Plot

For Jimmy Lee Lindsay, life was a mosh pit. Whether it was growing up among crack addicts on the rough side of Memphis, or his years in the rough-and-tumble underground rock scene of the '00s, the man the world came to know as Jay Reatard always had to fight in order to create, to grow, to live, to rise above. For the first time, filmmakers Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz tell Reatard's difficult, tragic, and ultimately inspiring story, tracing his steps from a poverty-stricken childhood to his teen years as a two-fisted tunesmith slugging it out with fans and band-mates alike to his final years as a surprisingly thoughtful and restlessly creative man. While Reatard died too young, his music-and the story that made it possible-is as vital and thrilling as ever.—Steven Hyden

Feature documentary about the controversial and prolific rock musician Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr, better known as Jay Reatard. This intimate portrait, captured just months before his untimely passing, eloquently interweaves cinéma vérité, interviews, and archival concert performances, and features scenes from an insightful and candid week spent with Jay, who reveals personal childhood stories and the struggles of his life in Memphis. Tirelessly devoting his entire life to music, Jay Reatard has become a garage rock icon, having created a massive discography spread out over dozens of singles, EPs, and full-length albums, released on labels like Matador, Fat Possum and In The Red. A relentless live performer, Jay toured the world with dozens of bands including Reatards, Lost Sounds, Bad Times, Persuaders, Cheap Time, The Pixies, Spoon, Beck and many more. A devoted - and oftentimes notorious - fixture in his hometown of Memphis, Jay celebrated and continued the city's long-standing history of American music.—Anonymous