Superette “Touch Me”

1996-superette-touch-meouch”Touch Me” is a song about Mark David Chapman and his obsessive relationship with John Lennon, the second Superette song to give a pop treatment to a bad man.

But instead of making the film about a deranged killer, director Stuart Page picks up on the “touch me” refrain of the chorus and turns it in a more sexy but still unsettling direction.

Set in a K Road peep show booth, a leather-clad Superette squeeze on to the rotating stage in the booth, where they perform their sexy indie pop routine to a number of customers.

There’s a very excited fellow who’s brought along a catering-size jar of Vaseline, which he proceeds to smear all over his face and hair. At first he’s startled by what he finds on the other side of the window (not Madonna in the “Open Your Heart” video), but he soon comes to appreciate the trio.

We also meet a balding man who views a bored transvestite, a businesswoman who views two female boxers, and a floppy haired man who breaks open the window and finds Mr Vaseline rotating on the stage. Is this a magical peep booth that shows people what their heart truly desires?

While the song has some pretty dark themes, the “Touch Me” video cleverly keeps the dark undertones but uses enough humour to match the poppy feeling of the song. And any band who can enthusiastically wear S&M leathers while performing in a small space has my admiration.

Best bit: Mr Vaseline’s sex face. He likes what he sees.

Director: Stuart Page
Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision

Next… life after death.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *