The fourth in the Videotones series is from Brad Mackey of Crappy Logo Productions and he gives us his music video version of The Kleptones MVK Da HVN. Using music video footage from Munk, Nas, The Pixies and Rage Against The Machine, this video mashup creates a 1960’s psychedelic rock video feel before unleashing a full on rock assault thanks to “Killing in the Name.”.
I love the psychedelic old-film feel of this, reverse of the usual super-clean modern HD ‘look’ and harking back to a previous, more radical time? As always, on YouTube also.
Kirk and Spock gay slash vid? Check.
Indie cool via Shatner’s cover of Pulp, probably the best cover in the 00s? Check.
Nostalgic Star Trek cartoon with funny implied shots of drinking, screwing and drug use? Check.
Is this the best video that boldy goes where no others do on YouTube? Most probably.
There was an era in the mid to late 80’s where videos weren’t cheap. So when rave and hiphouse/hiphop came along they needed something for MTV and Top of the Pops etc – so enter the stand in front of a screen video, usually with graphics ‘genlocked’ (aka ‘keyed’) ie. placed digitally behind them, or stock video, even more cheaply projected behind them…and loads of silly dancing. Like this (Keith Haring a B movie inspired):
Other ones include A Guy Called Gerald’s Voodoo Ray, which owes rather a lot to Len Lye’s Colour Box, uses computer animation and projection, and suddenly I feel an unusual desire for Sanatogen, not MDMA:
Neneh Cherry might be more famous now for cookery programmes, but in 1987 she was standing in front of a screen with some very embarassing earrings. Am I bovvered?
Pointless fact: it was produced by Tim Simenon, aka Bomb the Bass hence the reference to Tim and Timmy, you might hear from that person shortly…
Obviously one of the problems was the complete anonymity of the dance music at the time – few vocals, no ’stars’, just rhythm. What to do? Well what about constructor worker garb, ripped video game graphics, weird building shots (cos it’s house! geddit?) and dodgy mosaic effect (cos it’s the nu digital age, right?). Erm…
ACCCIEEEDDD! Certain Residents inspiration to this one – the tune was banned in the UK so never shown fully:
And as rave took over, the videos got cheaper and more like Amiga demos, which is funny because they were probably produced on the Amiga:
And FSOL aka Stakker Humanoid were making their own 3D videos (Amiga probably too ) which seem very ahead of their time:
And apparently you should move your body over glowing radioactive lava fields:
and some actually became soundtracks for Amiga games:
Also pop got in the act twith bigger crowds but basically the same idea (1990)
As an aside, it’s interesting because I remember seeing videos by Cerith Wyn Evans using these overlay techniques from the early 80’s, and of course one of Leigh Bowery’s videos which was shot purely in a video booth at the Tropicana in London using the same idea…sadly neither are on YouTube but I’ve had a lot of fun looking at video of Leigh, he was a lovely man.
Anyway back to the (day)glowing outline 90’s – what’s interesting is that those with bigger budgets co-opted that ‘dance in front a screen’ style but maybe lost something of the original charm:
And then you have modern day, were the whole thing was co-opted by the new rave scene – such as the pisstaking Trashfashion:
and the MGMT Time to Pretend video which I refuse to link because they’ve obviously asked everyone who posted the video to disable embedding – they or their record company REALLY don’t understand new media and should be slapped. So there.
While looking bemusedly at Dr Who Music Videos (have a look on YouTube there are loads – Dr Who vs My Heart Will Go On anyone? Or Kiss Me? Or Nickleback or whatever that is…errr…I’ll mostly pass) I found that Dean Gray’s Dr Who on Holiday has a video. Better (?) alternative source here
Was I the last in the universe to know? Ho hum.
) which seem very ahead of their time:
