Loads of found videos from 1996, featuring cameo appearances from three bright young actors, Stella as a grunge band, double Annie Crummer and Strawpeople, and some political pop.
February 1996
Second Child “Desire You”
Joel Tobeck appears in the “Desire You” vid, playing a troubled young man who swallows a handful of breath mints serious pills. (He appeared in the video for Thorazine Shuffle’s “An Affair” and – I assume – videos for his band Splitter.) The “Desire You” video is set in a cool inner-city building and when Joel isn’t being dramatic, the band deliver some hearty indie rock.
Director: Jonathan King
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Annie Crummer “State of Grace”
“State of Grace” was the first single off Annie Crummer’s second album, an emotional soul number. The video sees her shimmying on a clifftop, a bit more saucy than the peasant blouses of her earlier videos.
Director: Mark Hartley
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Cinematic “See You Round”
https://youtu.be/M8PnN3H2yMg
Casual smoking featured in Cinematic’s previous video, “Already Gone”, and here it is again, used as a device to bring people together. “See You Round” tells the story of a man whose date evidently dumps him after he spills a bottle of champagne. She runs off and has a fun time with others while he mopes around and vaguely contemplates jumping off the Harris Street pedestrian overbridge in Wellington.
Director: David Reid
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
April 1996
Stellar “Happy Gun”
This video pretty much ruined future Stellar for me. I caught the “Happy Gun” video late one night in, I guess, 1996. It predated Boh’s sister‘s musical success and had a much rockier, more grunge sound. When Stellar later showed up with a Sony contract and their first proper single “What You Do (Bastard)”, I was disappointed. The uncool bogan band members had been replaced with slick dudes in ’90s club gear. The impolite rock sound had been tamed to a more poppier sound, with lashings of The Cardigans and Garbage. Oh, Boh! But I have the “Happy Gun” video, a brief excursion into an alternate reality where Boh Runga had the shortest hair in the band and Stellar crunched hard.
Director: Mark Tierney
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
June 1996
Annie Crummer “U Soul Me”
Annie Crummer goes for some dusky maiden style in this video for her seductive R&B number. It’s a risky situation – the sort of setting that could come across as laughably kitsch in the wrong hands. But Annie’s performance coupled with direction from Mark Hartley makes it an enjoyable South Seas romantic fantasy.
Director: Mark Hartley
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Garageland “Looking For What I Can’t Get”
This was the final funded video of the original Garageland line-up before Debbie left and the band left for London. “Looking For What I Can’t Get” is a fun, jump-along number, so it’s good that the video includes the band kicking arse in one of their many amazing live shows from the era.
August 1996
Nathan Haines “Beda”
It’s all going down at this late-night laundry, which is more than I ever experienced at the laundries I used in Balmoral and Mt Eden. Back then, it was all about 30-year-old National Geographics, the cat on a leash and people doing annual duvet washes. But in the world of “Beda” every one – even the gnarly ol guy – is very cool. The video features actors Paolo Rontondo as a dancing patron, and Oliver Driver as half of a very loved-up couple.
Director: Carla Rotondo
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Strawpeople “Boxers”
“Boxers” was co-written by Greg Johnson and the video continues to show Strawpeople’s flair for making interesting music video. This one is shot in black and white and includes slightly unnerving 20th early century carnival imagery, along with Fiona McDonald rocking the best eye makeup.
Directors: Melanie Bridge and Mark Lever
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
October 1996
Moana and the Moahunters “Treaty”
This is Moana doing one of the things she does best – assembling a talented group of performers to deliver a funky pop song with a message. This one – a reminder of the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – lets the guest performers take centre stage, while Moana supports her posse. My favourite detail: the NZ On Air logo graphic – which normally rotates to show the name in both English and Maori – stay still and only shows the te reo Maori side.
Director: Ross Cunningham
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
December 1996
Pash “Doo-Wop”
Taking influence from the 1950s-influenced pop of “Doo-Wop”, the video is set at a drive-in. Where carloads of teens have the option of watching a film of Pash performing, but they mostly get up to pashing and other pastimes in their cars. The most surreal moment comes when a giant anachronistic Homer Simpson hand appears and passes one moviegoer a Duff beer. Yeah, why not? (Stay watching for an interview with the band on TV4’s youth show The Drum.)
Director: Steve Morrison
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Strawpeople “Spoiler”
The Strawpeople have more moody black and white adventures with their jazz-influenced song “Spoilers. Fiona McDonald emotes to the camera with her quality eye makeup, while Paul Casserly can be seen in the background, sorting out giant cards spelling “SPOILERS”.
Director: Wayne Conway, L Guthrie
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision