Lightning Strikes was one of Aerosmith’s first videos to be created for MTV. (It was also their only single to chart during the Jimmy Crespo years.) The video switches back and forth from Aerosmith performing in a club and Aerosmith in a hallway, about to go to battle with a bunch melons.
Director Arnold Levine also directed the video for Aerosmith’s Chiquita, as well as videos for Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon.
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This video was huge in 1993! The Claymation, the pot-smoking pigs, the Rambo cameo, MTV loved it. Director Fred Stuhr also directed videos for Tool and Danzig. If it seems strange to consider going from directing this video to directing the video for Prison Sex, consider that some members of Tool were also members of Green Jelly.
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Happy birthday to Chrissy Hynde!
Today’s music video of the day features Hynde filling in for Diana Rigg and searching for John Steed in a tribute to The Avengers. Patrick Macnee makes an appearance as Steed, courtesy of archival footage from The Avengers.
Television director Stuart Orme has also done videos for Level 42, Bonnie Tyler, Whitney Houston, Sade, Genesis, and Frida.
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Even if I didn’t tell you, I bet you would be able to guess that this music video was directed by Michael Bay. Bay brings the same techniques that he would later bring to films about blowing up asteroids and defending Alcatraz to this music video about sleeping all day and staying up all night. This was back when music wasn’t afraid to rock and music videos were all about having a good time.
Slaughter, unfortunately, was among the many metal acts that got pushed off of MTV by the Grunge Revolution but they’re still together and they’re still playing in front of enthusiastic audiences. If Slaughter seems like an aggressive name for a band whose music was mostly about having a good time, that’s because the band is named for lead singer Mark Slaughter, who can still hit those high notes.
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Rest in peace, Steve Harwell.
For today’s Labor Day music video of the day, we have one of the earliest videos from Van Halen.
Jamie’s Cryin’ first appeared on Van Halen’s debut album and it was the third released single to come from that album. Though it didn’t chart, it was a favorite of both Eddie Van Halen’s and David Lee Roth’s. Eddie would later say that he regretted that Jamie’s Cryin’ was not the first single to be released from their debut.
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Rest in Peace, Jimmy Buffett.
As a group, Animotion is destined to be most remembered for Obsession but they did record other songs. I Want You appeared on Animotion’s second studio album and was one of the first single releases from it. Despite a good beat and a video that was very MTV-friendly, it only reached the 84th position on the U.S. charts. It was, however, considerably more popular in Germany, reaching the 24th position.
Nick Morris, the prolific director of this video, also did videos for Big Country, Cliff Richard, Europe, Cheap Trick, and Mister Mister. He also directed a production of The Toxic Avenger: The Musical, which was released in 2018.
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If you are crying so much that you flood the room, it might be a good idea to take the song’s title to heart. The little girl at the end of the video is played by Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter, Kelly.
This song, which Ozzy has said is actually about a serial killer, was the title track from Osbourne’s 6th solo album. The video was directed by Ralph Ziman, who also did videos for Vanessa Williams, Toni Braxton, Alice Cooper, L.A. Gun, and Faith No More.
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Today’s music video of the day was filmed at Hollywood’s famed Whisky a Go Go, while Mötley Crüe was preparing to embark on their tour promoting Dr. Feelgood. Did Sam Kinison really drive the band to their performance? It wouldn’t surprise me if I did. More than any other stand-up, Sam Kinison was the comedic voice of heavy metal.
This video was directed by Wayne Isham, who directed videos for practically everyone.
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Through the Shattered Lens 