Tag Archives: The Power Station

Music Video of the Day: Communication by The Power Station (1985, directed by Julian Caidan)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

The Power Station was one of the best supergroups of the 80s.  Made up of Robert Palmer, Chic’s Tony Thomas, and Duran Duran’s John and Andy Taylor, this group may have started as a whim (with Thomas and the Taylors specifically wanting to to do a cover of T. Rex’s Get It On) but it’s first record was such a hit that it led to the band going on tour and also singer Robert Palmer leaving the band to pursue his solo career.

Originally, the band wanted to have a rotating list of lead singers.  Palmer was recruited just to sing Communication but when Palmer also said he wanted to sing Get It On, it led to Thomas and the Taylors hiring him to sing on all the songs on the album.  After Palmer left, he was replaced by Michael Des Barres.

Communication was one of three music videos that The Power Station released for their debut album.  It was directed by Julian Caidan, who is better-known for his work as an editor.  Caidan went on to direct several music videos for Robert Palmer’s solo career and he also did the video for Iron Maiden’s Stranger in a Strange Land, which is about as far away from Robert Palmer as you can get.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Some Like It Hot by The Power Station (1985, dir. Peter Heath)

Posted on by Valerie Troutman

I brought it up when I talked about Get It On (Bang A Gong). This is the actual video that features model Caroline Cossey. Cossey is both intersex and transgender. One doesn’t equate to the other–or lesbian, gay, or bisexual. She just happens to be both intersex and transgender. The intersex part is a bit complicated, but for that, I refer you to the Wikipedia article on her. She was in For Your Eyes Only (1981) as an extra. After For Your Eyes Only, the tabloid News Of The World published an article about her being transgender.

The video is probably more remembered for the song, animation, bright colors, and use in both National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985) and the Family Guy episode called It’s A Trap. However, once you know about Cossey, it does change the way you view this music video. In particular, the shaving cream on the face, which is followed by a reveal of Cossey’s breasts.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Get It On (Bang A Gong) by The Power Station (1985, dir. Peter Heath)

Posted on by Valerie Troutman

I think I’ve only spotlighted one other supergroup before. That group being Temple Of The Dog. The Power Station was made up of Robert Palmer, John Taylor & Andy Taylor from Duran Duran, and Tony Thompson & Bernard Edwards from Chic. The song is a cover of T-Rex’s song Get It On (Bang A Gong).

I don’t really know what director Peter Heath was going for here. Perhaps he foresaw that four years later he would make the music video for Roxette’s The Look. They have similar sets, and there’s even a toilet like Marie Fredriksson would sing on near the end of the music video for The Look. It does has the appearance of a collage that you would see in other 80’s music videos. The bright colors evoke Duran Duran videos.

I do know what the music video for Some Like It Hot was going for. That becomes clear when somebody tells you that the model in the video is Caroline Cossey who is intersex and identifies as a woman. To my knowledge, this is isn’t her in this music video. However, it was obviously shot around the same time, so perhaps that was what they were shooting for along with the apocalypse of the nuclear family thing. I’m pretty sure that’s even Palmer in the beauty-parlor/barber seat at the end.

I love how Palmer is barely shown, has little to no interaction with anyone else, and is either screened in or only shown in cutaways. That’s something to always keep in mind when watching music videos with Robert Palmer. He did not like making them, and it shows–even in Addicted To Love.

Sara Carlson is the dancer in this music video. She was also one of the dancers in Love Is A Battlefield by Pat Benatar.

Fred Potter produced the music video.

That’s it! I just wanted to remind people this group was a thing because I only remember hearing about them once when I was a kid.

Enjoy!