This is a bit of a limp out post on cool music videos, but whatever...
I remember when MTV hit the television airwaves in the early 80's. I found them fascinating. A chance to finally hear AND 'see' the bands and musicians I was into at the time. And for a kid living out in the middle of nowhere (with no real opportunity to see any of the bands in person, this was a big deal). I used to head down to the one bar in my town that had a satellite feed to sit from 4-7 and sip happy hour drinks and 'watch the vids'.
Sure there was a lot of crap. Or a lot of videos that were just 'commercials for songs'. But there were also some wicked mini movies set to music. And for a beginning film student, that was the biggest attraction.
Here's a list of VH1's 100 Greatest Music videos compiled in 2001 just to give you a frame of reference.
Most lists are topped by M Jackson's 'Thriller', and Madonna's 'Like A Prayer' or 'Express Yourself'... and P Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer always rank high. And they were all groundbreakingly original at the time, but it The Police's 'Every Breath You Take' and Don Henley's 'Boys Of Summer' that resonated for me the most way back when...
Jumping forward in time, Marilyn Manson messed with my mind with his video for 'Beautiful People'...
And REM's 'Everybody Hurts' was an instant classic...
But Radiohead wins hands down. Check out any of their vids like 'There There', 'Fake Plastic Trees', 'Knives Out', 'Street Spirit', 'No Surprises', 'High And Dry', 'Rabbit In Your Headlights', 'Paranoid Android', 'Karma Police', and you won't be disappointed. All brilliant.
If I had to pick just one, however, it's their classic video for the song 'Just'...
A story set to music with a beginning, middle, and a 'What da...?' ending, this work of art ultimately defined the 'music video' for me.
So what do you think the man lying on the ground said?
9 comments:
Heve you seen MEETING PEOPLE IS EASY? This is cool doc about their OK Computer world tour.
Filmd by Grant Gee (sp?) the guy who directed many of their cool videos.
Yeah, own it...I probably shoulda mentioned that and their '7 Commercials' video compilation disc as 'must see's'....
What I like about Radiohead videos is the way they always seem to look the way the songs feels. The shot in Karma Police when Yorke is leaning over the car seat, singing "This is what you'll get." The rising water in "No Surprises." And my personal favourite, the smashing of the panes of glass in "Street Spirit." They really GET the art of making videos.
Other personal faves of mine: Beastie Boys "Sabotage", Outkast "Bombs Over Baghdad" and a little-seen video by Martin Tielli (from the Rheostatics) called "I'll Never Tear You Apart." It's on youtube.com.
And yeah, "Everybody Hurts". Classic.
"Video killed the radio star"..
Boys of Summer is still one of my favorite videos ever. Also, while you're talking about the Police, how about Wrapped Around Your Finger, where they shot it overcranked and he lip sang to a sped up version of the song so he'd be in sync when they played back in slo-mo. Brilliant.
Right on Callaghan...worded that which is excellent about Radiohead vids much better than I.
Yes, Editthis...those overcranked vids with sped up music were the topic of much discussion with my DOP friends - as in, how did they do that? And then we figured it out. Cool.
I love Youtube! I've found all sorts of somgs there that I loved years ago, and am currently heavily into The Cure (again). Ah, Robert Smith and that eyeliner!
Well, thanks for that.
I'm still at the desk because I spent a good chunk of the afternoon watching Radiohead videos on YouTube.
Seriously, they're excellent. And the Don Henley one is just great. As good as The End of the Innocence videos.
MTV is just as old as I am, actually! LOL
I think old video's are cool, but the new ones...? They either cause apoplexy or just kill the song. There songs I really like, but the moment I see the video, it's a complete turn-off...
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