TAD
"BUSTED CIRCUITS AND RINGING EARS"
MVD
VISUAL 2008
DVD Review by Joe Milliken
The
Seattle–based TAD was
one of those bands that never made it big
commercially, but influenced many other much more notable bands such as
Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney with their heavy, ringing–loud style
of grungy metal.
"Busted Circuits And Ringing Ears" marks the debut DVD release (MVD Visual) for the power trio that helped kick start the Seattle grunge scene in the late 80’s, telling the story of their rise through the club scene and into the arena spotlight, before a string of bad luck and circumstances forced their ultimate demise.
For a band that wasn’t the most technically sound musically, Tad Doyle (guitar/vocals), Kurt Danielson (bass/vocals) and Steve Welde (drums) more than made up for any technical deficiencies with volume, feedback and attitude, combining gut–wrenching rhythms with demented, punky lyrics (not to mention the chain saw!) that put forth a raw power that made this band at one point early on, more popular than Nirvana in the Seattle-area.
This documentary offers a well–rounded view of the band including live footage going back to their early club gigs, behind the scene clips (how about Doyle strapped to a chair on the roof of a highway–bound station wagon!) and various interviews with not only band members but other artists they influenced such as Krist Novoselic of Nirvana and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden.
For anyone who has so indulged themselves in the stripped–down grunge rock scene that enveloped Seattle in the late 80’s before taking the world by storm in the early 90’s, you need to check out a band that helped lay the ground work for such world wide successes. Tad set the sonic pace and helped create the platform for which bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney could dive into the mosh pit.
"Busted Circuits And Ringing Ears" marks the debut DVD release (MVD Visual) for the power trio that helped kick start the Seattle grunge scene in the late 80’s, telling the story of their rise through the club scene and into the arena spotlight, before a string of bad luck and circumstances forced their ultimate demise.
For a band that wasn’t the most technically sound musically, Tad Doyle (guitar/vocals), Kurt Danielson (bass/vocals) and Steve Welde (drums) more than made up for any technical deficiencies with volume, feedback and attitude, combining gut–wrenching rhythms with demented, punky lyrics (not to mention the chain saw!) that put forth a raw power that made this band at one point early on, more popular than Nirvana in the Seattle-area.
This documentary offers a well–rounded view of the band including live footage going back to their early club gigs, behind the scene clips (how about Doyle strapped to a chair on the roof of a highway–bound station wagon!) and various interviews with not only band members but other artists they influenced such as Krist Novoselic of Nirvana and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden.
For anyone who has so indulged themselves in the stripped–down grunge rock scene that enveloped Seattle in the late 80’s before taking the world by storm in the early 90’s, you need to check out a band that helped lay the ground work for such world wide successes. Tad set the sonic pace and helped create the platform for which bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney could dive into the mosh pit.
