Life as a Music Video

Best of the Year 2011: Music video

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

I wait until January to post my best-of, because artists have a tendency to release some good videos right around Christmas. Anyway.

Applause to Beyonce for shelling out a heap o' videos before her belly distended. Lady Gaga disappointed, however (Honey Nut Cheerios). Sure, the long form video was there... but not the spark. Anyway here are the cream of the crop.

Architecture in Helsinki
"Contact High"
Director: Krozm
This is a weird band, even for Australia. The effects and vibe remind me of Empire of the Sun.

Battles with Matias Aguayo
"Ice Cream"
Director: Canada
This one grew on me. It has that sexy South American vibe and some magical realism (that all music videos should have).

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"Partyman" -- a music video retrospective

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

[Google Blogger totally lost my draft, in its entirety. This is a less-than-desirable rewrite.]

This may be the one. The one that shuts down the blog, causes litigation, pain and suffering. Oh well, end 2011 with a party: Prince: Partyman.

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Semi-solid link

2011-12-08T13:07:00.001-06:00

Here's a Spin article to pass the time...

'I Want My MTV' Authors Pick 1991's 10 Best Videos [of all time]

Updates coming

2011-11-03T13:42:00.000-05:00

Still searching for a good video capture tool. First the screen grabs, then the GIFs, then the Prince.

Best of the Year 2010: Music video

2010-12-29T08:00:00.002-06:00

OK Go

"This Too Shall Pass" (Version 2, Rube Goldberg)

Director: James Frost
These guys have become an annoyance. Awful, unoriginal music. And, this machine is obviously fixed! Last time we'll ever hear from them, save from a commercial spot. Worst thing about their videos is the band members trying to tolerate the music.

Disasteradio

"Visions"

Directors: Simon Ward, Don Brooker and Luke Rowell
This is what videomaking circa 2010 should be about: having fun with nostalgia. Killer moment: Saxophone solo tape-over.

Das Racist

"Who's That? Brooown"

Director: Thomas De Napoli
Just like there was "goof rock" in the 90s, the '10s have "goof rap". Thanks, Ludacris.

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Oh crap

2010-12-09T13:01:00.001-06:00

The end of the year is almost here!

Smashing Pumpkins videography

2010-12-07T16:30:00.005-06:00

Still on a long hiatus. I had a long-running Smashing Pumpkins fan page (mostly to make lists for myself). As of now, that page is mothballed.

Here is a link to the Videography, a pre-Wikipedia way to see why SP ruled MTV back in the day:

http://steveprutz.com/sp/vsr/video.html

Here is another link for the list-savvy: http://www.mvdbase.com/artist.php?last=Smashing+Pumpkins&first=the
....not sure what "Hot Heads" was...

Bonus: Billy the Egomaniac comic: http://www.katefuller.com/btem.html

"Abracadabra" -- a music video retrospective

2010-06-30T08:00:00.004-05:00

Steve Miller Band, after 17 years of studio silence, released Bingo! last Tuesday. It's a covers album, but why, after all these years go back in to a studio? Greatest Hits 1974–78 is one of the best-selling albums of all time, and the band tours to sold-out stadiums regularly...it isn't a money grab. Historically, this "cover album" thing is a sign of growing old. Aerosmith's last album was also covers (Honkin' on Bobo), Bob Dylan did some Christmas songs, and The Who have been planning a blues homage project for a few years. And, who could forget David Lee Roth's Strummin' with the Devil. Perhaps this is an Advanced move.

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"Sexx Laws" -- a music video retrospective

2010-06-14T08:00:00.008-05:00

Beck! Stoner rock, folk rock and funk rock all rolled into one talented SoCal musician. Funk is the interesting (often skipped-over) part of his legendary career... many name-check Odelay, but I absolutely love everything about Midnite Vultures. It's mega funky, and packed with sweet lyrics. This opening track sets the stage for the rest of the album, and the video provides additional imagery.

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Working

2010-05-17T13:11:00.002-05:00

Working on some Beck, STP, Aerosmith and MC Hammer articles, right now. Sorry for the hiatus.

Solid Link

2010-04-19T18:24:00.002-05:00

Holy cow:

The 120 Minutes Archive

http://tylerc.com/120minutes/archive.php

Read this

2010-04-05T16:25:00.002-05:00

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/04/02/ST2010040202317.html?sid=ST2010040202317

PS: I'm not dead.

"Jack & Diane" -- a music video retrospective

2010-03-10T08:00:00.012-06:00

I just read that quasi-folk artist John Mellencamp is running for office in his home state of Indiana. Honestly, it doesn't bother me. He fits the mold, and I somewhat support this musician-to-painter-to-politician move*. Plus, does anything really come out of Indiana or even all of Middle America these days? I mean, the state can't even get their time zone right, let alone Daylight Savings.

The classic radio anthem, "Jack and Diane" is really the beginning and end of Mellencamp's career. He would never make a better song or video. Of course "Small Town" and other hits came along, but this "little ditty" is his calling card.

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"Just Like Paradise" -- a music video retrospective

2010-02-28T08:00:00.010-06:00

It amazes me that I haven't yet written about the exploits of Diamond Dave. A real icon of 1980s rock music. He was in his element 25 years ago. Roth was ultra-excessive, super suave and he didn't even know how to play guitar. He had six pack abs, and yet he drank excessively. He knew how to give an epic interview. Women loved him. He became too big for an already-big band (they started to use keyboards*).

Crazy from the Heat showed MTV he could go solo, with the legendary videos of "California Girls" and "Just a Gigalo/I Ain't Got Nobody" (both by Pete Angelus, a Van Halen artistic guru). Other great videos followed (I'd bet you've never heard or seen "Goin' Crazy!"). Skyscraper came out in early 1988, and I seriously have the "Just Like Paradise" music video burned into my childhood.

David Lee had his pick of the litter for a backing band, and I bet dudes were clamoring to get in on the action. In 1988, "Team Stud" was Steve Vai, Gregg Bissonette and ~~Billy Sheehan~~ (actually Matt Bissonette in the video). I think Brett Tuggle was on keyboards*, too. All-star, all-glam. Steve Vai is best known as a masturbatory shredder, and for outlandish guitar designs. Gregg, for his surfer mullet.

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Know your charity music videos

2010-02-16T15:10:00.008-06:00

My personal blog ~~is about to~~ post a sequel, all about #19 on this list and my, there are a ton of these charities! Check it out, ~~while I stall for time to write something more.~~

http://stereogum.com/archives/listomania/the_21_worst_allstar_charity_music_videos_of_all_114691.html

Previous post:

http://steveprutz.blogspot.com/2009/01/know-your-80s-charity-supergroups.html

"Do the Evolution" -- a music video retrospective

2010-02-13T09:30:00.003-06:00

"Twenty-ten, watch it go to fire!"

Yield is my favorite album of 1998. I remember exactly where I was when "Given to Fly" came on the local college radio station. I remember reading the album review in Rolling Stone. I remember staring at the packaging and the art, looking for all the hidden Yield signs. It was a great time to love Pearl Jam.

Todd MacFarlane was white-hot at this same time, coming off a Korn album cover job and--of course--the Spawn comic character. MacFarlane was given the task to do the first music video from Pearl Jam in almost exactly six years. He had the burden to follow-up the phenomenon called "Jeremy" (that put Pearl Jam on the MTV Map all those years ago). But, Todd did it. It's history. It's superb.

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We are alive

2010-01-23T15:22:00.001-06:00

The new URL is online!

The articles are up!

The kinks are being worked out!

Stay tuned for the first retrospective of 2010...

Update your RSS feeds
1. http://feeds.feedburner.com/lifeasamusicvideo
2. http://feeds.feedburner.com/steveprutz

Best of 2009: Music video

2009-12-19T08:00:00.002-06:00

Lenny Kravitz

"Let Love Rule" (Justice Remix)

Director: Keith Schofield
I just discovered the catalog of Schofield oddball videos this year. His "Heaven Can Wait" vid is definitely screwy, but this one is sleek. I am amazed no one has done this before (maybe they have): make a music video just like the end credits of a movie, but keep it a part of the film.

Empire of the Sun

"Without You"

Director: Josh Logue
Sometimes three props are all you need. But it must be a cool chair with a bull and a raptor statue. One other necessity, however: look like Bowie.

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Best music videos of the decade (Honorable mentions)

2009-12-16T08:00:00.002-06:00

"Video Phone" (Extended Mix) (2009)

Beyonce with Lady Gaga

Director: Hype Williams
It was a tad too late in the year to put them up against the Chosen 15, but I had to give these ladies a shout-out. Beyonce has become a video minimalist while Gaga has gone the other way--Hype Williams melds the two the only way he can: awesomely. Hype even left some of the bluescreen hoods in the video! Chicks, guns and chewing gum; please don't leave us in 2010!

"3's and 7's" (2007)

Queens of the Stone Age
Director: Paul Minor
QotSA definitely understand the importance of 21st century video making. There is one particular shot near the end of this one--it only lasts a second--but it's a view from a shotgun, blasting a fleeing victim. It may sound morbid that I like it, but it perfectly captures what grindhouse/exploitation films were all about. Really authentic.

BEST OF THE DECADE INDEX [ Intro .:. Hon. Mentions .:. 15-11 .:. 10-6 .:. 5-1 ]

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Best music videos of the decade (5 - 1)

2009-12-11T08:00:00.002-06:00

#5
"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" (2003)

The Darkness

Director: Alex Smith
Best use of a sausage as a microphone in history.... Just watch it and enjoy the spaceship tomfoolery.

"Dashboard" (2006)

Modest Mouse
Directors: Mathew Cullen and Grady Hall
All of Modest Mouse's videos are worth watching. "Dashboard"'s video is the least surreal (subjectively) and most story-driven, but what a great ride. A fisherman tells a dive bar about a hyperbolic fish tale, all with some great elektro-fantasy CGI and island shots [that totally remind me of Tim Burton's Chocolate Factory remake]. It's a bit Moby-Dick and a bit that Daggermouth episode of Family Guy. The moral: always watch out for the old fisherman that gives you the wink.

BEST OF THE DECADE INDEX [ Intro .:. Hon. Mentions .:. 15-11 .:. 10-6 .:. 5-1 ]

>> Read further

Best music videos of the decade (10 - 6)

2009-12-03T08:00:00.002-06:00

#10

"Whale Song" (2009)

Modest Mouse
Director: Nando Costa
If I had to pick a hall-of-famer from America for their video achievements in 2000s, it would be Modest Mouse. This one is about drawing no less, and this contraption thingy lets Isaac Brock go on a mind trip, extrapolating visions from the paper. Neither gravity nor snails prevent the band from rocking in this waking dream. And, when used right, projectile intestines and ejected organs are a perfect touch.

"Invincible" (2007)

Muse
Director: Jonnie Ross
Oftentimes great videos have stale follow-ups (usually because the previous had an overblown budget). The previous wow factor isn't there most of the time, but Muse nearly equals "Knights of Cydonia". The It's A Small World After All ride may be a tad cliche here, but the CGI-laden climax is really cool. I don't know what the message here is, but time travelers are definitely good alien killers.

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" (2002)

The White Stripes
Director: Michel Gondry
There's a sizable chance you've never heard of this song or video. In the are-they-siblings-or-lovers era, nothing can come close to fitting the Jack and Meg White public personae. It's amazingly simple and yet something only seen regularly in Disney World's Haunted Mansion... I don't know why this projector effect isn't used more. This is just one of the few Michel Gondry musings that made the White Stripes a household name.

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Best music videos of the decade (15 - 11)

2009-11-25T08:00:00.003-06:00

#15

"Lose Control" (2005)

Missy Elliott with Ciara and Fatman Scoop
Director: Dave Meyers
We start off with Missy's 2005 contribution to the video pantheon. If anything defines a good R&B video, it's dance moves, weird cameos and other sillyness. "Lose Control" is just perfect for a high school pep squad... kinda like Gwen Stefani tracks but with a little less cheerleading and a fat guy... and Tommy Lee.

#14

"Cinnamon Girl" (2004)

Prince
Director: Phil Harder
Mix up some September 11th airport paranoia with crayon-y special effects, and you've got Prince's most political track ever. Yes, that is the Whale Rider girl; and no, I don't know what the "5:5" means on Prince's forehead. Undoubtedly the best Prince video in the last 10 years. But, it barely beat out "Black Sweat"...

#13

"Across the Night" (2003)

Silverchair
Directors: Sean Gilligan and Sarah-Jane Woulahan
Silverchair quietly made some spectacular vids in the last decade. At least 3 are in the Top 50 for me, and "Across the Night" is their best. In a time where the band was on an indefinite touring hiatus and the future was dim, this managed to keep the band alive through airwaves. I didn't even realize it was in grayscale until a second viewing. It took me about 20 views to realize that was Guy Pearce, too.

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Best music videos of the decade (2000-2009)

2009-11-22T08:00:00.003-06:00

A decade ends. Ten years of joy (blogging), grief (politics), and mostly apathy (YouTube). To commemorate the death of the 2Ks, I am covering the best fifteen music videos to grace the planet since December 31, 1999. Narrowing it down to 15 was hard--a test of will. There are no Kanye or Weezer videos; no "Trapped in the Closet". This is serious time. This is a top 15 list... Get inspired, learn and enjoy!

INDEX:

Related:

Pitchfork's Top 50 Music Videos of the 2000s

"Estranged" -- a music video retrospective

2009-11-14T08:00:00.003-06:00

I have been listening to Chinese Democracy's "Street of Dreams" for about two weeks straight, every day. I cannot figure out if the opening lyrics are actually Axl Rose's voice or a pitch corrector, auto-tuning his pipes to those lows and highs. The first time I heard it, I assumed the latter. A decade's worth of fine-tuning CD would make anyone believe Rose was perfecting every syllable from his throat. Concerts were cancelled because of laryngitis/illness in the past, and it always seemed that Axl was straining to sound immaculate (especially on old songs). But now, I am not so convinced. He could be that good after the first or the millionth take...

There is no other rock star I can think of that defined a generation better than Axl Rose. When I look back at grade school, every boy envied the man. Rose set such a high bar: he beat his wife, incited riots, idolized Charles Manson and looked good in a kilt. He feuded with Kurt Cobain and Vince Neil. Nothing could touch him, except maybe supermodels. The only thing that could hurt W. Axl Rose was himself. And, that's exactly what rings true today on "Estranged".

I just completed Chuck Klosterman's Fargo Rock City. It is a retelling of 80s "metal" and touches on some great moments in video history. I guess I had forgotten that GNR had a video trilogy back in the early 90s to promote Use Your Illusion I & II. I figured they were separate entities (especially the "November Rain" clip, as it was based on a short story). And, like "November Rain", in "Estranged" (the final act) there is a lot of water here. A lot...

This video is a chronological mess, but it is all magical. It can be best summed up by:

cops invading Axl's home (flashback?)
a live concert
post-concert Axl showering and walking along Sunset Strip (out-of-body experience?)
people vacating a home
roadies loading up equipment
Axl on an oil tanker
GNR attempting to rescue a drowning Axl
rescue (both spiritual and Coast Guard)

There is too much to discuss here! First, bottlenose dolphins... Remember that dolphin craze (or was that just me)? If you are a dolphin fan, then this is your Mecca. Porpoises are on televisions, coming out of billboards, swimming in CGI rivers, in cargo planes and even on hood ornaments. The only thing preventing this notion from being overkill is 9 minutes of other good stuff.

There is also concert footage interspersed with old "Don't Cry" stuff interspersed with backstage roadie shots. When people remember one of the three videos, they often get the scenes confused.

Slash's second solo is the best guitar part expressed through video ever. Slash rises from the sea, only to shred a Les Paul while walking on water. The color of the guitar and sunset even match.

The rest of the video is hard to describe, and the screen captures hardly do it justice. Tons of "money shots" all throughout: Axl-esque poses throughout, slow-motion Slash, hot chicks... what else is there to want?

Oh, and the budget... One must remember the Waterworld Rule: any film with water scenes has an insane price tag. However, here is where the internet fails. I have searched and searched to find how much this video cost. No satisfaction!

"Estranged" is one of those videos that is overshadowed by an even bigger one, and pre-web days just really blow my chances of ever finding a cost without sifting through microfilm.

I distinctly remember (via an MTV special back in the day) the oil tanker costing $1 million for a day's rental. Combine that with dolphins, Coast Guard and water CGI, and logic dictates it's above the $3 million mark.

Video stats
Length: 9:41
Director: Andy Morahan
Date: December 1993
Est. Cost: $3 million*

The GNR legacy, to me, lies in videos. As soon as I heard Welcome to the Videos existed, I plunked down $15.00. Almost every video shows concert footage, and captures the band at its zenith.
There is still rumored to be a "Better" video, which will be the first visual in over a decade from the "band". But, it will never capture the post-80s turmoil and bombast of Slash, Izzy, Sorum and all the other fired members.

There is much more to write... Stephanie Seymour, etc... but I'm tired.

Links
* http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/releases/use-your-illusion2/estranged.html
* http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/gunsnroses-videos

To submit ideas for Retrospective articles, or to just chat about the obscure and esoteric, contact me here.

[All images are © their respective owners.]

"What's My Name?" -- a music video retrospective

2009-11-05T08:00:00.001-06:00

Of all the West Coast rappers, Snoop Doggy Dogg always seemed to be most preoccupied with the opposite sex. Sure, he liked money and mayhem, but romantic involvement pervades the catalog... more so than Dre ("Bitches Ain't Shit"), Ice Cube ("Get Off My Dick and Tell Yo Bitch to Come Here") and the others. Inexplicably for a rap artist, Snoop was monogamous for the brunt of his fame (in fact, he married his high school sweetheart). Snoop tried to give up marijuana, but never once did he swear off sexual seduction.

Snoop Dogg has had a very long-lasting career (maybe because he was a lover and not a fighter?). But in 1993, he was just another dog. Literally. "Who Am I (What's My Name)?" has quite a poignant video.

I, like most people, enjoy anthropomorphism. I think it's a little abusive, but it definitely isn't cats boxing to the death. Rottweilers with sunglasses and Dobermans throwing dice are adorable. This may be the cutest gangsta rap video ever.

The only storyline here is the "Doggs" avoid capture by Animal Control. (Notice the dog catchers' hats are on sideways, denoting their incompetence.) They break up picnics and just run around. And, when the dog catchers come into the bar, they morph back into humans to avoid kennel time.

There is a definite shout-out to Dogs Playing Poker going on here (the artwork is even in the background a few times). And, the video doesn't explain if the people are actually dogs-in-disguise, or humans-in-disguise. They were rolling dice and dancing as dogs, so they must have been really comfortable as canines. These are the things I dissect.

TV Funhouse was one of the funniest Comedy Central shows, and you have to wonder if Triumph was inspired a little bit by this video. No shapeshifting going on there, though.

Video facts
Length: 4:28
Director: Fab 5 Freddy
Date: circa November 1993
Est. Cost: Unknown

And now... an obligatory animated GIF.

Links
* http://www.mtvmusic.com/artist/snoop_dogg/videos/10040/what_s_my_name_
* http://music.yahoo.com/video/default.asp?vid=2147465
* http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=25787

To submit ideas for Retrospective articles, or to just chat about the obscure and esoteric, contact me here.

[All images are © their respective owners.]