Director Shaun M. Colón's crowd-funded documentary focuses on the Bay Area punk record label Fat Wreck Chords. A singer and bass player, "Fat Mike" Burkett formed NOFX in 1983, earned a degree in philosophy between tours and recording sessions, and launched Fat Wreck Chords with his wife, Erin Kelly-Burkett, in 1991 (although they have since divorced, the business relationship continues). In 1997, he opened Motor Studios where bands record with partner Ryan Greene. According to Kelly-Burkett, the couple started the Fat Wreck Chords label as a hobby, and things got off to a rocky start, but the first few records they released all sold well. Contracts were handshake deals, and the acts felt that the label treated them fairly, so many have stuck around. Although Burkett would have a falling out with Winnipeg band Propagandhi over politics, they found a way to work together again. Instead of concentrating exclusively on Burkett, Colón speaks with all of the key bands, most of whom qualify as melodic punk, although a few lean towards the metal end of the spectrum, like Lagwagon and Strung Out. As CD sales have decreased in recent years, the label has had to tighten its belt, shrinking from 18 employees to five. To provide a more fair-minded perspective, Colón brings in outside voices like Jay Bentley (Bad Religion), Jim Lindberg (Pennywise), and Mike Park (Asian Man Records), who criticize Burkett's partying ways. Colón also uses puppets to re-create moments when he lacks archival footage, and while this is initially a little disconcerting it certainly sets his documentary apart from other indie label profiles. Recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)
A Fat Wreck: The Punk-U-Mentary
(2016) 88 min. DVD: $19.99 ($199 w/PPR from edu.passionriver.com). Passion River (avail. from most distributors). Volume 32, Issue 2
A Fat Wreck: The Punk-U-Mentary
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