Video Capture #4: Frankie Goes To Hollywood
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*Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Two Tribes (1984)*What more can be said about this landmark electro ultra-gay synth-pop group than has already been said? Their first two singles went to the top of the charts while their first two accompanying videos were promptly banned all over Europe. Sounds like a good pop group to me.Lasting only shy of three years as a bonafide band, but leaving marks in the scene to this day, FGTH are pop legends. Speaking as a child of the 80s, the 'Welcome To The Pleasuredome' album had a huge significance to me. Along with fellow ZTT label members Art Of Noise, they drew me gradually away from the Top 40 rut and into the then alternative genre. And when I first saw this video on Much Music in Canada, I was hooked. It was prefaced by the disclaimer that it had been banned by the UK media but weren't we lucky to be able to see it here! A great day to be a Canadian!
I have to admit that at the time, I was neurotic about the Russian cold war. I dunno if any of you other 30-somethings remember or can relate to this, but for my part, I was a little worried, being 12 at the time, that we were all going to get blown to hell by the Russians in some catastrophic nuclear holocaust. The back sleeve to the 'Two Tribes' 12" single didn't help that at all... describing in clinical charts and graphs just how many nukes were aimed at us, how many people were to be obliterated in a tactical nuclear strike against the US, the relative length of a nuclear winter, and so forth. It was a little harrying.But in spite of that, watching this video didn't seem to be a problem. Somehow it all made sense to me at that point... and by making sense, I mean, I realized how stupid the whole thing was. Here we have Ronnie Reagan and Konstantine Chernenko in the ultimate battle to the death: rather than fighting with weapons they were simply duking it out in the ring. And make no mistake, there are no holds barred in this match, as they punch, kick, scratch, bite and grab each others nutsacks for control of the planet... all for the entertainment of a cheering and jeering crowd consisting of all ethnicities who can't get enough of it. Eventually, the death match reaches a stalemate, and with the two combatants holding each other by the throat, the rivalry takes over the crowd and they start attacking one another... so much so that Reagan and Chernenko actually stop and look around thinking, what the hell... and then the whole planet explodes. Maybe a little preachy and cliche by today's standards but at the time, it was delivered in such a perfect little metaphoric package that it couldn't help but have effect.
I remember watching this for the first time thinking... this is the best video ever... and then I immediately went out and bought the album. And I was not disappointed. It's possibly the best, most well produced and celebrated album of its kind from the decade, and certainly one of ZTT's best.I give to you possibly the best 80's music video ever, or at least, certainly my favourite, the extended 'Video Destructo' version of 'Two Tribes', prefaced by none other than Tricky Dick himself.
I have to admit that at the time, I was neurotic about the Russian cold war. I dunno if any of you other 30-somethings remember or can relate to this, but for my part, I was a little worried, being 12 at the time, that we were all going to get blown to hell by the Russians in some catastrophic nuclear holocaust. The back sleeve to the 'Two Tribes' 12" single didn't help that at all... describing in clinical charts and graphs just how many nukes were aimed at us, how many people were to be obliterated in a tactical nuclear strike against the US, the relative length of a nuclear winter, and so forth. It was a little harrying.But in spite of that, watching this video didn't seem to be a problem. Somehow it all made sense to me at that point... and by making sense, I mean, I realized how stupid the whole thing was. Here we have Ronnie Reagan and Konstantine Chernenko in the ultimate battle to the death: rather than fighting with weapons they were simply duking it out in the ring. And make no mistake, there are no holds barred in this match, as they punch, kick, scratch, bite and grab each others nutsacks for control of the planet... all for the entertainment of a cheering and jeering crowd consisting of all ethnicities who can't get enough of it. Eventually, the death match reaches a stalemate, and with the two combatants holding each other by the throat, the rivalry takes over the crowd and they start attacking one another... so much so that Reagan and Chernenko actually stop and look around thinking, what the hell... and then the whole planet explodes. Maybe a little preachy and cliche by today's standards but at the time, it was delivered in such a perfect little metaphoric package that it couldn't help but have effect.I remember watching this for the first time thinking... this is the best video ever... and then I immediately went out and bought the album. And I was not disappointed. It's possibly the best, most well produced and celebrated album of its kind from the decade, and certainly one of ZTT's best.I give to you possibly the best 80's music video ever, or at least, certainly my favourite, the extended 'Video Destructo' version of 'Two Tribes', prefaced by none other than Tricky Dick himself.
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