King Rocker

There isn't anything in here I dislike. I was hooked from the start as I remembered Manzoni Gardens and trying to scale King Kong after shoplifting in Nelson House weighed down by a leather belt and overly large Brothel Creepers. Stewart Lee drove this vehicle wonderfully and I was hanging on every moment. This is no talking heads/clips compilation but a glorious tribute to one of the best bands to ever come out of Brum. I will watch this film again - but this time with a curry and a couple of beers so I experience the full effect. Good on you Stewart Lee and Michael Cumming for bringing this to our humdrum screens.All hail Robert Lloyd and the Nightingales and bring King Kong back home!

This is, ostensibly, a documentary about a musician i'd never heard of. But i was captivated throughout. I'm a big fan of Lee, and his warmth and love for Lloyd and his music carries this. To him The Nightingales are a band worth celebrating unashamedly, rather than treating as a curio.

You never know where it's going, and strangely there's not a lot of music. And i liked how Frank Skinner, John Taylor, Nigel Slater and Robin Askwith pop up throughout to entertain.

One quibble was the appalling Sky presentation. In the second half adverts every five mins proved disruptive. The is an enjoyable documentary celebrating the outsiders, the also-rans and the nearly-weres; and the enduring appeal of cult bands and scenes that exist away from the scenes of mainstream success

Like others have said, real, honest, fun. Brought back some great memories. In the early 80's we could travel around Brum & the whole of the WMPTE (West-Mids) bus network for 2p a journey, so going up town was cheap as chips. Tickets for gigs were £3-ish, so again, even a broke 14 year old could see some crackers. Pretty sure I saw Fuzzbox at The Odean, but like many, memories are a bit ropey. King Kong was iconic by the flyover. Best watched recorded so you can FF the ads. For an immersive experience, fill an ashtray with old Embassy or JPS dog-ends, open & spill a couple of cans of Holstein Pils, leave for a couple of days & then watch in a dark room. 👍

Warm, bit rough around the edges, p*ss-taking, just like that band it's about. A proper documentary that weaves facts, half-truths and a bit of welcome over-reaching of ideas

An investigation into the mysterious existence and five decades-long career of The Nightingales' lead Robert Lloyd, Britain's ultimate post-punk survivor.

Stewart Lee is obviously enamoured with Robert Lloyd and his legacy, which makes the documentary self-indulgent (nothing new for Lee) but also infectiously fascinating. They just play a great double act, Lloyd insisting that everything just happens and that's how it's gone, and Lee constantly overthinking and finding profounc significance in banal historical moments.

It's fun, fascinating, well-assembled and the music is great. Loved it.

8.5/10.