Many so-called rockumentaries have tackled the pressures and pains that come with rock and roll stardom. But a question these films never address is what if your band have never hit the big time and, as comedian Stewart Lee puts it in his new film, have been “hampered by ongoing commercial indifference?” Well in the case of Robert Lloyd and his post-punk group The Nightingales, the answer is a resounding “f*** it, just keep on rocking”.
Together with Brass Eye director Michael Cumming, Lee has knocked together this endearing DIY-doc that traces the history of The Nightingales and pieces together their legacy. Part travelogue, part extended interview, we follow Lee and Lloyd as they retrace the latter’s past through Birmingham and London. It is clear from the get-go that Lee has a huge amount of respect for Lloyd and vice versa, and this feeling of mutual appreciation quickly becomes the film’s wholesome backbone.
Another charming through line is the surprising similarities between Lee’s way with words and Lloyd’s wonderfully tongue-in-cheek lyrics. At one point, Lee tells a story about a Nightingales’ song that uses a bakery as a metaphor for society. “What are you talking about?” Lloyd replies, “I just used to work in a bakery.” It is these pithy, digression-filled interactions that keep the doc ticking along and make Lloyd such a cheeky, lovable character. As much as the subject of the doc is about the Nightingales’ history, it seems Lee is often far more interested in just spending time with Lloyd.
On the surface, King Rocker may be little more than a rather niche passion project. But it is through Lee and Lloyd’s friendship the film really elevates itself, as Lloyd tells the comedian at one point, “the problem with you is that you overanalyse everything.” Maybe we need more Robert Lloyds in the world.
RATING: 4/5
INFORMATION
CAST: Robert Lloyd, Stewart Lee, Frank Skinner, Marc Riley
DIRECTOR: Michael Cumming
WRITERS: Stewart Lee, Michael Cumming
SYNOPSIS: Comedian Stewart Lee traces the history of largely forgotten punk group The Nightingales, talking to lead singer Robert Lloyd about their legacy.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube