Fanumentarys

There’s a few doc ideas we hear literally once or twice a week from producers: tribute bands and crazy fans. The latter always has the same breathless sales pitch: “you wouldn’t believe what these fans do when following around their favorite bands / they’re the most insane fans of all time / they tattoo their band’s logo on this body part and that body part.” You know what? We do believe it. Some forty odd years into the rock n’ roll era, we’ve all seen these fans in person and witnessed their devotion. It’s like politicians who have affairs or lie in office: we’re not really shocked anymore. Sure, we’ll pay attention for a few minutes…but an hour or more about crazed fans? The crestfallen producers always warn us we’re missing a big hit. We’ll take that chance.

I wonder what everyone’s favorite “fanumentary” is? (A not so subtle beg for comments!) Perhaps one group of fans worthy of the claim of the most clinically passionate are KISS followers. Maybe that’s because they have more opportunities to indugle the fantasy by wearing the makeup, buying a zillion KISS products, wiggling their tongues, etc. (After all, what’s a Fugazi zealot to do? NOT drink, NOT buy tee-shirts, etc. Hard to be expressive!) Filmmaker & bassist Jim Heneghan produced KISS Loves You last year, which got some pretty good viewer response. It will be screened again at the upcoming MOFFOM Music on Film Festival in Prague in October. MOFFOM (cited earlier in this blog) will have special focus on music and stories from New York City. More to come on this front. For now, for all of you (especially neglected Bruce Kulick fans) here is some evidence KISS Loves You.