Obviously you and I are longtime fans of legendary Boston garage rock outfit Dogmatics, but they aren’t as well known to the general public as they should be, and to be honest I’ve been more into their music than into their backstory myself. That’s about to change, as film director Rudy Childs has released The Dogmatics: A Documentary, a new rock ‘n’ roll movie about what was considered Boston’s house band. Through interviews with the band members and those who knew them, as well as much never-before-seen footage, the documentary offers an intimate look at the Massachusetts music scene of the 1980s and the continued relevance of the band. You can watch the trailer below (and listen to their tunes if you want to explore them further).
The documentary The Dogmatics: A Dogumentary (the subtitle reads They were Boston’s house band, but it could also have been ‘The Rolling Stones Of Garage Rock’) has been submitted to a variety of 2023 film festivals, so hopefully to be seen somewhere near you during this year. It’s the result of a four-year effort by family and friends, crafted as a tribute to the Dogmatics’ late co-founder and bassist Paul O’Halloran. For me, the hour and a half that the film lasts not only provided entertainment but also a lot of new information, from finding a cassette with the first demos to explanation about where the band name comes from (it’s in the dictionary) and the creation of some of their best songs (and their first music video). It’s a heartfelt story of brotherhood and a cool insight into the garage rock scene, based on the experiences of those directly involved and unique images of the band members growing up and performing. Highly recommended.
Where can we see it?
Yesterday’s statement from the band: “We recently submitted it to several festivals around the world. Our goal is to screen the film in the Boston area in the March or April 2023 timeframe.”