The '80s were a special time when alternative music was really alternative. A quirky documentary of that often quirky era, They Came From Underground, excerpts band concerts and interviews from a Kansas City cable show called "Joy Farm" produced by Milwaukee filmmaker and musician Mark G.E. According to him, "Joy Farm" occupied a niche similar to WMSEexcept you couldn't enjoy it in your car or on the go.
Included is well-shot footage of signature bands from the era such as Husker Du, They Might Be Giants, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fishbone. Monty Python's Graham Chapman popped in for a short sketch. The sometimes-cheeky production reveled in the delirious, Max Headroom pixilations of the early days of digital. Of special interest to Milwaukeeans is a spry number by the BoDeans and an intensely-focused, razor's edge performance by the Violent Femmes's, "Gimme the Car," verging on free jazz and psychedelia. After moving back to Milwaukee in 1989, G.E. transformed "Joy Farm" into a comedy and arts program, but that phase waits for this documentary's sequel (They Came From Brew City?).
They Came From Underground screens at the UWM Union Theatre, 7 p.m., April 27.
