Nickelback: Pictures  (2005)

Theatrical Release Information:
Nickelback: Pictures

The Canadian alternative metal group Nickelback originally formed as a cover band, in its native Hanna, Alberta, before members Chad Kroeger, Mike Kroeger and Ryan Vikedal moved jointly to Vancouver in 1996 and self-distributed two releases: the EP Hesher and the full album Curb. The group's timing was extremely fortuitous, as it coincided neatly with a legally-enforced upswing in Canadian content on local radio stations; this gave the startup much needed airplay, and in 2000, its single "Leader of Men" (from Nickelback's sophomore LP, The State) became a veritable FM and collegiate radio staple. This yielded a lengthy and much publicized tour alongside heavy metal giants including Creed, Fuel and 3 Doors Down, and much-coveted recording contracts with Roadrunner and EMI Canada. That album went gold; sales of the third Nickelback LP, Silver Side Up (which, for better or worse, hit stores on September 11, 2001) shot up even higher and made recording history, with the single "How You Remind Me" only the second rock song over the years to hit number one in the U.S. and Canada concurrently (after The Guess Who's "American Woman."). 2003's The Long Road outshone its predecessors, with sales of five million. The documentary home video release Nickelback: Pictures tells the group's story from an inside perspective, via interviews with band members, friends, associates, and music journalists - from the inception of the band through its first several releases and tours, and - more recently -Vikedal's acrimonious departure from the group - an event that he still terms a forced removal. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide