The Decline of Western Civilization, 1981
“I had never seen anything like that punk rock movement,” Spheeris says. “It was like night and day from the rest of all music history. And there hasn’t been a change like that since, either.” Alamo, 3/9, 6:45pm; Alamo, 3/17, 7:15pm
The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years, 1988
“Miles Copeland from I.R.S. World Media gave me a couple of producers to do Decline II with, and they really looked down on the metal scene. You can see it in the film. I don’t like that tone because, you know, I dig heavy metal music.” Alamo, 3/11, 3:30pm; Alamo, 3/17, 9:45pmThe Decline of Western Civilization III, 1998
“I didn’t know that Decline III was going to be about gutterpunks when I started. I thought it was just going to be a whole bunch of really fun, punk rock bar bands who go out and party.” Alamo, 3/12, 4:45pm; Alamo, 3/17, midnightWe Sold Our Souls for Rock ‘n’ Roll, 2000
“Somebody described it to me the other day as ‘serious anthropology’ … For middle-class, white, drunk, American males, this is what it’s like.” Paramount, 3/11, 10pm; Paramount, 3/14, 2pm; Alamo, 3/17, 5pm Penelope Spheeris will attend the SXSW screenings March 10-12. Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon will be at the screenings of We Sold Our Souls on March 11.
Film passes are $45, available at Waterloo Records. Individual tickets are $6 ($5 prior to 6pm) and will go on sale to the general public (space permitting) 15 min. prior to showtime.
This article appears in March 9 • 2001.