Watch Dig!

In 2004, director Ondi Timoner released a captivating documentary titled Dig!, that painted an intimate, whirlwind tale of two underground bands, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and The Dandy Warhols, as they navigate the volatile landscape of the independent music scene. The film is a directed and edited exploration of a six-year period (1996-2002) in which we witness the formation and evolution of these two aspiring rock bands. Anton Newcombe, founder and frontman of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Courtney Taylor-Taylor, lead singer of The Dandy Warhols, are the main subjects of the film.

The rivalry and friendship between the two bands form the crux of Dig! Taylor-Taylor, and Newcombe have a love-hate relationship that ranges from genuine camaraderie to outright animosity. Both bands share a similar sound, an offshoot of the Velvet Underground, and they both find themselves struggling to gain recognition from the larger music industry.

Anton Newcombe is portrayed as a complex and sensitive figure who battles his demons with drug addiction while trying to will his band to succeed. His relentless pursuit of perfection in his music leads to a volatile personality that ultimately affects his relationships with his fellow band members and the music industry at large. Taylor-Taylor, on the other hand, appears to be the more pragmatic of the two, driven not just by ambition but also a desire for success at the highest level.

The film may seem to be a standard rockumentary, but it quickly becomes apparent that the director utilizes the footage to explore these two men's relationship, egos, and the ethos of the indie music scene of that time. Timoner captures and presents the complexities of these men, their music and the people around them as they navigate the world of the music industry, all while providing the necessary context to understand the driving factors behind their personalities and decisions.

Dig! won the Grand Jury Prize for documentary feature at Sundance in 2004, an award well-earned for the filmmaker's ability to craft a compelling narrative from the archival footage gathered over six years. One standout sequence captures Newcombe and a bandmate trashing the stage equipment after being heckled during a live performance. The Dandy Warhols, on the other hand, appeared to take a more pragmatic route, taking any opportunity that came their way, even if it meant performing in commercials.

The film's success lies in its portrayal of the interdependent and at times volatile relationships between individuals pursuing creative passions in the music industry. It's a document of the DIY grassroots music scene of the 1990s - the dissolution of barriers between making, distributing, and consuming music, and the struggle to stay authentic and independent toward a mainstream audience, even after gaining recognition. The artists featured in the film use their music as a vehicle for their youthful ideals, all while trying to succeed in a cutthroat and unforgiving industry.

In conclusion, Dig! is an insightful and artful look into the intense and deeply intimate world of musicians struggling to make it big in the cutthroat music industry. Anton Newcombe's narrative spans dark episodes that illuminate how laudable obsessions can lead to self-destruction, while Courtney Taylor-Taylor exemplifies a willingness to make more practical decisions that bode well for his band's longevity. It's an incredible movie that captures the energies and creative irreverence that once defined the late ’90s/early 2000s underground music scene. In the face of long odds, it's amazing to see what kinds of works of art can be made regardless.

Dig! is a 2004 documentary with a runtime of 1 minute. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 76.