SPILL FILM REVIEW: WEIRDO: THE STORY OF FIVE EIGHT

WEIRDO: THE STORY OF FIVE EIGHT

TRANSOM FILMS

SEPTEMBER 28, 2024

Weirdo: The Story Of Five Eight offers a raw and genuine look at how music is a lifeline for many. The narrative is strikingly honest to the point of being almost heartbreaking, with candid interviews with Dan Horowitz, Mike Mantione, Patrick Ferguson, and Sean Dunn (a nod to Mike Rizzi), and parallels to the self-loathing often experienced in youth. This sobering reflection suggests that if others grapple with these feelings, it’s perfectly alright for me to feel the same way. This band will make you feel okay… to feel.

Five Eight bounced between labels, including Sky Records, funding their first official recording. The structured formalism of the recording studio caused additional mental tension among the members… a clear thread that followed them on their 30-year trajectory, but it was clear that all preferred performing live. Unfortunately, they aren’t particularly proud of their loud recordings, often feeling a sense of self-loathing when listening to their work. The labels didn’t stick, either. In 1993, Five Eight participated in SXSW, which showcased emerging artists who were less mainstream. The press received the band’s performance well, marking a significant moment in their career.

Gasolina was released under challenging circumstances where timing was crucial. Due to external pressures, Patrick Ferguson and Sean Dunn left the project sequentially, impacting the team significantly. Subsequently, the group transitioned to an acoustic punk style with The Good Nurse, as Horowitz and Mantione desperately tried to hang onto the band.

Watching the players reminisce throughout this period, their lingering anxiety was evident. Balancing personalities, competition, and a need for validation played a role. The unprovoked violent attack on guitarist Dunn led to seven years of pain medication addiction for Dunn. With maturity, they recognised there should have been a pause for the benefit of their fellow member, their friend. Then, in 2004, Five Eight joined R.E.M. on their world tour. R.E.M. declared Five Eight their favourite band, showing great humility.

If you’re seeking a connection to the human experience, whether you like punk or not, you will find it here—a band on the cusp of greatness, inspiring many and relatable to all.

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