Air Guitar Nation

I went on a non-date this Friday and my companion was a lovely person sanspseudonym. I may have told her about the blog, but it isn't really important. She is boyfriended and I am just looking for another pal. So cut off my legs and call me Legless Norman Rockwell.

We went to a screening of the Silver Docs showing of Air Guitar Nation. At some point in the distant past, the Lord said, 'Let there be ROCK!' and it was good. At some nearer point in the not as distant past, the Lord said, 'Let there be those who rock without instruments!' and it was also good, but in an odd and slightly embarassing way. Now, that oddness has been rockified and the slightly embarassing aspect has been burned away by the crucible of the Air Guitar World Championships in Ollu, Finland.

The documentary (or rocumentary, whatevs) starts off hilarious. How can a person not laugh at the antics of air guitar and people who take it seriously? In 2003, there were only two events, East Coast and West Coast. East Coast was better, naturally. Those OC don't really know anything roots or rock and the definition of rocking out. West coasters are always putting stupid, unnecessary descriptors in front of their rock. East coast just has one word and needs only one word: rock.

But I digress, this movie moved from hilarity to discussion about art to lessons on dreams and goals, always in the context of rock. The West Coast championships were amazing. They had one of the lead singers of Veruca Salt (can't remember which and the internets isn't helping), Morello (the guitarist from Audioslave) and a magazine guy judging. The judging is based on figure skating rules with one freestyle type qualifying round and then a compulsory round in which everyone rocks to the same 60 second clip. It was during the West coast segment that I was mostly laughing at the things people were saying about their skills and not while they were performing. Amazing.

The segments in Finland were pretty damn rad. There was discussion about the purity of air guitar and of art. There was an air guitar retreat for the competitors. I was pretty blown away by this movie as you might be able to tell. The championship is also all about world peace which is pretty damn cool. Also, groupies!

No discussion of this movie is complete without a mention of Bjorn Turoque. Bjorn Turoque's persistence is legendary. He pursued the title to Finland in 2003 and then around the US in 2004. He has written a book which is being released August 1, 2006!

Honestly, this guy makes me want to sit down and finish all my short stories, screenplays and philosophical treatises on the similarities of Electron Propulsion Theory and Berkeley's Modern Philosophy (which would require me to take a few physics classes and possibly read some of the books on my shelves). I intend to get right on it, but I am a little busy wailing out some wicked licks on my invisible guitar. If you need me, I'll be in my office. Please leave a message or knock, but only if you know how to ROCK!

PS. In case it wasn't obvious earlier, everyone should go see this movie at the various festivals if it comes to their city. It is just so fucking rad.

UPDATE: I was apparently quite lax in my linking. Bjorn Turoque's myspace page has a video of his entry in the World Championships of 2005. It must be seen by all.