How The Game Is Played

YouTubing down the river of memories

Okay,

I have a new media addiction.

I was literally one of the first viewers of MTV.  While I was in college I watched with rapt fascination its predecessor, the "Video Jukebox" short segments on HBO.  When MTV went live I watched it as much as I could, absorbing this fascinating new entry to the area of film/video-- the musical short. 

In those early days the videos were wildly experimental, very often impressionistic, and often fine peices of art created by artists not for monetary gain but because they had something they wanted to show people.

Alas, the music industry  soon discovered that a hit music video meant big record sales.  This was shortly followed by the discovery that if you put some pretty girls on screen in very little and had them shake it, and maybe mixed in some other "f-ck you mom and dad" stuff you had a guaranteed hit video and, as art, MTV descended into boring insignifcance.

But those first two years or so had wonderful stuff.  I sat for a month of free time at one point with my finger on the wired remote of my Betamax recording the best stuff.  Unfrotunately I lost that tape years ago in a move.

You Tube to the rescue!  I am discovering others videod these things as well, and they are showing up on YouTube.  I've started scouring YouTube to recreate my collection but here are two notworthy ones to start with:

The first video ever broadcast on MTV.  I watched that broadcast, ergo my claim to being among the first MTV viewers.  Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles.

And this video, for Cry by Godley and Creme (originally of 10cc) is just an amazing bit of emotive film making.

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Posted at 03:23PM Oct 29, 2007 by gameguy in General  |