THE VIDEOS

KINGS OF THE WILD FRONTIER

Treatment wise, it’s surprisingly simple for a group known for their theatrics – just the band performing, squashed into the corner of a white-walled room. But the austere set dressing acts a blank canvas for the vibrant, costumed gang to do their thing, enhanced by vaguely psychedelic shadows projected onto the wall. It’s the performance that makes it compelling, tension heightened by jarring jump cuts. The video was directed by Stephanie Gluck and Clive Richardson, the latter of whom helmed promos for Tears For Fears, the Banshees and Depeche Mode.

ANTMUSIC

Set in a nightclub, the video builds on literal visualisations of the lyrics: out with the old (disco) and in with the new sound, as they turn off the jukebox with a comedic, oversized plug. The band feel so fully-formed and complete, a force of nature. The video features Adam’s then-girlfriend, Amanda Donohoe (who would again appear in the Stand

And Deliver promo). This was one of the earlier promos helmed by the visionary Steve Barron: pop video director extraordinaire, whose work included Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, Dire Straits’

Money For Nothing, and a-ha’s Take On

DOG EAT DOG

You don’t need to know anything about Adam Ant to grasp that he was tailor-made for the pop video format. Ant would often storyboard and co-direct his promos and has since noted how visualisation concepts would often form during the initial genesis of writing or recording the song. The Ants were a very visual band, fashion and aesthetics have always been a key ingredient of their make-up. Like Antmusic, this was directed by Steve Barron. Ant the compelling showman fronting the band, with his arms flailing all over the place, in total command.

Me. His direction here, actually predates his later hits with those artists, again highlighting Ant’s pioneering steps in the visual aspects of pop.