Revenge of the Mekons

Unlike their first-generation peers—who either broke up or eventually turned into an oldies circuit act—the Mekons have been plugging away in one form or another since 1977. Although the band has segued from punk to alt-country, their leftist politics haven't changed. As singer Sally Timms says about their longevity, “Success is the thing that usually kills bands in the end.” Hugo Burnham of Gang of Four explains how the two groups formed at Leeds University, sharing instruments and ideologies. Although the Mekons couldn't play, they won over influential DJ John Peel and secured a record deal with Virgin. Major labels and the Mekons proved a poor mix, but as former member Kevin Lycett remembers, “We just wouldn't lay down and be dead.” Over the years, the Mekons lost and added players, including ex-Rolling Stone Dick Taylor, and kept going, even though Timms and singer-guitarist Jon Langford, a onetime couple, moved to Chicago. Other members, such as violinist Susie Honeyman and multi-instrumentalist Lu Simonds, also have day jobs. Unlike most music documentaries, director Joe Angio casts a wider net, moving beyond the insular music world: Langford and accordion player Rico Bell are also painters, while Timms has other connections through her ex-husband, Portlandia star Fred Armisen, who credits her for steering him towards comedy. Literary and film-world figures, including author Jonathan Franzen and director Mary Harron (who started out as a music critic), also show up to sing the band's praises. Revenge of the Mekons doesn't answer every question about the collective, but it does touch on almost every aspect of their unlikely, enduring career. Recommended. (K. Fennessy)