Out of Time: The Material Issue Story

Important Docs

Keep preserving these niche documentaries. They’re fascinating.

Great documentary

Out of Time: The Material Issue Story (2023), directed by Balin Schneider, is a poignant documentary that delves into the rise and untimely fall of the Chicago-based power pop band Material Issue. The film chronicles the band's journey from their formation in the late 1980s to their ascent in the early 1990s, culminating in the tragic suicide of frontman Jim Ellison in 1996. Featuring interviews with surviving members Mike Zelenko and Ted Ansani, as well as insights from industry figures like Steve Albini, Matt Pinfield, and music critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, the documentary paints a vivid picture of a band caught between the post-punk era and the emerging alternative rock movement. The Blu-ray edition, distributed through Vinegar Syndrome's partner label Factory 25, includes a 24-page booklet with essays by Jim Ryan and director Balin Schneider, providing deeper context to the band's story and their impact on the music scene.

Not Much To This Story

I wish there was more to this but at the end of the day it's a pretty cliche ridden rise and downfall.