Archive for the ‘Video Picks’ Category
Another 80’s music meme
Saw this one on Eyeore’s LJ and of course was compelled to steal it. 
(I got 80% right, BTW)
Your result for The Ultimate 80’s Pop Music Test…
80’s Music Encyclopedia
Take The Ultimate 80’s Pop Music Test at HelloQuizzy
Video Picks - parody, tribute, or both?
Can a video be both parody and tribute all at the same time?
Scissor Sisters: Land of a Thousand Words (2006)
I’m not enough of a James Bond film fan to pick up all the references, I’m sure, but I got enough to really get a kick out of this video.
Video Picks - Funny Faces
I don’t think I’m up to anything particularly deep tonight, but I just tonight figured out the perfect pair of videos for my mood. So much of video making is about poses and art and such. It’s really cool every once in a while to see someone having fun in a video. Tonight’s pair are all about people that look like they’re having a lot of fun. Pretty much the only reason I love watching these two videos is for the facial expressions.
Prince: Kiss (1986) (link defunct)
The woman on the stool playing guitar is named Wendy Melvoin, and she looks like she’s just having a blast laughing at Prince’s posturing in the video. I think it’s a perfect counterbalance for him. By the way, you should click her linked name. She has done and is doing some interesting stuff.
Swing Out Sister: Break Out (1987)
Nothing much to say here except that I just always get a smile on my face watching the weird faces that Corrine Drewery is making in the video. It’s a feel-good video for me.
Video Picks - Cheerleaders and Homecoming Queens
Tonight’s picks are inspired by the episode of VH1 Classic’s All Request Hour. Someone actually requested this next one:
Julie Brown: The Homecoming Queen Has Got A Gun (1987)
The song and video almost remind me of a Ray Stevens song, except not as funny.
So, why not go from the prom queen to cheerleaders?
Ah, the one-hit-wonder choreographer. I like that she used real cheerleaders in the video (probably for the same reason I love seeing real band members in videos). Hey, wouldn’t it be cool to for someone do a mini “Where Are They Now” on the cheerleaders in this video?
Video Picks: virtual bands and the Johns’ teeth
I’m being a bit lazy tonight with these picks. Neither is exactly unknown, but they both just kinda strike my fancy.
Gorillaz: Feel Good Inc. (2005)
The concept of a “virtual hip hop group” fascinates me way more than it should. The people behind this music (who include two former members of the Talking Heads, BTW) have gone to great lengths to create an entire world around the virtual band members. There’s even a flash website game that lets you navigate where the band members live.
All of the videos I’ve seen so far have pretty much fallen into the can’t-look-away category, but I like this one best. I think it’s a combination of the music itself and Murdoc (the bass player) in the video. The animation of him playing the bass fascinates me. As usual, the jerkiness of the compressed video gets in the way. Oh well.
They Might Be Giants: Ana Ng (1989)
I’m cheating a bit on this one, because it’s in the “100 greatest” post that Stephen referenced when he started all this. I can’t help it that other people have good taste, though. The comment there that I love is that this video “stars the Johns’ teeth”. It’s so true. That and the dance. I’ve seen variations on the dance show up in a few of their videos.
I’ve never looked it up, but I’m fairly sure the set is on a firefighters’ training ground (plain brick buildings with big single-digit numbers tend to give it away). This is yet another one where the video works better if it’s properly keeping up with the music. So many of the visuals (including the teeth and the dance) line up with the song’s beat.