A notorious Top of the Pops 'performance' from 1988...
Simply coming from looking at ideas for a female performer, here's a few female acts you could look at. (Wiki on all-female bands amongst many lists you could consider)
I've dropped in some videos below; other iconic names to consider...
Eurythmics: singer Annie Lennox was notorious for her ginger skinhead, men's suit, boxing gloves...
Grace Jones: ripped off by Lady Gaga (and Madonna to some degree) and seemingly a forgotten 80s icon, known for her shocking fashions and muscular physique.
Madonna - so many looks, not least the Gaultier conical bra
Lady Gaga - especially the Bad Romance video...
Sinead O'Connor - horrified her record company with her tightly shaved skinhead (Skunk Anansie had less flak years later, but she was hard rock)
PJ Harvey - mixed feminine with masculine boots etc
Kate Bush - mixed classical dance with pop
Dusty Springfield - the extraordinary beehive, later taken on by Amy Winehouse
Neneh Cherry - challenged the pregnancy taboo by appearing on TotPops with her large bump
Siouxsie Sioux - there aren't many more iconic looks than this
Toyah - the facepaint as much as anything else
Joan Jett; Suzi Quatro - both took on the very male bike leathers look
Bjork - a true visual artist and pioneer
Wendy O'Williams - a terrifying performer
Honeyblood (YT channel)
A 2-piece act with some smart videos maximizing the potential of limited locations, for example Bud:
ALL ABOUT EVE
Martha's Harbour, a 1988 hit, remains an iconic example of ethereal pop music, often featured on 'chill out' and 'ambient' soundtracks, with several remixes also floating around.
Despite the notorious Top of the Pops appearance, there's no official video for the track; the playlist below features 1 of many fan-made videos, a simple stills montage.
Their Vevo channel has just one video, and this is it...
DECEMBER
BELLY - SEAL MY FATE
We'd discussed the Super-16 look; that washed out, colour flare, damaged aesthetic - which has been clumsily overdone in many videos. You can see it here in this Belly video, one of several I've grabbed from a 4AD playlist (a particularly significant, alternative Indie label, part of the Beggars empire - as is Craig McNeill, who we'll hear from shortly at the ASFF...). Fairly conventional performance video overall, including some horsing around footage which gives a sense of privileged access - the specific trick with the drumsticks is rather nice:
Tarnation also use a Super-16 style in their very basic You'll Understand video.
LUSH - LADYKILLERS
Key technique here is using pans as a tool for dynamic editing, panning left and continuing or reversing the action in the following shot, sometimes using it almost as a wipe effect. The film titles-style playing with shapes is noteworthy. You could argue the flashing light effect is overdone, but it connects to the nightclub element of the lyric. The studio setup is a bit different too, and the shot variety, angles and sheer pace of editing all help to get across how brimming with attitude this band are.
PALE SAINTS - KINKY LOVE
We'd talked about colour correction and filming with filters, gels ... this one achieves a simply sumptuous colour palate (which is also quite alien).
DEAD CAN DANCE -
Basically, a little bit mad... Animation, weird costumes, highly abstract...
THE BREEDERS - SAINTS
Pixies bassist Kim Deal got fed up getting limited songwriting opportunities in The Pixies, and enjoyed huge success with her sister in The Breeders...
Setting up in the snow; some nicely shaped layering (within the bass drum); fisheye shots; taking the focus-on-vocalist a step on with the band almost zombified while she plays to the camera; and I wonder if Pussy Riot nicked the colour balaclava idea from here?
COCTEAU TWINS - HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS
An absolute frenzy of layering, rolling between an unusual application of rule-of-thirds and halving the frame.
Honeyblood (YT channel)
A 2-piece act with some smart videos maximizing the potential of limited locations, for example Bud:
ALL ABOUT EVE
Martha's Harbour, a 1988 hit, remains an iconic example of ethereal pop music, often featured on 'chill out' and 'ambient' soundtracks, with several remixes also floating around.
 |
| Fans have filled the void with their own videos - you could create the definitive version, and create a sizeable online following in doing so... The top hits for this still popular track are mostly fan-made stills montage videos |
Despite the notorious Top of the Pops appearance, there's no official video for the track; the playlist below features 1 of many fan-made videos, a simple stills montage.
Their Vevo channel has just one video, and this is it...
DECEMBER
BELLY - SEAL MY FATE
We'd discussed the Super-16 look; that washed out, colour flare, damaged aesthetic - which has been clumsily overdone in many videos. You can see it here in this Belly video, one of several I've grabbed from a 4AD playlist (a particularly significant, alternative Indie label, part of the Beggars empire - as is Craig McNeill, who we'll hear from shortly at the ASFF...). Fairly conventional performance video overall, including some horsing around footage which gives a sense of privileged access - the specific trick with the drumsticks is rather nice:
Tarnation also use a Super-16 style in their very basic You'll Understand video.
LUSH - LADYKILLERS
Key technique here is using pans as a tool for dynamic editing, panning left and continuing or reversing the action in the following shot, sometimes using it almost as a wipe effect. The film titles-style playing with shapes is noteworthy. You could argue the flashing light effect is overdone, but it connects to the nightclub element of the lyric. The studio setup is a bit different too, and the shot variety, angles and sheer pace of editing all help to get across how brimming with attitude this band are.
PALE SAINTS - KINKY LOVE
We'd talked about colour correction and filming with filters, gels ... this one achieves a simply sumptuous colour palate (which is also quite alien).
DEAD CAN DANCE -
Basically, a little bit mad... Animation, weird costumes, highly abstract...
THE BREEDERS - SAINTS
Pixies bassist Kim Deal got fed up getting limited songwriting opportunities in The Pixies, and enjoyed huge success with her sister in The Breeders...
Setting up in the snow; some nicely shaped layering (within the bass drum); fisheye shots; taking the focus-on-vocalist a step on with the band almost zombified while she plays to the camera; and I wonder if Pussy Riot nicked the colour balaclava idea from here?
COCTEAU TWINS - HEAVEN OR LAS VEGAS
An absolute frenzy of layering, rolling between an unusual application of rule-of-thirds and halving the frame.
1 comment:
Warpaint, a band influenced by Depeche Mode and recently toured with them as supporting act on their current tour, consist of four members.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie6plcFQ330
Post a Comment