This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
After watching Nine Hundred Nights, I have come to the conclusion that the guys in Big Brother And The Holding Co. were either the luckiest musicians in the world or the unluckiest.
On the plus side, they were fortunate enough to stumble on to a little-known Texas blues belter by the name of Janis Joplin, who transformed them from a second-rate acid-rock band into San Francisco icons. On the downside, the ride didn’t last long — after stealing the show at 1967’s Monterey Pop Festival and making one classic album in 1968’s Cheap Thrills, Joplin went solo, derailing the band’s career (and, to some degree, her own; some believe her later recordings never achieved the same spark, and that she might be alive today if she hadn’t quit the group). The hour-long Nine Hundred Nights tells the story in rich detail, with plenty of vintage footage, extensive interviews with all surviving members and complete live performances of old favourites like Ball And Chain and Piece Of My Heart. Their luck (and Joplin’s) may have run out, but if you’re a Joplin fan, this could be your lucky day.
