Last time I put the most absurd first and most talented last, so this time I'll put the clips I actually like first before we descend into the laughable. Top left are the super catchy French duo, Deux. I'd definitely recommend checking out more from this band, whether it be the recently issued discog, Agglomerate , or the recent BIPPP comp of obscure French synth wave. At the very least, check out the myspace, won't you? ps I have a crush on Cati. She's so melancholy and hot, smoking her cigarette! Top right is a more humorous clip from Belgian schizoids Arbeid Adelt! Although the band has been active since the early 80s, I can't personally vouch for the quality of their music much beyond this early single, Pro Vita. How the hell do you think up a video like this?
Now in all honesty, I could have chosen a less ridiculous clip by Los Iniciados (bottom left), who were a side project of the excellent Aviadar Dro. Liz Berg wrote an article a while back on Aviadar Dro, who have a bunch more cool music videos up here. Members of the band went on to form Esplendor Geometrico. I hope to god no other projects emerged after Visitors (bottom right) released their single V-I-S-I-T-O-R-S, and I'm too frightened to look it up. They are clearly ripping off Devo's Jocko Homo in a hundred different ways here, so it makes sense that in their weakness they would feel the need to groundlessly brag that they are 'number one space band'. I wish they were in space so we couldn't hear this shit! On a positive note, the keyboardist does a brilliant little harmonic substitution at 1:57. And it's always a cool decision to have a drummer double as a singer. He actually seems like he might be a cool guy, unlike the other douche in front who only sings the easy parts, doesn't play an instrument and makes stupid fucking faces every time the camera is on him. Fuck that guy. I really hate him.
Visitors are actually totally in vogue! Their main guy was Jean-Pierre Massiera from Les Maledictus Sound, Herman's Rocket, Venus Gang and current reissue favorite.
Posted by: choking on cufflinks | August 07, 2008 at 01:42 PM
Visitors, total DEVO wannabees .. trying way to hard and falling way to flat. Quite a good example of de-evolution at work.
Posted by: danomatika | August 07, 2008 at 03:25 PM
The Massiera comps out now are amazing, the disco one a little less for me.
Posted by: BrianTurner | August 07, 2008 at 05:34 PM
Looks like Arbeit Ardelt has been a watching a lot of Kenneth Anger bootlegs.
Posted by: jonp72 | August 10, 2008 at 11:22 PM
very strange diffrent music. strange outfits look a bit like astronaughts.
Posted by: DJ | January 24, 2009 at 07:17 AM
omg - claude lemonie from rockets/visitors is Jordy's dad!!!!
Posted by: Mike G. | June 15, 2009 at 11:36 AM
thanks for letting me discover Deux. Being French, i feel slightly ashamed not to know them. Oh well.
Posted by: home of the korg ds-10 | September 15, 2009 at 11:13 AM