Music Video

GREAT MUSIC VIDEOS: A PERFECT CIRCLE- 3 LIBRAS

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve had A Perfect Circle’s “3 Libras” stuck in my head. I’m not complaing about it, I love this song. It’s crazy too, to realize that it’s been 25 years since their debut album, Mer De Noms was released. As far as debut albums go, it’s definitely one of the best. Interestingly, though “Judith” was the first single, the band actually wanted “3 Libras” to be the first one released. I always find things like that interesting. The video for “3 Libras” is really a beautiful one. Directed by Paul Hunter, who made his name in the HipHop/R&B world with artists like Eminem (“The Way I Am, “Superman”), D’Angelo (“How Does It Feel”), also directed videos for Marilyn Manson (“The Dope Show,” “I Don’t Like The Drugs…”), Hole (“Malibu”), Lenny Kravitz (“Fly Away”). The video for “3 Libras” is dark, haunting, and such a compliment to a great song. The way the cinematography and cameras pull the viewer in at certain moments, to the choice of color used throughout, and the sensuality, all these things make for a great video. I miss when bands would make videos like this. Take a few minutes out of your day and really explore the music video for A Perfect Circle’s “3 Libras,” you’ll really enjoy it!

A Perfect Circle- 3 Libras:

THOSE 80’S SONGS: MOTLEY CRUE- WILD SIDE

I’m not quite sure how my brain does these things to me while I am asleep but, I love it. This morning I woke up with not just a song in my head but a music video. Motley Crue’s “Wild Side” from 1987’s Girls, Girls, Girls was the song and video. I still remember being a little kid and seeing this video on MTV. Filmed at a live show and features Tommy Lee playing drums upside down and rotating. How can you not think that was cool back in the day?! Tommy is still a badass on the drums and I’ve always thought was the secret sauce of Motley. As of this writing, the “Wild Side” video has over 42 million plays and on a cool note, was one of MTV’s most played videos of the time. Motley Crue is one of the bands that represents the epitome of the 80’s rock scene, especially the “glam” side of the time. I was a giant Motley fan when I was a little kid. I still do enjoy some of their songs and they did make some great videos back in the day.

Motely Crue- Wild Side:

NEW RELEASE: THE ANTI-GROUPIES- CIGARETTE SLUT


The Anti-Groupies are band that I’ve been quite keen on for a while now. I’ve had the pleasure of booking a few shows with them over the past couple years and they’ve fast become one of my favorite LA bands. They have the songs, the musicianship, the right attitude, and a live show that will kick you in the teeth. So it’s not a surprise to me that these new songs that The Anti-Groupies are about to unveil have really taken things up a few notches. Their latest single/video for “Cigarette Slut” is a great representation of their kick ass rock and take no prisoners approach. If you haven’t yet checked out The Anti-Groupies, make this your chance to do so!


The Anti-Groupies- Cigarette Slut:

New Release: Speed Of Light- Teeth

I’m really stoked on this. One of the best up and coming bands in Southern California, Speed Of Light, have released a brand new song entitled, “Teeth” and it packs one hell of a rocking punch. Having had the pleasure of booking them many times over the past couple years for The Cobalt Presents shows, we’ve been able to watch and see how far this band has come and it’s quite awesome to see it all evolve into this. The band is formed by brothers and sister Cameron (guitar/vocals, Tyler (drums/vocals and Riley (vocals/bass) and as a three piece, they are one hell of a force. Their live shows are full of raw energy and at times quite volatile in a really fun way. One of my favorite things about Speed Of Light is that they are original and genuine. There’s no fluff or backing tracks or any of the modern played out crap to what they do. It’s pure and real and a bit dangerous just as rock music should be. Their new single “Teeth” cuts like a sharp razor and rocks with the best of them. Speed Of Light will be on tour with Bad Religion starting September 27th through October 29th. I highly recommend you getting to the show early to check them out if you are going to the show! Congratulations to Riley, Tyler and Cameron on a fantastic new song and for what the future holds! Go out there and kill!!!


Speed Of Light- Teeth:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YhZcVvsTzNI%3Fsi%3DPikSwysBTHUL4wJh

Speed Of Light Online:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/speedofligh...

TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@speedoflightb...

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/speedoflight…

Home – https://speedoflightband.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3cNtv...

BY: Brian Lacy

Great Music Videos: Linkin Park- Faint

I love when you see a video that really connects with the energy of the song. I still remember when this video came out and it was one of those “damn, that video is really really good and now I am quite enjoying the song.” I have something lined up in the next couple weeks to further delve into Linkin Park but, first I really want to highlight this gem of a video. Riding high off their debut album, Hybrid Theory and then their follow up Meteora, Linkin Park was the biggest band in the world. During the summer of 2003, Linkin Park released “Faint” as a single and the accompanying video was something else. Legendary director Mark Romanek (Nine Inch Nails, Fiona Apple, Jay-Z, etc) was behind the camera for this one and it definitely left a mark (no pun intended). The video has the band performing with an audience with giant floodlights. Almost the entire video is shot from behind the band, allowing the strong lighting to portray them in silhouettes. A fun thing about this video is that the faces of the band are not shown throughout most of the video, except at the final chorus where the band is then shown from the front. So instead of getting an “audience view” you get the perspective of what the band sees from the state. The way the video is shot and edited is so fun and interesting. Mark Romanek does a phenomenal job of capturing not just the performance aspect of the band but, the energy from the audience that roars back to the band “on stage.” This is video is one of those that I like to put in the category of “this video will get you into the song.” As of now too, the video for “Faint” has almost 400 million plays on YouTube.

Linkin Park- Faint:

New Release: Fact Pattern- Retail Therapy

Another one of my favorite bands that I’ve written about many times here on Audioeclectica have a new video/single out and it’s quite good and thought provoking. Fact Pattern’s new single and video for “Retail Therapy” from their latest release, From Where You’re Hiding, is an onslaught of heaviness and industrial with a tinge of melody. One of the things that has drawn me to this band is that they truly “get it” when it comes to what “industrial music” is. Fact Pattern is a band that has been able to take inspiration and influence from bands of the past and make it their own in a pretty great way. By adding lush landscapes of sounds to really set the mood and a melodic nature, the songs are accessible but not in a way that it’s watered down. There is enough heaviness within the songs to give you that “crunch and bite” needed. While listening to this song, I pick up bits of Skinny Puppy inspiration and also a bit of a fun Bill Hick’s comedic sense with how the visuals in the video play out. Fact Pattern is a band that should be on your radar. They are one hell of a band and their live show is only getting better each time!


Fact Pattern- Retail Therapy:

Fact Pattern- From Where You’re Hiding:

Fact Pattern on Streaming:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/factpattern/from-where-youre-hiding

Great Music Videos: Depeche Mode- Wrong

With the news that Depeche Mode is releasing a new album and touring in 2023, I’ve been pretty excited about that. While going back through their catalog and trying to piece together what I’d love to hear I remembered the awesome video for their song “Wrong” off their 2009 album Sound Of The Universe. This video is quite spectacular. It was nominated for a Grammy for best short form video as was the record for best alternative music album. The video was directed by Patrick Daughters (who you might know from Anonymous Content). The whole video is worth watching a few times to pick up on all the intricate things and subtleties that are meticulously placed in there.

Depeche Mode- Wrong:

Great Music Videos: Aphex Twin- Come To Daddy
Aphex Twin: Come to Daddy (Video 1997) - IMDb

The 1990’s produced some of the best music videos ever. Without a doubt there was a sense of true art and endless possibilities of things to try out and boundaries to push. One video that comes to mind when thinking about all that is “Come To Daddy” by Aphex Twin. This video is one of the best ever and it’s an absolute masterwork. The video was directed by Chris Cunningham (who’s done videos for Bjork, Placebo, and Portishead). Interestingly the video was shot on the same council estate that Stanley Kubrick filmed many scenes for A Clockwork Orange. A video like this to accompany a song that is quite unique would need to stand out and that it does. It’s artsy and different while at the same time very unsettling and disturbing at times. It’s also worth noting that Aphex Twin mastermind Richard D. James wasn’t thrilled with the reception the song got. So much so that after its successful release, James claimed that he removed the record from circulation for one week, hoping to prevent it from reaching number one; it peaked at 36. Even with all that, this video and song are still one of the best of the 90’s.


Aphex Twin- Come To Daddy (Director’s Cut):

Great Music Videos: Nine Inch Nails- Survivalism
nine inch nails — Nine Inch Nails: Survivalism

Nine Inch Nails 2007 album Year Zero is a true Unsung Masterpiece. It’s one hell of an album. The concept behind it is super eerie when you think about what has been happening to society and government over the years. The first single from the album, “Survivalism” is tremendous. The lyrical content along with the pulsating beat are so damn good. The video for the song is on a whole other level. At the end of 2007, Rolling Stone readers voted the video as the best music video of year. Directed by Trent Reznor, Rob Sheridan and Alex Lieu, the video consists of a series of images from a console of secret cameras installed in an apartment block. As the camera moves between the footage, viewers are able to see into the lives of a number of residents, including:

  • A catatonic older couple watching television with a portrait of Jesus behind them.
  • A man looking after his drugged spouse (and in one scene possibly dripping or injecting the fictional drug “opal” in her eyes).
  • Two men having sexual intercourse in bed. (Covered by the US Bureau of Morality image in the TV edit.)
  • A topless woman applying make-up in a bathroom. (Covered by the US Bureau of Morality image in the TV edit.)
  • A man sitting at a table staring at his food.
  • Three men in a shop (and later in an alley) working with stencils.
  • A man in his cubicle surfing the Internet on his laptop computer.
  • Nine Inch Nails performing the song in a room.

There’s so much more to this video. Each time you watch it, you find something else that was hidden in there and a bit subliminal. Nine Inch Nails videos are some of the best you’ll see.


Nine Inch Nails- Survivalism:

Great Music Videos: Aerosmith- Cryin
Alicia Silverstone in the video for Aerosmith's 'Cryin'. | Alicia silverstone aerosmith, Alicia silverstone, Aerosmith

The days of MTV back in the late 80’s and 90’s were great. You could watch music videos all day long. Even the specialty shows like, Headbangers Ball and 120 Minutes were awesome. During the peak of MTV, bands would release pretty spectacular videos. One of the best from that era was Aerosmith’s “Cryin.” The video was a huge mainstay on MTV for a long time. It was also the first of 3 videos Aerosmith made that featured Alicia Silverstone (pre Clueless). The “Cryin” video also features Stephen Dorff and Josh Holloway. It’s a great video and it was justified as so when it was the most requested video of 1993 on MTV also it won Video Of The Year at the 1994 VMA’s. I miss videos like this.


Aerosmith- Cryin: