Best of the Year 2010: Music video

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.

Oh crap

The end of the year is almost here!

Smashing Pumpkins videography

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

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.

"Sexx Laws" -- a music video retrospective

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.

Working

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

Solid Link

Holy cow:

The 120 Minutes Archive

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

Read this

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

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.

"Just Like Paradise" -- a music video retrospective

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.

Know your charity music videos

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

"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.

We are alive

The new URL is online!

The articles are up!

The kinks are being worked out!

Stay tuned for the first retrospective of 2010...

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