Wow, I honestly never expected to see something like this. Lovingly compiled by Horsemen founder Haggis from a variety of source material ranging from pristine video masters to moldy old vhs dubs, this amazing DVD is all the visual documents that are left of this legendary rock n’ roll band. I don’t suppose the Four Horsemen need much introduction for this crowd, but they were a true-blue hard rock/sleazeboogie band in the fine tradition of AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, and Lynrd Skynrd, formed by ex Zodiac Mindwarp/Cult sideman Haggis in Hollywood, circa 1987. On vocals was the last real rock n’ roll outlaw, Frank Starr, a genuine hellraiser who once recorded the vocals for a Horsemen track over the phone, from jail. Dimwit from Vancouver old-skull punks DOA pounded the drums and wore overalls a lot, Ben Pape played bass, and Dave Lizmi was the second guitarist. If you’re counting at home, that’s right, the Four Horsemen had five members. Which is awesome. Their sound was dirty ol' rock n roll that spoke, honestly and openly, about living the hard, poverty-stricken life of a young, hungry rock band. Their songs were peppered with immortal lines (“The book of rock n’ roll? Motherfucker, I wrote it”) and Starr sold ‘em like snake oil, a natural frontman and a true-blue American bad-ass. They were one of a kind, and their fans still miss ‘em everyday. Me included.

The Four Horsemen released an EP, “Welfare Boogie”, in 1989, but then Frank went to jail, so they it took ‘em awhile to release their masterpiece, “Nobody Said It Was Easy” in 1991. Although they released a second album five years later, the original line-up, beleaguered from years of dirty deals and internal beefs, disbanded in 1992. Just two years later, Dimwit died from a drug overdose, and in 1995, Frank got into a motorcycle accident that put him in a coma. He never recovered, and died in 1999. So, you see, this dvd is fuckin’ important, because there ain’t no glorious reunion gig coming up for the Four Horsemen.

So dig: you get live, raw club footage, a handful of MTV videos, the Four Horsemen in an arena opening for Skynrd, several segments from the Headbanger’s Ball (featuring Haggis looking sly and hip, Frank looking bemused and happy, and Ricki Rachtman looking a little too glam for the company), an early clip of the fellas performing “Rockin Is My Business” at Venice Beach while tourists and local freaks gawk, a gritty super-8 film of Frank strutting around town lookin’ dangerous to the tune of “Welfare Boogie”, and even a touching photo montage of the band over the years, set to “Tired Wings”. All of it’s brilliant and moving, even the blurry, static-y parts.

Also included is a photo-filled booklet complete with backstories on all the videos and funny, illuminating liner notes by rock scribe Steffan Chirazi. And that’s to say nothing of the bonus CD, featuring the band live and raw in ’92. I dunno about you, but this all seems pretty essential to me. There won’t ever be another Four Horsemen, so grab this while you can and see what real greatness, real tragedy, and real rock n’ roll looks like.