Saturday, March 31, 2007
Reluctant to Find She's Stuck in the Nineties Again
Okay, I'm not really reluctant to post a bunch of 90s videos. It's a reference to this Moxy Fruvous song. I'm sitting here listening to Lithium 24 (on my TV) and feeling nostalgic for videos from the last decade of the entire twentieth century.
1. Spitz- Spider
Okay, this is the Ninetiesest video ever. It contains:
There's also the bad fashion, but that's a given, not really a cliché. It's still one of my favorite songs, though.
2. Our Lady Peace- Superman's Dead
The original, kind of disturbing Canadian version, not the stupid circusy American one. It's too bad they started sucking, because their first two albums were pretty good. And Raine Maida? Was foine back then. The kid in the video had his own crappy band called Serial Joe.
3. Foo Fighters- Big Me
It was funny then, and it's funny now, but will it be funny in twenty years when my kids see it? I'll have to tell them who the Foo Fighters were, then I'll have to tell them about Mentos commercials, and how this is a parody of those. Cultural context is a very important part of this video's humor. That reminds me of my Mentos commercial parody idea- warning, it's horrible: A window dresser for a clothing store runs out of mannequins. She gets a frustrated look on her face, then looks outside. The camera (her POV) pans across an older, homeless-looking guy, then a couple of good-looking fratboy types. Cut back to the window dresser, who nods to herself and pops a Mento. We then see her going up to the fratboys with a wad of bills. The next shot is the guys beating up the homeless guy and dragging him into the store, where he's propped up in the window with store clothes on. Cut to the window dresser thrusting her roll of Mentos at the camera with that smug look on her face, cue voiceover and graphics. "Mentos: The Freshmaker."
4. Tori Amos- Cornflake Girl
Something I didn't know, until about ten minutes ago, is that this song was inspired by an Alice Walker book that deals with female genital mutilation. Seriously. Really, I shouldn't be surprised when any of Tori's songs are about anything, because that's how she be. And this will never stop being funny. Ever. Nice hair, T.
5. The Tragically Hip- Ahead By a Century
And we've come full circle to a video that was very obviously made in the Nineties: the colors, the kids in the tree, the cubist/photograph stuff. And, like "Spider," it's one of my favorite songs.
I'd do more, but Tom Jones is going to be on BBC America in a few minutes. See? I don't just like 90s music.
1. Spitz- Spider
Okay, this is the Ninetiesest video ever. It contains:
- Color filters
- Out-of-focus shots of the band performing
- Empty chairs. I don't know why, but empty chairs showed up in a lot of rock videos in the early 90s.
- The band performing on the roof of a building. That might be The Beatles' fault, though.
- The band lying down, shot from above
- Nausea-inducing camera movement
- People sitting around looking contemplative
- The band in a circle "performing" with the camera inside the circle. Bonus points for the air drumming.
There's also the bad fashion, but that's a given, not really a cliché. It's still one of my favorite songs, though.
2. Our Lady Peace- Superman's Dead
The original, kind of disturbing Canadian version, not the stupid circusy American one. It's too bad they started sucking, because their first two albums were pretty good. And Raine Maida? Was foine back then. The kid in the video had his own crappy band called Serial Joe.
3. Foo Fighters- Big Me
It was funny then, and it's funny now, but will it be funny in twenty years when my kids see it? I'll have to tell them who the Foo Fighters were, then I'll have to tell them about Mentos commercials, and how this is a parody of those. Cultural context is a very important part of this video's humor. That reminds me of my Mentos commercial parody idea- warning, it's horrible: A window dresser for a clothing store runs out of mannequins. She gets a frustrated look on her face, then looks outside. The camera (her POV) pans across an older, homeless-looking guy, then a couple of good-looking fratboy types. Cut back to the window dresser, who nods to herself and pops a Mento. We then see her going up to the fratboys with a wad of bills. The next shot is the guys beating up the homeless guy and dragging him into the store, where he's propped up in the window with store clothes on. Cut to the window dresser thrusting her roll of Mentos at the camera with that smug look on her face, cue voiceover and graphics. "Mentos: The Freshmaker."
4. Tori Amos- Cornflake Girl
Something I didn't know, until about ten minutes ago, is that this song was inspired by an Alice Walker book that deals with female genital mutilation. Seriously. Really, I shouldn't be surprised when any of Tori's songs are about anything, because that's how she be. And this will never stop being funny. Ever. Nice hair, T.
5. The Tragically Hip- Ahead By a Century
And we've come full circle to a video that was very obviously made in the Nineties: the colors, the kids in the tree, the cubist/photograph stuff. And, like "Spider," it's one of my favorite songs.
I'd do more, but Tom Jones is going to be on BBC America in a few minutes. See? I don't just like 90s music.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
It's Been Two Months- Time for Some Videos!!!
So, um, blogger, long time no see. I've kind of been seeing wordpress lately. You know wordpress, right? Yeah, it's been really good to me, but if it's okay, can we keep seeing each other, too, on the side? Because you're really great, and I'd hate to lose what we have together. And you can totally see other posters, that's fine. I expect it. I hear The Atheist Experience is pretty hot, you two can totally go out! So, just for old time's sake, can we have a little video post? No pressure. Yeah? Cool.
1. Cocco- Drive You Crazy
Kind of a chipper video for a dark song. But awesome. And I want one of those Cocco shirts, with the letters inside each other.
2. Shudder to Think- Red House
Eeeeeeeee! It's Red House! Finally. I had an earlier post that bemoaned the fact that I couldn't find it, and now it's here. And I won't edit the earlier post, because I'm lazy. Red House!!!
3. Mojo Nixon- Elvis Is Everywhere
I also had a link to a Real Media stream of this video in the aforementioned post, and it's up at Youtube now. Damn, I love this song. This is the short version. The longer version has a cool "sing like the King" gospel thing toward the end. It's better, but at least the video exists.
4. Silly Fools Live at Hot Wave Show Pow Concert 2007
They're singing in English now! And their new lead singer is American! (And hot!) And I'm all fangirly! Wait, is that Toe at the end? What the fuck? That seemed unnecessary.
5. Upstanding Wichitans on Cops
I love "Cops." The show, that is. Well, okay, I love police officers, too. They're my boys. I have relatives who look, act, and dress a lot like the people in this video. Hell, I may be related to these people.
6. Steel Magnolias: A New Hope
Okay, I'll admit it in front of the internet and everyone: Steel Magnolias is my favorite movie. But I realize that it's a bit ridiculous, and I do enjoy seeing the piss taken out of it. The sad thing about this video is that my sister and I could probably do the same thing. Our voices would sound a little closer to the original, though.
7. Rheostatics- Shaved Head
I would have sex with this band's music. Love the Rheos. I wish I could find a video of them singing "Take Me in Your Hand" with Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip and Ron Sexsmith. Damn, that was good.
I think seven is enough, don't you, blogger? I mean, it's our first time back together, I don't want to rush into anything you don't feel comfortable with. I've gotta go now. I'll be back soon, I promise.
1. Cocco- Drive You Crazy
Kind of a chipper video for a dark song. But awesome. And I want one of those Cocco shirts, with the letters inside each other.
2. Shudder to Think- Red House
Eeeeeeeee! It's Red House! Finally. I had an earlier post that bemoaned the fact that I couldn't find it, and now it's here. And I won't edit the earlier post, because I'm lazy. Red House!!!
3. Mojo Nixon- Elvis Is Everywhere
I also had a link to a Real Media stream of this video in the aforementioned post, and it's up at Youtube now. Damn, I love this song. This is the short version. The longer version has a cool "sing like the King" gospel thing toward the end. It's better, but at least the video exists.
4. Silly Fools Live at Hot Wave Show Pow Concert 2007
They're singing in English now! And their new lead singer is American! (And hot!) And I'm all fangirly! Wait, is that Toe at the end? What the fuck? That seemed unnecessary.
5. Upstanding Wichitans on Cops
I love "Cops." The show, that is. Well, okay, I love police officers, too. They're my boys. I have relatives who look, act, and dress a lot like the people in this video. Hell, I may be related to these people.
6. Steel Magnolias: A New Hope
Okay, I'll admit it in front of the internet and everyone: Steel Magnolias is my favorite movie. But I realize that it's a bit ridiculous, and I do enjoy seeing the piss taken out of it. The sad thing about this video is that my sister and I could probably do the same thing. Our voices would sound a little closer to the original, though.
7. Rheostatics- Shaved Head
I would have sex with this band's music. Love the Rheos. I wish I could find a video of them singing "Take Me in Your Hand" with Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip and Ron Sexsmith. Damn, that was good.
I think seven is enough, don't you, blogger? I mean, it's our first time back together, I don't want to rush into anything you don't feel comfortable with. I've gotta go now. I'll be back soon, I promise.
