Candid, raw, unflinching, these are all terms that can be applied to this extraordinary documentary film about the man who pioneered the sound of New York hardcore and metalcore as we know it, Harley Flanagan of Cro Mags.
If you know the story of this man through reading his autobiography, there are still further stories to be told, and they are in full, no-holds-barred fashion. From his early beginnings (and we do mean early!) as an 11-year-old drummer for a successful punk rock act, The Stimulators, to his adolescent search for something more aggressive, more him and more indicative of his true life day-to-day struggle as a child of the New York streets and all that entailed.
That search led to him creating a whole new sound single-handedly on his first demos, that sound was Cro Mags, and it ushered in the New York hardcore era in full, bloodied, violent and uncompromising form. Throughout the film, we see the many unexpected people who are part of Harley’s journey from the street to the stage and back again several times over.
Credit: Jonah Odin Flanagan
We don’t want to give too much away about this documentary, as you really do need to see it for yourself. It’s lovingly put together and genuinely touching and sometimes humorous. It’s also marked with sorrow and a warts-and-all truth that means that Harley never shies away from when he messed up and also when he triumphed. Harley recently went through an equally candid interview with us and was very honest about his struggles and equally his happiest memories. He calls his life a roller coaster, and it really is, as the film title suggests, wired for chaos.
Harley Flanagan is a man who doesn’t get his dues nearly as much as he should when acts like Suicidal Tendencies support Metallica in stadiums. We hope this film goes some way to changing that and makes people realise what a rare talent this man is.
Essential viewing for any fan of heavy music, class is in session!
Reviewed By George Miller
Harley Flanagan: Wired for Chaos:
https://www.wiredforchaos.com/
https://www.instagram.com/wiredforchaosfilm/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/people/Wired-For-Chaos-Film/
Harley Flanagan:
https://www.facebook.com/harleyfflanagan
https://www.instagram.com/realharleyflanagan/?hl=en
Credits: Left Image: Jonah Odin Flanagan & Right Image: Mauruce Nunez
