JASON BECKER: NOT DEAD YET

Before watching this 3-minute trailer for the upcoming documentary Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet, I really didn’t know much about the guy other than that he was once a talented guitarist who is now disabled. Now, not only am I fascinated by Becker’s life and career, but, as Decibel’s Shawn Macomber bluntly puts it, my perspective on life — specifically the meaningless bullshit I complain about on a daily basis — has been completely “reoriented.” Imagine having a fully functional brain capable of all the routine day-to-day thoughts you and I experience — and not only that, but having once been a guitar prodigy that made the greats swoon — and now having no motor control over your body whatsoever. A horrible, horrible condition. I can’t imagine coping with the frustration.

But Jason Becker is still ticking, nearly 20 years after being diagnosed with ALS (also known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”). Not only has he defied all odds by beating doctors’ prophecies of 3-5 years left to live, but he’s still composing complex music with the help of a computer that measures and records movements by his eyes and chin. This is by far the most inspiring thing you will watch all day. Be sure to read Decibel’s interview with film director Jesse Vile as well.

‘Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet’ [Film Trailer] from Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet on Vimeo.