The crummiest music videos ever

[WestwayKid]

Here is a clunker:

ELO might be the dorkiest band ever.

Videos that try and appear high tech (and I imagine this might have looked flashier had I seen it when it came out in the early 80s) tend to age poorly. The graphics in this video appear as if they were done in a high school computer tech class and the transitions are just too much.

Jeff Lynne has not changed his appearance in 40 years.

Everyone's clothing is way too shiny, but the bass player is rocking a killer handlebar mustache. The keyboard player is apparently wearing some sort of robe.

The drummer, Bev Bevan, looks like he's expending way too much effort for a song this slight. He would go on to play momentarily with Black Sabbath.

The final scenes where the screen is split into something like 100 smaller screens is pretty terrible and hard on the eyes.

[Low Down Low]

Can't disagree with any of that but still a top tune imo. I am a total sucker for that vocorder stuff or whatever it's called though.

[Dr. Medulla]

Oh, I gotcha one:


Extra points for the fact that, despite knowing better, I have a guilty enjoyment of that song. No excuses, sorry.

[WestwayKid]

Can't disagree with any of that but still a top tune imo. I am a total sucker for that vocorder stuff or whatever it's called though.

Agreed. Jeff Lynne has a knack for writing catchy songs. One of the greatest movie soundtrack moments is at the end of Boogie Nights when they play Livin’ Thing just as the credits roll. It’s perfect.

[WestwayKid]

Oh, I gotcha one:


Extra points for the fact that, despite knowing better, I have a guilty enjoyment of that song. No excuses, sorry.

It’s a catchy song. The video is awful.

[Dr. Medulla]

Here's another. Terrible song and terrible video, which probably cost a ton.

[Low Down Low]

Can't disagree with any of that but still a top tune imo. I am a total sucker for that vocorder stuff or whatever it's called though.

Agreed. Jeff Lynne has a knack for writing catchy songs. One of the greatest movie soundtrack moments is at the end of Boogie Nights when they play Livin’ Thing just as the credits roll. It’s perfect.

Sure did. There's a handful of tunes i really like, Telephone Line and Wild West Hero are classics, but i dont believe i've ever had a moment in my half century of years and counting where I've thought to myself, "yes, i think I'm really in the mood to play some ELO now". I hear them on the radio sporadically and I'll never switch the dial.

[Dr. Medulla]

Can't disagree with any of that but still a top tune imo. I am a total sucker for that vocorder stuff or whatever it's called though.

Agreed. Jeff Lynne has a knack for writing catchy songs. One of the greatest movie soundtrack moments is at the end of Boogie Nights when they play Livin’ Thing just as the credits roll. It’s perfect.

Sure did. There's a handful of tunes i really like, Telephone Line and Wild West Hero are classics, but i dont believe i've ever had a moment in my half century of years and counting where I've thought to myself, "yes, i think I'm really in the mood to play some ELO now". I hear them on the radio sporadically and I'll never switch the dial.

Fantastic way of expressing their meh-ness.

[revbob]

So far all these bands and their songs are just awful so I don't see how a video for thrm woul be any good.

[Dr. Medulla]

So far all these bands and their songs are just awful so I don't see how a video for thrm woul be any good.

That might be a challenge—shitty band/song but good video.

[revbob]

So far all these bands and their songs are just awful so I don't see how a video for thrm woul be any good.

That might be a challenge—shitty band/song but good video.

Most videos tend to be on the crappy side (IMO) so finding a good one that isnt just a performance video is pretty difficult I think. But then I dont watch many videos.

[WestwayKid]

Can't disagree with any of that but still a top tune imo. I am a total sucker for that vocorder stuff or whatever it's called though.

Agreed. Jeff Lynne has a knack for writing catchy songs. One of the greatest movie soundtrack moments is at the end of Boogie Nights when they play Livin’ Thing just as the credits roll. It’s perfect.

Sure did. There's a handful of tunes i really like, Telephone Line and Wild West Hero are classics, but i dont believe i've ever had a moment in my half century of years and counting where I've thought to myself, "yes, i think I'm really in the mood to play some ELO now". I hear them on the radio sporadically and I'll never switch the dial.

Fantastic way of expressing their meh-ness.

I once knew someone (a former co-worker) who was a massive ELO fan. He even went to a convention.

[Dr. Medulla]

So far all these bands and their songs are just awful so I don't see how a video for thrm woul be any good.

That might be a challenge—shitty band/song but good video.

Most videos tend to be on the crappy side (IMO) so finding a good one that isnt just a performance video is pretty difficult I think. But then I dont watch many videos.

Generally speaking, most videos aren't all that good, and even the ones that are considered pathbreaking are of historical note, rather than something enduring. The most interesting thing about music videos from the 80s (for me, anyway) was that because they were considered an inferior form, so aspiring female directors got their chance and built their skills and rep, especially once the industry realized how important videos were.

[Dr. Medulla]

Can't disagree with any of that but still a top tune imo. I am a total sucker for that vocorder stuff or whatever it's called though.

Agreed. Jeff Lynne has a knack for writing catchy songs. One of the greatest movie soundtrack moments is at the end of Boogie Nights when they play Livin’ Thing just as the credits roll. It’s perfect.

Sure did. There's a handful of tunes i really like, Telephone Line and Wild West Hero are classics, but i dont believe i've ever had a moment in my half century of years and counting where I've thought to myself, "yes, i think I'm really in the mood to play some ELO now". I hear them on the radio sporadically and I'll never switch the dial.

Fantastic way of expressing their meh-ness.

I once knew someone (a former co-worker) who was a massive ELO fan. He even went to a convention.

Statistically, those people must exist, but who expects to meet one, y'know? I was at a dinner party and the boyfriend of one of the hosts told me he was a huge Kansas fan (this was back in the 90s). My reaction was to tell him, "So you're the one!" He was kinda dumb and didn't realize I was insulting him.

[WestwayKid]

Agreed. Jeff Lynne has a knack for writing catchy songs. One of the greatest movie soundtrack moments is at the end of Boogie Nights when they play Livin’ Thing just as the credits roll. It’s perfect.

Sure did. There's a handful of tunes i really like, Telephone Line and Wild West Hero are classics, but i dont believe i've ever had a moment in my half century of years and counting where I've thought to myself, "yes, i think I'm really in the mood to play some ELO now". I hear them on the radio sporadically and I'll never switch the dial.

Fantastic way of expressing their meh-ness.

I once knew someone (a former co-worker) who was a massive ELO fan. He even went to a convention.

Statistically, those people must exist, but who expects to meet one, y'know? I was at a dinner party and the boyfriend of one of the hosts told me he was a huge Kansas fan (this was back in the 90s). My reaction was to tell him, "So you're the one!" He was kinda dumb and didn't realize I was insulting him.

I’m a member of a CD collector Facebook group (wow, typing that makes me feel old). People always post about their favorite bands, showing off their collections. There is one guy who posted his collection of something like 300 Bee Gees CDs. I just saw another member who is raving about Toto. It takes all kinds, I guess.