In between football games this past weekend, I took the time to check out two extraordinary music documentaries. Both did a terrific job of eliciting heavy emotions.

One was an explosive four-part film about Sean “Diddy” Combs. The other was an equally emotional (albeit in a completely different way) film about singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley.

One induces furious anger. The other leaves the viewer in a puddle of tears. Do I really need to say which is which?

Good. I’ll carry on.

I was never a huge fan of Diddy’s. Sean Combs: The Reckoning (produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), nothing to change my mind. As a former police officer (including time as a detective), I always thought something was a little … off about him. I was right.

Throughout the mid- to late-nineties, I listened to Diddy extensively sample other artists’ songs, manipulate some of their tempos, and create a hit of his own. Granted, some of the original songwriters, like Sting and Jimmy page, went along and embraced Diddy’s work. Personally, I don’t think it was admiration as much as it was Sting and Page’s chance to remain relevant as the spotlight moved further away from them. It was their choice, so I let it go.

Still, Diddy always struck me as a predator. I thought he preyed on the efforts of others in order to elevate himself. To say nothing of being able to see he’s a malignant narcissist. Well, it turns out I was wrong.

Diddy is much worse.

If The Reckoning is to believed (and there’s really no reason to think otherwise), Diddy is a predator on multiple levels. He physically and psychologically abused women, he exploited the talents of other artists for his own personal gain, and he very well may have had a hand in the murders of both Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G.). The East Coast/West Coast hip-hop war of the late nineties may very well have had a common denominator. My former detective self was not nearly as surprised as I thought I’d be.

It also didn’t surprise me to learn what an incredible sexual predator Diddy had been. I’m not gonna go into detail (I’ll leave it to you to walk down that path), but I will say that retired detective wants to come back to work solely to arrest that evil S.O.B. again. And I’ll conduct an investigation thorough enough to make all the charges stick!^

It’s all but impossible to see Diddy in a positive light, regardless of his business savvy and innovation. How his supporters remain on his bandwagon is a mystery I might never be able to solve.

The Reckoning seemed to come from a place of anger (Diddy and Jackson definitely had “beef” between them), but while It’s Never Over (directed by Amy Berg) was pure love through and through.

I knew little about Jeff Buckley outside of thinking he had the singing voice of an angel and his album Grace is absolutely perfect. He was a once in a generation artist who died far too soon.

What I didn’t know about was the incredibly complex relationship Buckley had with his father Tim, who was also a well-known and admired musician. Jeff wanted little to nothing to do with his absentee dad. And Jeff certainly didn’t want to be compared to Tim. When asked about Tim, Jeff’s face spoke volumes.

I also didn’t realize what an incredibly talented guitarist Jeff was. No doubt part of his abilities came from his admiration of legendary guitarist Al DiMeola. I couldn’t really make the connection until I started trying to learn “Grace,” which is probably my favorite track from his album. It’s not impossible, but it will definitely take some work to nail it down.

I can only imagine where Jeff’s career would’ve gone had he not tragically drowned in 1997. True believers cherish every note of Grace and any and all other releases that have sprung forth since then. How I wish I could’ve seen him live. It took a while for my eyes to stop leaking.

Bottom line: both of these documentaries are well worth your time. It’s just a matter of what your mind can absorb on that day. Dig in, and leave a comment about your experience.

Enjoy!

#cirdecsongs

If you would like to have your music reviewed or you would like to have your band photographed while visiting Chicago, contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com

^ No, I wouldn’t do anything physical. I prided myself in being extremely thorough when I investigated. I looked for every conceivable detail a defense lawyer might use to acquit his client. That’s why I only went to trial once in five years. And that guy got 12 years in prison.