Ace 80s videos

[babycart]

God only knows why but I have recently found myself transfixed by Spandau ballet's I´ll Fly For You video.
it starts with big carnival heads, then there´s Steve Norman miming sax in a black vest, then Tony Hadley sitting wistfully in a swamp he once shagged his girlfriend in. She´s up in court for some reason, but Steve Norman goes for a drive, sees some slaves in the past, then Spandau Ballet take advantage of carnival chaos to "spring" Tony´s girlfriend from the clutches of the New Orleans Police Department.

I also keep watching Marcos Valle´s incredible videos for Estrelar, Tapa No Real and Bicicleta, which combines period boneshaker fottage with contemporary headband fun.

Please post some 80s videos you cannot stop gazing at.

[Ian Townsend]

Ooooooh, well played BC! I smell a marvellous and very long thread.

An ill-advised foray into the Wild West for Devo. I have frequently pondered about the pretty Asian girls eyes. Is she suffering from strabismus, esotropia or does she simply not want any of her friends to recognise her in this travesty of a video. The latter I suspect (and I pray the wind didn't change direction).

On a more positive note I could not stop listening to Globo's moody and hypnotically slow version of this song from Tsundoku's 2013 Swap CD. It knocks this original Devo version into a proverbially cross-eyed hat. Talk about completely recontextualising a song! Well done to the Norwich-based Globo lads.

[ginghamkitchen]

'Cry Boy Cry' by one hit wonders and Teardrop Explodes copyists Blue Zoo from 1982. The singer has a classic case of eyeflareitis, and seems to enjoy being pushed spreadeagled against a wall. The rest of the band stand behind a brick wall, pitilessly staring through a window as they roughly handle a semi-naked body using flexible lab gauntlets.

The b-side to this single appeared on one of Eine's typically eclectic mixes. I hadn't heard it since 1982 when it prompted me to say 'what's this shit?' to my girlfriend of the time.

[ginghamkitchen]

This isn't a video as such, it might even be a clip from the David Essex Showcase that was briefly on telly on Saturday nights (I think it was the first time Thomas Dolby appeared on TV) or even the thirty minute tv special he got as a prize for winning the show (!) but NONE of that matters in the face of the insane maelstrom of George Orwell, David Bowie, THE FUTURE and incredibly obvious mime moves that you are about to witness (the only one he misses out is walking against the wind). Stick around at least until the two minute mark for a really furious slap bass solo.

[giantchicken]

Hmmm...not sure about the inclusion of the word 'ace' in this thread title, but well done anyway chaps. We simply must face up to the fact that at some point we are going to have to deal with the 80s. Some top quality pap so far, but it does raise some questions...

Weren't the New Orleans Police Dept. supposed to be armed for exactly this sort of occurence?

Would Devo these days be demonised by the Twitter Taliban?

What exactly did Ginghamkitchen hear when he listened to The Teardrop Explodes?

Why do artists who possess 'all the right talents at exactly the right time' always suck so royally?

I've been fascinated by this one recently....same narcissism, different angle....same Bowie influences but played out in a different way....same fashionable jadedness dealt with in an Oscar winning performance.....oh, and some surprisingly poor superstar dentistry....

[Sonovox]

I have posted this before, when I found the album. But I think this is its rightful place.

Future post-Fish Marillion vocalist + pals in white mask and vests with parachute background evolving into sticky-outy tongued lizards. Plus fruit, finger wagging, drama school moves. It's got it all, really. You can skip to 2:45 if you just want to see the electronic lizard bit.

Also, I have posted this before. But this is its rightful place.

Fad Gadget in extraordinary tar+feathers prowling performance. Plus Perrier percussion.

[ginghamkitchen]

What exactly did Ginghamkitchen hear when he listened to The Teardrop Explodes?

Well, that intro is pure 'Ha, Ha I'm Drowning' and the bass throughout is somewhere between Kilimanjiro and Heaven Up Here. When the synths come in at the end it just reinforces the whole Teardrops feel. IMO. I really love The Teardrop Explodes, one of my favourite ever groups. There is no comparison in quality or artistry.

[giantchicken]

Future post-Fish Marillion vocalist

Quite possibly the most unfortunate appellation attached to a human being ever....but your post is clever in the way it combines the sub-human with the sub-Numan, I'll give you that...

GK, I think that if this thread has proved anything so far, it's that The Teardrop Explodes had cornered the market on all the good drugs in the 80s...that's the main difference I think....

[babycart]

All splendid so far, although I´m not sure how many of the above have fully captured the sophisticated, elegant aspiration of the decade.

This one´s all about art and selling out or some such shit. 80s video connoisseurs will enjoy the red wine spilling at 1:20! Whoops!

This one shows why all eyes were on Ibiza and balearic cool by the end of the decade

[Headless mermaid]

Not music video, but an incredible live performance from the 1985 Grammy's.

[Tinhat Toyboy]

[Jimmy Bastard]

This list is the 80s crop from a selection called 'Directors & Cameos'
Joe Jackson - Nineteen Forever (1989) - Alex Proyas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-fK7dzecmc
Laura Branigan - Self Control (1984) - William Friedkin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8-pP4VboBk
Martini Ranch – Reach (1988) - James Cameron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkz0Lx6VyxA
Sparks - I Predict (1982) - David Lynch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lTVohhONFg
Cyndi Lauper - The Goonies 'R' Good Enough (1985) - Starring osh Brolin, Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Ke Huy Quan, Jeff Cohen, Martha Plimpton, Andre the Giant, Captain Lou Albano, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Wendy Richter, The Fabulous Moolah, The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Classy Freddie Blassie, and Steven Spielberg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxLhytQ67fs
Billy Joel - You’re Only Human (Second Wind) (1985) - Starring Adam Savage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhxjNYvJbgM
Pat Wilson – Bop Girl (1983) - Starring Nicole Kidman (Aw-oh!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svSOepHyPvc
Kate Bush – Cloudbusting (1985) - Starring Donald Sutherland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllRW9wETzw
Barnes and Barnes – Soak it Up (1983) - Starring Bill Paxton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Ehr3PBnCk
Joe Strummer - Love Kills (1986) - Starring Gary Oldman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeeZRw52FxE

[Lord Thames]

This isn't a video as such, it might even be a clip from the David Essex Showcase that was briefly on telly on Saturday nights (I think it was the first time Thomas Dolby appeared on TV) or even the thirty minute tv special he got as a prize for winning the show (!) but NONE of that matters in the face of the insane maelstrom of George Orwell, David Bowie, THE FUTURE and incredibly obvious mime moves that you are about to witness (the only one he misses out is walking against the wind). Stick around at least until the two minute mark for a really furious slap bass solo.

Outstanding!! Especially the air hammer he plays during the bass solo - I think this is from the David Essex Showcase. I have the first ten minutes or so of his BBC special on the end of another tape.....you can pretty much tell it was made in 1982 right from the start.

[giantchicken]

All splendid so far, although I´m not sure how many of the above have fully captured the sophisticated, elegant aspiration of the decade.

You're very polite BC, but I sense a little disappointment. Perhaps you were looking for something rather more like the Spandaus vid, with a highly convoluted and inappropriate plot that is never really explained, albeit with an interesting reversal whereby our heroes are 'sprung' rather than doing the springing? Oh, and with more classic cars....

btw, I've got that Loco Mia album, isn't there some very odd Japanese styled thing on there? Maybe my brain has become fogged in the mists of time....

[ginghamkitchen]

All splendid so far, although I´m not sure how many of the above have fully captured the sophisticated, elegant aspiration of the decade.

I'm not sure that kicked in until 1985. I'll try harder, BC.