Tropical crime fighting, police brutality, high street thugs, an interrogation and love (not war).
Continue reading Found videos from the 2000s
Tag: John Chrisstoffels
Pine “Tokyo”
Is this what happens when robots take over the world? Pine is in this video, but the camera pays more attention to a collection of wind-up robot toys wobbling around on a table in front of the band.
Yeah, the band have a catchy indie pop song and they’re playing it in a room decorated with fairy lights, but the focus is on the little robots. Even when drummer Stephen is in shot singing the song, he’s out of focus. The toys are just that much more interesting.
As a concept, it works. Pine aren’t necessarily the most rocktastic band to watch, so it helps putting them into a secondary role, adding a bit of mystique. The song is little over two and a half minutes, not really time for a complicated video. The simple world of cool robot toys lets the song really stand out.
By the way – this is the third song to mention Geraldine in its lyrics. I don’t even think Auckland or Wellington has been mentioned that much.
Best bit: the two robots who seem about to start a fist fight.
Director: John Chrisstoffels
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Next… the flat from hell.
Snort “Poison”
Snort are an all-girl grunge rock band, ticking all the mid-’90s boxes. “Poison” is a crunchy, sneery attitude-laden song that seems to signal the arrival of a key bit of the ’90s.
The video is a lot of fun, starting with some “Prisoner: Cell Block H” style. The band is in jail and they pour a noxious black liquid over a cake, which they use to poison the evil screw (guys, that’s prison slang for warden).
The band escapes to a beach, where they attack a guy who looks like a Mexican Ray Columbus. I don’t know why he is the victim of their kicking. Perhaps they didn’t like his hat.
The video is at its best when it dispenses with plot and we just see the band rocking out in an old garage. The lead singer looks proper ’90s cool with her dyed red hair and nose ring.
The prison escape plot slowly fades away, leaving us with the band rocking out, surrounded by various rogues stuffing their faces with the poisoned cake. It’s a much stonger ending, and I reckon the video would have worked better if it had focused on the performance.
Best bit: the prison guard’s finger-licking icing appreciation.
Director: John Chrisstoffels
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Next… the elegance of the wide-legged trouser.
The Bats “Afternoon In Bed”
For the first time since reading the phrase “creamy legato slides” in Rolling Stone magazine in the mid ’90s, I have a situation in which I can use it. Because indeed creamy legato slides are at the heart of this most chilled out song.
I’m really happy that the video does not at any stage involve a person in bed. The video does, however, open with a mysterious fellow wearing pyjamas. But rather than being in be, he’s atop an oceanside cliff, digging a hole.
We also see the band playing the song in an old warehouse. Even when the song revs up a little they remain seated, as if they’re too chilled out to bother with any rock antics.
I like this video because it just works really nicely with the song. It’s not bold or ambitious. It just nicely does the job of illustrating the song.
Best bit: the brief shot of a cat.
Director: John Chrisstoffels
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
Next… a cool style.