Sound Unseen 12 to feature ex-Hole drummer, rock dads doc

The annual festival of films on rock bands is happening Oct. 12-16 at the Ritz and Trylon.

September 19, 2011 at 8:35PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Patty Schemel in 1992 with Kurt and Francis Bean Cobain. / From "Hit So Hard"
Patty Schemel in 1992 with Kurt and Francis Bean Cobain. / From "Hit So Hard" (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Former Hole drummer Patty Schemel might not seem like a big enough name to helm her own autobiographical documentary, but she was near ground zero for several major eruptions in rock music in the mid-90s: Kurt Cobain's death, Courtney Love's ascent and downward spiral, alt-rock's overblown commercialization and female rockers' long-overdue acceptance (still overdue?). All these subjects are addressed in the movie "Hit So Hard," which will be the centerpiece of the 12th annual Sound Unseen movie fest -- details of which were announced today.

The festival on movies about music is happening again Oct. 12-16 at both the Ritz Theater and Trylon Microcinema. Schemel herself will be on hand for the Sound Unseen screening Oct. 14 at the Ritz, also featuring a performance by Pink Mink. The other big local premier is at the Ritz on Oct 15:"The Other 'F' Word," a documentary on famous punk-rock dads, including Flea, Mark Hoppus (Blink-182), Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo) and Tony Hawk.

Other Sound Unseen 12 films will include "Sid & Nancy" (25th anniversary), "Better Than Something: Jay Reatard," the authorized Pulp documentary "The Beat Is the Law: Fanfare for the Common People," another on Split Lip Rayfield titled "Never Make It Home," and one called "A Drummer's Dream" that sounds like a drum nerd's answer to "It Might Get Loud." Click here for more details on the fest.

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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