Died Young, Stayed Pretty (2009)

Every rock band, from the most famous stadium-level superstars to the lowly beginners hobbling from one basement gig to the next in a rusty van, needs to let their fans know when and where they'll be playing, and since the late 1960's rock posters have gone from utilitarian advertising fliers to legitimate works of art. Since punk rock changed the rules of visual style in rock music and the rise of indie rock made irony and cultural appropriation key parts of the hipster lexicon, the style of rock posters has changed and a number of graphic artists have established international reputations for their work, in which they often present their own political and sociological statements in addition to publicizing concerts. Filmmaker Eileen Yaghoobian chats with some of the leading figures on the rock poster scene and examines the ideas and attitudes behind their work in the documentary Died Young, Stayed Pretty, which features interviews with Jay Ryan, Art Chantry, Mat Daly, Keith Herzik, Jeff Kleinsmith and many more. Featuring an original musical score by Mark Greenberg, Died Young, Stayed Pretty was an official selection at the 2008 Montreal World Film Festival.