Category Archives: music video

Music Video of the Day: In My Dreams by Dokken (1986, directed by Wayne Isham)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

There’s never a dull moment when you’re a member of Dokken!  If you’re not playing in the rain, you’re standing on a computer generated grid.  I think this was all supposed to represent what Don Dokken was seeing in his dreams.

This single was released off of Dokken’s third studio album, Under Lock and Key.  The video was directed by Wayne Isham, who directed videos for everyone who was anyone.  Dokken definitely had their moment in the 80s.  The band’s classic line-up broke up in 1988 and Don Dokken is the only original member in the band’s current incarnation.  (When Don Dokken initially left the band in 1988, it created an odd situation where the other three members were still performing as Dokken even though the band’s namesake was pursuing a solo career.)  In April, Don Dokken said that he might be retiring from performing all together.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Heaven by Warrant (1990, directed by Nick Morris)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Heaven was Warrant’s most commercially successful single and it is certainly more sentimental than something like Cherry Pie.  The song itself was originally recorded by Plain Jane, the band that singer Jani Lane was in before Warrant.

The music video was shot in Kansas City and features Scottish model Tracy Allan.  Director Nick Morris also worked with bands like Europe, Cinderella, and Thunder.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: At My Most Beautiful by R.E.M. (1999, directed by Nigel Dick)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Sometimes, the most difficult thing is just making it to the audition in time.  That is the theme of the video for R.E.M.’s At My Most Beautiful, which follows a cellist as she tries to make it to her audition for R.E.M.

The cellist is played by Rain Phoenix.  Rain was the younger sister of River Phoenix, who was a friend of R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe.  Rain had previously been a member of River’s band, Aleka’s Attic, and she also served as a back-up singer with the Red Hot Chili Peppers shortly before she appeared in this video.

Director Nigel Dick is another one of those music video directors who worked with almost everyone.  If you were a successful musician, Nigel Dick probably did at least one video for you.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Black Water by The Doobie Brothers (????, directed by ????)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

I’m not sure when this video for Black Water was filmed.  The song itself came out in 1974 but, because the video features Bobby LaKind on the congas, the video had to have been shot after 1976.  The presence of Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Tiran Porter means that it was shot before 1980.  If I had to guess, I’d say 1978 because the was the same year the Doobie Brothers appeared on What’s Happening!!!.

I looked closely at the audience and I did not see Rerun trying to tape the performance.  That’s good because the one thing that really upset the Doobie Brothers was bootlegging.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Wasted Years by Iron Maiden (1986, directed by Jim Yukich)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Wasted Years was Iron Maiden’s 14th single and its first off of their Somewhere In Time album.  The music video depicts the same scene that was on the single’s cover.  Eddie is piloting his time machine through temporal space while the band plays.  Eddie was a cyborg for the Somewhere In Time singles.

This was yet another video directed by the very busy Jim Yukich.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Forever Free by W.A.S.P. (1989, directed by Jim Yukich)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Forever Free was a power ballad from W.A.S.P. and an homage to Lynard Skynard’s Freebird.  It appeared on W.A.S.P.’s fourth studio album, The Headless Children.  At the time, The Headless Children was considered to be W.A.S.P.’s first mature album and it featured the band performing songs about something more than just heavy metal decadence and good times.

Director Jim Yukich is one of those directors who has worked with everyone who was anyone.  If your band was a success during the MTV era, Jim Yukich probably did at least one video for you.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: No Leaf Clover by Metallica (2000, directed by Wayne Isham)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

No Leaf Clover is one of two original compositions to appear on Metallica’s 1999 live album, S&M.  S&M stood for Symphony and Metallica and any other possible interpretation was just a coincidence.  (Sure!)

Directed by Wayne Isham, this video features both Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony bringing the song to life.  This was also the second to last Metallica video to feature bassist Jason Newsted.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Anything She Does by Genesis (1986, directed by Jim Yukich)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

It doesn’t get much more British than Genesis trying to rehearse while Benny Hill tries to keep groupies (some of whom are Page 3 girls) from sneaking backstage!

This video was never officially released.  As far as I know, it never aired on MTV.  Instead, the video was used to introduce the band during their Invisible Touch tour.  Anything She Does was the one Invisible Touch song that was not performed live by the band during that tour.  Keyboardist Tony Banks, who wrote the song, said it was difficult to play.

The song itself is about a man who is in love with a model that he’s never met.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: 2 Legit 2 Quit (1991, directed by Rupert Wainwright)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Do you want to watch one of the most expensive music videos ever made?

Even more importantly, do you have 15 minutes to watch MC Hammer?

The idea behind this video is that MC Hammer is thinking about quitting the business but James Brown wants him to steal Michael Jackson’s glove.  Before we even get to Hammer, we sit through James Belushi as a newscaster and cameos from several 1991 celebrities.  Danny Glover, Henry Winkler, Freedom Williams, David Faustino, Barry Sobel, Ralph Tresvant, Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, Eazy-E, DJ Quik, 2nd II None, Tony Danza, Queen Latifah and Milli Vanilli all appear in this video, as do several athletes: José Canseco, Isiah Thomas, Kirby Puckett, Jerry Rice, Rickey Henderson, Deion Sanders, Andre Rison, Wayne Gretzky, Chris Mullin, Roger Clemens, Roger Craig, Ronnie Lott, Lynette Woodard, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, David Robinson, and former Atlanta Falcons coach Jerry Glanville.  Obviously, with David Faustino and Tony Danza standing behind him, there was no way MC Hammer could quit.

This video was named the fifth worst music video of all time by MAX Music.  That was only with hindsight, though.  A shortened version was a hit on MTV and, in 1991, the Atlanta Falcons dubbed themselves the 2 Legit 2 Quite Falcons.  (They went 10-6 that season.)

Director Rupert Wainwright also did the video for U Can’t Touch This.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Pop Goes The Weasel by 3rd Bass (1991, directed by Jesse Dylan)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Vanilla Ice was very popular in 1990.

By 1991, everyone was sick of him.  How unpopular was Vanilla Ice?  He was so unpopular that 3rd Bass scored a moderate with Pop Goes The Weasel, a song attacking him for cultural appropriation.  Like Vanilla Ice, two of the rappers in 3rd Bass were Caucasian but they presented themselves as respecting rap’s traditions and history.  Vanilla Ice, on the other hand, couldn’t even be bothered to give credit to Queen for stealing their bass line.

This video found a lot of popularity on MTV.  Ironically, it was MTV that made Vanilla Ice a star to begin with by repeatedly playing the video for Ice Ice Baby.  In this video, Vanilla Ice was played by Henry Rollins.

Director Jesse Dylan has also done videos for Tom Waits, The Black Keyes, Eels, Skid Row, Lenny Kravitz and Lita Ford.  He also directed the Will Ferrell soccer epic, Kicking and Screaming.

Enjoy!