July 10, 2026
Provided Image/March Baby Media
'When We Rocked,' a documentary about an unsung era in Philadelphia's rock 'n' roll history, will be released later this year. Above, Reggie Wu, a guitarist for Heavens Edge, is interviewed in the documentary.
The underrated influence of Philadelphia's rock music scene in the latter half of the 20th century will be the subject of an independent documentary that's slated to be released by the end of the year.
"When We Rocked," based on the eponymous book released last August, features interviews with artists that influenced the city's metal and hardcore sound from 1978 to 1992, shedding light on their experiences trying to break into the mainstream and revisiting decades-old footage from over a dozen bands.
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"The city of Philadelphia has its own sound, has its own identity," Michael Kelly, professor of music and sound recording at Montgomery County Community College, said in the documentary's trailer. "But we don't know what to call it."
Philly-based director Matthew Scott Johnston and executive producer Mick Michaels, who co-authored the book, interviewed several members of some of the biggest bands in the city at the time about their aspirations and experiences.
The documentary will also include unearthed footage, photos and recordings of live performances of Philly artists.
"I always felt like Philly was the place," Chris Natalini, the lead vocalist for Blood Feast, said in the trailer. "If I was going to make it somewhere, I was going to make it here in Philly. Because at the time, Philly was such a hot bed of music … and then it's just gone in an instant."
Natalini's thrasher metal band was formed in Bayonne, New Jersey, in 1985 and disbanded in 1991 before coming back together years later.
"When We Rocked" will also be accompanied by a theme song, written by Michaels, that reunites several of the artists highlighted in the film including Reggie Wu and Jaron Gulino from Heavens Edge and Frankie Cross and Mad T from Corners of Sanctuary.
Michaels said the goal of the documentary is to further define a relative gap in the city's music history, adding that he and Johnston plan to set up screenings at independent theaters around the area before the end of the year.
"Our goal from the very beginning was to shed some light on Philly's impact on the bigger picture," Michaels said. "To do that properly, the artists' voices needed to be heard. The book did that, and now the documentary will raise the volume of those voices and their stories."
Philly's influence on rock 'n' roll is more often recognized for producing artists like Frankie Avalon and Chubby Checker in the first half of the 20th century. However, Michaels, who went to shows in Philadelphia throughout the '80s, said he felt the city's contributions to the era of glam rock and heavy metal were "overshadowed" and "dismissed."
Michaels and co-author Antonio Aloia spent two years compiling stories from members of bands they grew up listening to like Roughhouse, Britny Fox and Heavens Edge to trace the rise of disco, hard rock and grunge music in and around the city.
"This documentary refines what 'When We Rocked' laid down, but, at the same time, expands what it started," Aloia said in a statement. "The Philly rock scene receives another great treatment, solidifying itself in modern American music history."
Check out the trailer below:
