bands and people tick make this more than a nostalgia trip... and the ride is fantastic none the less.

class.......2004-02-10

Sheer class, cracking dvd, the extras are excellent- great to watch the aul videos over and over. Some fantastic insights into the band and why Sharkey left, loved the parts in the randy Brandywell.

One of the best music documentaries ever.......2004-01-29

Even if you only know "Teenage Kicks" or "My Perfect Cousin" this excellent DVD will be worth buying. I watched it on a dreary cold winter's day, and by the end of it I was feeling totally cheered up. Presented by John Peel (who else?), it contains many interviews with all of the band members, as well as seven promo videos and extended interviews that didn't make it to the original broadcast. It contains footage and interviews with the reformed group (without Sharkey) which show that the 'Tones are still as good as they ever were (they recently had two new tracks in Peel's Festive Fifty).

From the Bogside to the USA - a band growing up in public.......2003-12-22

This documentary film was made in 2001 and received quite a few film festival showings in 2002 to critical acclaim. If you're an Undertones fan, even if only mildly, then this dvd is an essential item to own.

The documentary is brilliantly put together and really conjures up the images and feelings of what it must have been like to have been a teenage kid growing up in Derry in the early to mid 1970s in the midst of "the Troubles". The full film, additional interviews and live footage plus 7 hard to find promos are all included to make it a comprehensive and very good value dvd release.

In the film the band talk at length about the early days of the band - from playing in their bedrooms and local Scout Huts before progressing on to the clubs and pubs of Derry and ultimately the USA. Damian O'Neill reads sections from his own scrapbook covering the period and, throughout, the film is interspersed with amateur footage of the local sights and sounds of the era - much of it of the British Army on the streets of Derry, standing on street corners with sub machine guns with burning barricades in the background.

Damian speaks about how the band grew and matured and became more aware of what was going on around them. Their transformation from teenage boy Ramones fans to young men developing fast, with their tastes changing to the likes of Marvin Gaye and at the same time discovering girls, is strikingly and sensitively covered. Damian seems a little awkward, but at the same time talks without any regrets, about him wearing a black armband on "Top of the Pops" on the day in May 1981 when Bobby Sands, the IRA hunger striker, died in prison in case any Protestant Undertones fans were offended by his actions at the time. Not the types of subjects that the average "rockumentary" would even consider covering, let alone with the sensitivity that is shown here.

The final split in 1983 clearly is still an episode that all of the band, including Feargal, find a little painful to discuss. Eventually they simply grew apart and stopped having fun - and fun, especially live on stage, was always the biggest part of what made the Undertones the classic band they were from 75 to 83.

The BBC radio dj John Peel narrates the film excellently, and closes by talking about the single he wishes to have played at his funeral, "Teenage Kicks".

I was lucky enough to see the band live 4 times from 1979 to 1983 when they split up. When I heard they were reforming in 1999 without Feargal Sharkey I was very apprehensive but I saw them again in Amsterdam in Dec 2002 with the new singer, Paul McCloone, and they were superb. So if you get the chance see them live, do so. Also buy this dvd.

Untouchable.......2003-08-17

This DVD contains the documentary film "Teenage Kicks" which was released to critical acclaim some two years ago. Narrated by veteran Radio 1 DJ and Undertones champion John Peel, it uses archive footage as well as interviews with all the band members, including the no longer active Feargal Sharkey, to tell the story of the band from the Bogside that made it big(gish) back at the tail end of the seventies. Its not afraid to take time to showcase a lot of the band's songs in full and mixes live footage, video clips and candid interviews, mainly conducted in and around the band's home town of Derry. If you only buy one DVD this year, this is head and shoulders above the rest.

Average customer rating:

Teenage Kicks-a real gem

Teenage Kicks
Starring: The Undertones , Madness , The Jam , and Buzzcocks
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Visual Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009M9F7I
Release Date: 2005-06-13

Customer Reviews:

Teenage Kicks-a real gem.......2007-05-24

A wonderful collection of excellent videos from the mod/punk era.Including The Undertones,Buzzcocks and Madness which you may remember the best video in my opinion is the glorious TIME FOR ACTION by SECRET AFFAIR which was shot in film rather than video.This song and video stands out in the collection by capturing the mod revival generation and a cult band.Worth buying just for that one track alone.

The Story of the Undertones: Teenage Kicks

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The Story of the Undertones: Teenage Kicks
The Undertones
Manufacturer: Sanctuary
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007LCNPC
Release Date: 2005-03-07

Undertones: Teenage Kicks [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

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Undertones: Teenage Kicks [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Undertones
Manufacturer: Bmg Video/Sbme
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6308071404
Release Date: 2004-02-24

The Undertones: Teenage Kicks [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Average customer rating:

The Undertones: Teenage Kicks [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: The Undertones
Manufacturer: Sanctuary
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007TKHKW
Release Date: 2005-02-15

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Teenage Kicks (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records/Rv
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6309265350
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Undertones-Teenage Kicks (REGION 1) (NTSC)

Average customer rating:

Undertones-Teenage Kicks (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Undertones
Manufacturer: Video Music, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 630825701X
Release Date: 2003-12-16

The Story of the Undertones: Teenage Kicks [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

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The Story of the Undertones: Teenage Kicks [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Starring: Seymour Stein , John Peel , and The Undertones
Director: Tom Collins
Manufacturer: Sanctuary
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Teenage Kicks

Manufacturer: Spirit Entertainment Ltd
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0013U4RQE
Release Date: 2008-05-19

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