Music I Remember Seeing

There was a time when local stations used to play music video shows, before MTV. I was about ten or eleven and had just learnt to use the video recorder. They were shown late at night and only showed about six or eight videos. That's where I learnt about Michael Jackson and Wham and The Eurythmics.

It's also where I developed a semi-conscious appreciation of music which I carried with me into my teens. So every now and then I would hear songs on the radio that struck a chord, twinged an aural memory, or inspired nostalgic longings for that little world I was in as a pre-teen, when I was learning to define myself culturally and musically.

I never thought I was a rock music fan. I never thought my tastes were that cool. It was only later that I realised that the Beatles were rockers and so were some of the Motowners I listened to as a child. My dad was a subscriber to a music album club. He had a stock of fantastic albums, including Scott Walker, the Beatles of course, various compilation albums, Motown records and instrumental musicians and other dignitaries like Django Reinhardt, Nat King Cole, The Kinks, Elvis, Louis Armstrong, Credence Clearwater Revival, John Denver, Engelbert Humperdinck, Crunchy Granola Guy (I can't remember his name!), and so, so many others. I must have heard these albums when my dad played them, because for some reason or other, I could identify oldies, classics, voices and singles when I was in my teens in high school, stuff my peers had never heard.

Much as I would like to have been a cool rocker, ultimately, it was the toons and the personalities which captivated me. And here, I have attempted to track down those videos which stayed with me.

This one in particular, by Journey, I have ben looking for for months now. For the life of me I couldn't identify the song nor the video. It became clear to me today that I was confusing the band and song with another band and song. I remember very vividly the video had a warehouse/docks location and that the lead singer was a cutie. I also realise that I recently cut my hair in almost the same fashion as he has. Though I am a little more on trend, I insist. This is Journey's "Separate Ways":



Steve Perry went on to have other singles as a solo artist such as "Oh Sherrie". Ya, remember?

The song I was confusing this with was Survivor's "I Can't Hold Back", featuring Red Leather Pants Man. I kinda thought he was cute too, though at my age, this was X-rated as far as I was concerned.



Didn't they all have a lot of energy in music videos back then? Their expressions, their style. Man, they were gung-ho!

Then there was John Waite (Bad English, the Babys), who had this fantastic song with a lovely angsty 80s video in semi-darkness with a swinging overhead light. Unfortunately the video cannot be found on youtube, so here he is, looking very unlike the close-cropped self he was in the video, on a show:



Anyone remember Black? Probably not. And most people I try to remind this song of have no idea of it or the artist himself. I loved this because it was such a lovely video and calming. And lovely. And calming.



Let's hear it for General Public! Does anyone remember them? Please someone say they do. I have always loved this song, and marvel at the sheer OTT performances that totally self-conscious singers have:



However some artists have an enormous sense of self that has ensured their everlastingness in the hearts of their fans. There's no doubt that this guy has absolute certainty as to his coolness:



I didn't know who Corey Hart was, but I remember the video. I could only find this remixed version, but fans should enjoy revisiting the (dark) past!



Wouldn't it be good if they made songs like this again?



Wasn't this guy magical?



Murray Head. Anyone know what he sang?



Oh, it's been so nice revisiting and reliving my yoot.

Feeling great!
C