A still from the video for "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club (left); The album cover for Tom Tom Club's 1981 self-titled LP (right); All artwork by James Rizzi
To wrap up Album Cover Week, Mirror80 aimed to spotlight a video that looked as if an album cover had come to life. And there was no other video for us than “Genius of Love” by Tom Tom Club, featuring artwork by pop artist James Rizzi. Rizzi also created the artwork for the track’s single release, as well as the cover of Tom Tom Club’s 1981 self-titled LP.
A side project for Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz, Tom Tom Club achieved soaring success of their own. Weymoth’s sisters Lani and Laura provided background vocals, and a variety of guest musicians dropped in to help the group create their first album, Tom Tom Club, from which “Genius of Love” is the second hit.
In the video for “Genius of Love,” Rizzi’s artwork is whimsically animated. Images flicker and flow, and patterns and shapes shimmer. From undersea scenes to screen-filled squiggles and zig-zags, the video is alive with a constant stream of ever-evolving artwork. Enjoy!:
Leave a Reply