‘The Glamour & the Squalor’: Documentary on Seattle DJ recalls the underbelly of Northwest indie scene
Published 12:30 pm Sunday, October 4, 2015
When it comes to street cred in the Seattle music scene, few names carry more weight than Marco Collins.
Before the Internet made finding new music easy and discovering the next hottest band a weekly occurrence, there was only the radio DJ. And no one epitomized the role like Collins.
He was literally the “on” and “off” switch for an artist’s potential career and a powerful public gatekeeper of what was cool. The pioneering Seattle DJ rose to prominence along with grunge, and was pivotal in introducing such artists as Beck, Foo Fighters and The Presidents of the United States of America.
His was the hand that reportedly debuted tracks by Garbage, Death Cab For Cutie, Sunny Day Real Estate and Everclear.
Collins’ story extends far beyond music — including battles with drug addiction and stints in rehab, as well as a life spent in the closet before becoming a champion for equal rights — to forge a riveting tale of a man whose relentless passion created a musical revolution, a story explored in the new documentary film, “The Glamour & the Squalor.”
The film, directed by Marq Evans, received the award for second runner-up at the Seattle International Film Festival for Best Documentary; won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at Outfest Los Angeles, the world’s largest LGBT Film Festival; and the Programmer’s Award at the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. The movie will play as part of a special one-night-only screening at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Lynwood Theatre.
There will be a discussion following the film with Collins himself and producers Michelle Quisenberry (originally from Port Orchard), Andy Mininger and Jennifer Reibman.
The screening event is presented by Spacecraft, a Bainbridge Island-based arts nonprofit primarily known for its eclectic ongoing music series at Rolling Bay Hall.
“Music will always be the centerpiece of what we do, but we want ultimately to include as much art under our umbrella as will fit,” said Morgan Terry, Spacecraft co-founder and artistic director. “When we saw ‘The Glamour & The Squalor’ at SIFF earlier this year, we knew we had to bring this film to Bainbridge Island.”
Tickets are $12.50 at the Lynwood Theatre box office (4569 Lynwood Center Road NE) and online at www.farawayentertainment.com/location/lynwood-theater.
