The Man Who Was Not With It

In terms of hits, the most popular post I've made on this here blog was the one about Felt. They're a band that never sold anything in their lifetime, but whose legend grew. As I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, I found out that the documentary about their frontman, Lawrence of Belgravia, was being shown in Manchester and I'd got tickets.

So along I went to the Museum of Science and Industry (a fine attraction, for anyone visiting this wonderful city), which it turned out was the only place willing to show it. So thanks for fuck all, the Cornerhouse, the supposed "cutting edge" cinema in Manchester.

Dave Haslam, well known DJ from his times at the Hacienda, had put the event together and thus kudos must go to him. Charlatans front man and Felt fan Tim Burgess brought his newly bleached locks down to do  an introduction of sorts and then it was onto Paul Kelly's film, sometime in the making. Not so much a documentary about Lawrence's life as a whole (Felt fans will be disappointed if they expect to see much of that band, though drummer Gary Ainge appears), but more of the past few years as the man tries to get by despite problems with substance abuse, finances and apparent mass indifference to his craft.

It's a beautifully made piece which anyone with any interest in the man should see. There's laughs to be had at the way Lawrence carries on (and I wonder if he's totally aware of this and plays up to it) but also plenty of pathos: at the start, he's being evicted from his flat and later on, he sells a precious guitar to raise some funds. Throughout, he comes across as a man in love with being in a band and who believes someday he'll reach his goal of being famous and not have to use public transport to get around.

There is some biographical detail on him - passing references to a brother and sister and how he never understood why original Felt member Nick Gilbert left because he thought the band put a pressure on their friendship. Lawrence thought the band was worth sacrificing a friend for.

Whether he's right or not is left for us to decide. The man himself just seems to follow whatever ideas he has - from jangling indie guitars in the 80s, glam rock stomp with his second band Denim and subsequently leading "the world's first b-side band", Go-Kart Mozart. It's to his credit that he states that while he likes the idea of being a millionaire, he'd never reform Felt, even for huge sums of cash, and you believe him.

Afterwards, there's a short Q&A with Lawrence and Kelly, during which we learn the former has been signing on the dole pretty much throughout his whole career in music, having never made any kind of fiscal rewards that his talent doubtless deserves. He's also resigned himself to never having a relationship again as "girlfriends get jealous of the band" and Kelly states that instead, he sees a girl somewhere he finds attractive and lives out the whole relationship in his head before conceding it would never have worked out.

With luck, there will also be a DVD release next year, so that other Lawrence fans can view this entertaining flick. As a little bonus on the day, I also got a Go-Kart Mozart key ring. Ace!