The Return Of The Dead End Drive-In: ‘Danny Says: The Life & Times Of Danny Fields’ (Wienerworld) 

If you don’t know who Danny Fields is then, quite frankly my dear, you know jack shit because Danny Fields has pretty much been there, seen it and brought it to the masses – let alone bought the fuckin’ T-shirt.  He’s lived a life that most of us could dream of and has partied harder than anyone you know. Fact!

This rock doc starts right at the beginning and goes through his life with a fine tooth comb: sometimes hilarious sometimes (don’t tell anyone) a bit over indulgent.  After dropping out of law school and entering the Warhol world, Fields bluffed and walked into pop culture’s front page, this no holds barred doc has Fields talking candidly about being gay and cruising clubs from Boston to New York City as he walked on the wild side. He laughs about his promiscuity and what those he associated with would get up to, at times in such a matter of fact way it’s quite refreshing hearing someone speak like that.

There are plenty of talking heads involved in this film and the usual suspects have their story to tell: Iggy speaking of his first meeting is really funny; there are tales from the Warhol factory and of hanging with The Beatles after bluffing his way in, and ruffling feathers with what he wrote and quoted – it’s great to hear such stories regaled first hand.

Clocking in at an hour and 40 minutes, it’s very involved.  There are stories of Nico and Jim Morrison, Edie and Valenti; it’s all sex drugs and rock and roll, to be fair, which is a change from those who talked about it but whose reality was never quite up to scrutiny – whereas the life and times of Danny Fields is a no holds barred window into a world long gone.  Where the film has me sitting up are his stories about the MC5 and The Stooges.

The film is interspersed with some great (brief) clips of aforementioned bands. There are many important moments in rock and roll recaptured – and (like Mr Ben) Fields is always there. It’s incredible that so many moments are all intertwined with this guy.

It’s really funny watching Joey Ramone camping it up like Jagger or Johansen:  it is great footage – as is how Danny described them as “cute” and how he became their manager – and isn’t something one would usually associate with The Ramones.  There are clips of Tommy being interviewed, and the cameos are mind blowing.

Right place, right time, every time! Incredible. The montage of people photographed with him at the finale is amazing – and, to cap it off having, The Ramones write a song about you:  how fucking killer cool is that? Exactly.

Another great doc about this business we call rock ‘n’ roll that is both insightful and entertaining.  Long live Danny Fields!

‘Danny Says: The Life & Times Of Danny Fields’ is released tomorrow (Monday 27 March).

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