Borbetomagus: A Pollock of Sound

• Watchlist

• 2016
• 1 hr 3 mins
• Documentary

• Watchlist

• Watchlist

'A Pollock of sound' is the first-ever full feature documentary film on the legendary group Borbetomagus. With a current career spanning of 37 years, and still going, this explains a lot. From 1979 on, Borbetomagus have persevered in a 'no holds barred' musical style, described and boxed by the media so many times that they remain uncategorised. Coming together in upstate NY, far away from the burgeoning NYC scene, they began having a cult status reaching as far as Northeast Asia. With both saxophone players extending techniques beyond recognition and a guitar player utilizing metal shards besides a plectrum, the band have showcased a whole new vocabulary staying true to the word 'free'. Guerilla filmmaker Jef Mertens brings the story as a visual collage, previously only written in select underground media, as told by band members Don Dietrich, Donald Miller and Jim Sauter. Made on a low budget string and with the help of many artists, writers, photographers and fellow filmmakers, the film exhibits a raw, urgent and unpolished vision on a band that has spent almost 4 decades defining and redefining their music. Starring writer Byron Coley, drummer Chris Corsano, guitarist Thurston Moore, Japanese noise outfit Hijokaidan, Switzerlands Voice Crack and a pontificating intro by Jason Gross. With never before seen archival footage, amazing photographic finds and even some never before released recordings, the film is a must-see, or must-listen if you will, for every Borbetomagus fan or lover of music that has labored its own definition of what sound should be like. Borbetomagus' devastating attitude gained recognition without compromise and it's without those compromises that 'A Pollock of Sound' hopes to be striding along.