Blame it on Bono but the 'rockumentary' has become a tired cliche. A parade of talking heads. Not so, Autoluminescent, a film about Rowland S Howard - guitarist, songwriter, artist and an instrumental figure in the Australian rock scene, most notably for his involvement with the Birthday Party and for writing one of the greatest songs in the history of the sing song!
Howard is the deserving star of this doco. Sure there are interviews including Nick Cave, Henry Rollins and Thurston Moore but the bulk of the film consists of archival interviews with Howard himself. In a career spanning 30 years he worked with the best artists of his generation including Rollins, Lydia Lunch and Ollie Olsen. His was a singular talent, cut short by an untimely death in 2009.
The early ’80s Melbourne post-punk scene is well represented as the film follows Howard through The Boys Next Door, The Birthday Party, Crime & The City Solution and These Immortal Souls. Directors Lynn-Maree Milburn and Richard Lowenstein (Dogs in Space) need to be credited for creating an intimate portrait of a true artist, not a rockstar. There's not a Bono or Flea in sight. Just the tale of a remarkable musician.
WIN
Thanks to Umbrella Entertainment, we have 10 dbls to give away. To enter, email
brisbane.win@thethousands.com.au with your name, postal address and subject line 'pashing with the devil at the bus stop'
Australian Competitions Club
