Dreaming of You: The Making of The Coral

There’s a noticeable glut of bands harking back to their glory years these days. Whether it’s feuding brothers reuniting, anniversary tours for albums that came out in the year 2000, or cameos in the latest Netflix show, there seems to be a huge appetite when it comes to millennials looking to connect with their former selves, and these ageing bands are happy to oblige.

And yet.

One band that seemed to step away from the limelight before their time was up were the lads from The Coral. In this latest rockumentary, Dreaming of You: The Making of The Coral, the focus is kept solely on their glory years and audiences will be left asking the question: Why are they not the household name they should have been?

Directed by James Slater and narrated by the band themselves, as well as other involved parties, the documentary takes us on a trip through the band’s early years - quite literally, using home movies - and onto their entry into the Liverpool music scene, and then onto stardom following Glastonbury and playing in the U.S.

Chaotic at times, brimming with artistic flair, and deeply personal - just like the band itself - it’s a solid rockumentary that will certainly appeal to fans of the New Rock Revolution (coined by NME). There are psychedelic moments in the film, live performances, and a plethora of weed smoking and band rehearsals to make you feel you are truly immersed in the rock star life. But it is the poignant side to the story that stays with you after viewing, leaving you pondering the stars they could have been had they been a little older or a little more willing to “play the game” of the music industry.

That being said, their songs shine through with vibrancy throughout, filling our eyes and ears with bursts of creativity and musical skill. They embraced their weirder side and made mad and ridiculous music to stand out and this helps the film avoid the ego-trip territory of so many rock documentaries. They are also keen to name their influences and go deep into their pure love of all music, perfect for the aficionado to appreciate.

The first half of the film may feel too personal for a mainstream audience, with heavy reliance on home footage and talking about people we don’t really know (unless you are a die-hard fan) but once the live performances kick in, you can’t help but jive along.

It’s a win for these seaside scallies, equal parts frantic and compelling, and, hopefully, a rather large signpost for audiences to revisit this band’s incredible catalogue of music.