Tad

It will always remain a mystery why Tad did not conquer the '90s hard rock world the same way as some of their fellow comrades from Seattle did. For whatever reason, it just wasn't in the cards -- but they had the riffs, they had the songs, and they had the stage act, as evidenced throughout the group's first-ever DVD, 2008's Busted Circuits and Ringing Ears. The hour-and-a-half documentary certainly crams as much as possible between start and finish: interviews with nearly all Tad's members past and present (only guitarist Gary Thorstensen is a no-show), testimonials from some renowned names of the rock world (Kim Thayil, Krist Novoselic, Mark Arm, etc.), classic pix, and lots of vintage live and behind-the-scenes footage. Also, you'll get the inside scoop on the controversy surrounding the cover art of two releases (the 8-Way Santa album and "Jack Pepsi" single), the group's formation, lineup changes, the making of their classic debut (God's Balls), touring with Nirvana in Europe, and their eventual split. And in addition to clips of classic concert footage, you get five videos as a bonus, including the charming "Wood Goblins" clip, which had the honor of being banned by MTV for being "too ugly." For the true story of one of grunge's best yet underrated bands, Busted Circuits and Ringing Ears is a fitting, must-see study of the mighty Tad. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide