Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx First Video

Was on youtube today, and I came across a video for 'I Ran' by A Flock of Seagulls. It was shot in 1983, and contained some moody shots of the band, together with some arty 'storytelling' footage with the lead singer in a mirrored maze with a set of twins (don't ask).
But it got me to thinking, obviously the video medium had been around for a few years in 1980 (with Bohemian Rhapsody accredited as the first video made in 1975ish), but I remember that one of the first full 'storytelling' style vid being Adam & The Ants 'Stand and Deliver' in 1981.
So, my question is, could John's stuff be the first use of the video medium in 'storytelling' mode? Numan's 'Cars' was mainly shots of the band. Is something like 'Underpass' or 'He's a Liquid' a pioneering video?
Cheers

It is a myth that 'Bohemian Rhapsody' was the first music video. Wikipedia has some info - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_video - although I think it misrepresents the state of music videos in UK around the late 70s/early 80s.

Interesting info, I should look at wikepedia more
Cheers

not only that , but it doesn't even lists kraftwerk's groundbreaking video to "music non-stop" in 1986 ! :-o

hm ... :-/

There is a selection of Kraftwerk videos on their website. At erm www.kraftwerk.com

I don't ever recall seeing a JF video at the time they were made/released. His TOTP performances were always 'live' as were most of his other appearances, which were not that numerous as he never really made it much above no. 30 in the charts. I was a bit surprised when the videos video came out.

I think I am right in saying that TOTP went through a bit of an anti-video phase, probably egged on by the Musicians Union who saw easy money from live TV appearances disappearing down the drain.

Aye - that whole "Bohemian Rhapsody was the first ever video" thing is a complete misnomer - fer goodnessakes, Queen themselves even made a promo (shot on video) for their first single, "Keep Yourself Alive", in 1973!

What Bohemian Rhapsody's video *did* set a precedent for was the practice of bands sending in their video to be shown on ToTP - previously, it was either a choice of "you turn up and mime in person, or else we'll get Pan's People to dance to your record" LOL
A video meant they didn't have to turn up for a day in the BBC studios but still got their own visuals onscreen, rather than Pan's People.

First "video"?? - although not strictly on video, didn't the Beatles make some short films to accompany some of the singles.
What I've seen definitely look like music videos.

There's also certain parts of the Magical Mystery Tour film that could be considered as music videos in their own right - and this predates the Queen video by about 6 years...

yeah Strawberry Fields Forever - all that backwards jumping up trees and stuff

I think, as Feline said, Queen broke the mould in the respect of using a video film instead of performing live on TOTP - this was a sort of mini-milestone. Also, Stand And Deliver was prominent because it was used as a yardstick for the level of video making around the introduction of the laserdisc etc. But I suppose it must be the Beatles (again :rolleyes: ) who'pioneered' such things - Oh, And Frankie Vaughan!
BUT, surely John Foxx was the first user of the 'sucked-in-cheekbones-with hands-in-pockets- and-wearing-his-old-school-shirt-standing-in-front-of-big-telly' style we've now come acustomed to?
Cheers