One can see the Dirty Works’ rise to local underground music stardom for no cost in the new documentary “Rebel Scum” from Worldstorm Arts Lab at Patrick Sullivan’s this Saturday at 9 p.m.
Based out of Atlanta, Worldstorm Arts Lab is known for its documentary work with popular rap and hip-hop artists such as Gucci Mane and Mos Def.
“Worldstorm saw a live performance in Morristown and called us the next day to talk about filming a documentary on the band,” Christopher Scum, lead vocalist and bass guitarist, said.
Guitarist Steven Crime and drummer B. Riot round out the Dirty Works’ three-piece rock outfit. The band’s ethos is to defy modern law and convention to express themselves through their own style of rock and roll music, which the band themselves have dubbed “White Trash Psycho Rock”.
“No one has ever shot a documentary about a rock-’n’-roll band that hasn’t made it,” Francis Percarpio, the film’s producer, said. “These guys live the rock-’n’-roll lifestyle harder and more extreme than anyone else. We really wanted to capture Chris in his element. I mean, what he does to himself live is intense, and his lyrics are brilliant.”
The movie follows the band’s progress over two years, and primarily centers on the life struggles of eccentric frontman Scum. The footage in the trailer alone is enough to suggest that the film will be a depraved thrillride into the minds of an extraordinary group of men struggling to present their art to the American South. Illicit drug use, dysfunctional families, religious beliefs and violence are all tackled in this candid view of the band.
“I’m a little nervous about it because I haven’t seen the film in its entirety yet,” Scum said about exposing his life to the public. “I don’t remember a lot of what I said or did during the filming of the movie.”
“There were definitely some tense moments during filming,” Percarpio added about the filming process. “We told the band from day one this was going to be a no-holds-barred documentary, and what we ended up with was an intense portrait of the rock-’n’-roll lifestyle,”
The film uses footage of the band while at home in Knoxville and on the road during live performances.
“Topsiders and suburbanites may not be able to handle the film,” Percarpio said. “I mean, this is south Knoxville at its most raw and extreme. People may not love the Dirty Works after they see the film, but they will at least understand who they are on some level.”
The Dirty Works will continue to tour and record music in the coming year to support the release of the movie.
“It would be nice to tour a little bit with the movie and play some live shows,” Scum said about future plans with the Dirty Works.
For more information about the band, visit The Dirty Works’ Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/dirtyworks.
