It’s a new week, and there are many fun things in store… Tomorrow is our next Retro Foodie photo shoot featuring some ’80s-style fall treats. Wednesday I head to Round Top and Warrenton, TX for one of the largest antique and collectibles events in the country. Yes, I’m hoping to score some amazing retro finds! And I also have a few design projects planned this week, which is why I ordered the two vinyl items you see above–for listening AND for framing.
Friday Video Pick: “Infatuation” by Rod Stewart
Folks, if you were a kid in the ’80s, this is the Rod Stewart you knew. Sorry to all you fans of his “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” days. Not that there’s a lack of sexiness here. This sultry video features Stewart as an obsessed neighbor tracking the object of his desire. Add a couple of “bad guys” and you have the ingredients for a little drama.
Friday Video Pick: “Reaching Out” by Nero
Crystal chandeliers, white tigers, pink flamingos, neon lipstick, diamonds, casinos, race cars, bikinis, palm trees, and some crazy editing… That’s what you’ll find in the video for “Reaching Out” by Nero, today’s Friday Video Pick! When it came to pairing visuals with rhythms, the UK-based electronic group went all out for this track from their 2011 debut album.
Friday Video Pick: “Just Got Lucky” by JoBoxers
OK, so technically this Friday Video Pick is a Saturday Video Pick! But yesterday I was scrubbing the walls, floors and counters of my old place so we could close up shop there and focus on getting settled at our new place. I’m grateful to have this weekend to start unpacking and making my way through the mess of cardboard boxes that awaits me. Which is why I’m needing some energetic music to keep me going… Thank goodness for JoBoxers!!!
1980s Fashion in Music Video
In honor of ’80s Fashion Week at Mirror80, today we spotlight the role of fashion in the realm of 1980s music video. Thanks to the advent of MTV in 1981, musicians had a new outlet for creativity, and they quickly filled the screen with the latest styles. A variety of looks emerged… Today we showcase a handful of them, as well as the music videos in which they appeared.
Friday Video Pick: “A Message to You Rudy” by The Specials
The South by Southwest Music Festival is in full swing here in Austin, Texas. In honor of The Specials’ upcoming performance, today we feature the video for their classic track “A Message to You Rudy.” The song was originally performed by Dandy Livingstone in 1967, but The Specials gave it true notoriety when they covered the ditty in 1979. Just two years earlier, the band had formed in Coventry, England, putting their stamp on the ska revival.
Friday Video Pick: “I Wonder If I Take You Home” by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
Today we join Lisa Lisa, Cult Jam, Full Force, and a variety of people who are wondering if they should take each other home… Seriously, this is my favorite Lisa Lisa track of all time. As a kid it appeared on one of my favorite compilations, and it’s been on my playlist ever since. There is a LOT going on in this video. The performers, the actors, the dancing. Yes, in the tradition of many great ’80s R&B videos, this one comes with a posse…
Friday Video Pick: “Listening” by Pseudo Echo
Today we shine the spotlight on Australian New Wave band Pseudo Echo. Perhaps you remember them from their 1986 cover of “Funky Town.” This track is from 1983, and refreshingly, it’s not quite as peppy. Not to mention, the video’s fashion unfolds like a runway show set in the desert. If you missed “Listening” in the ’80s, it’s well worth watching now…
Friday Video Pick: “The Night You Murdered Love” by ABC
February may be the month of love, but it’s not champagne and roses for everyone. Today we take a few minutes to celebrate drama, heartache and a bit of obsession with this gorgeous music video from ABC. “The Night You Murdered Love” comes from the group’s 1987 album Alphabet City. To describe the plot of today’s piece, I defer to this concise Wikipedia one-liner: “The music video shows a homicidal fashion model carrying a slingshot and a skateboard stalking the band across the city of Paris.” Interested?
Friday Video Pick: “Shy Boy” by Bananarama
Today we travel back to 1982, when Bananarama belted out the lyrics to “Shy Boy” while making over a nerdy office worker. That’s right–the video features a man makeover, as well as some pretty interesting tropical backdrops. The “shy boy” in today’s Friday Video Pick is vocalist Terry Sharpe, who went on to form the group The Adventures. At the time, he was dating Bananarama vocalist Sara Dallin. Watch as this fashionable girl band cleans up his look, forces him to work out, then loses him to an office secretary. But not before throwing buckets of water on the happy couple…
