56/100 Video - "Celebrate" - Empire of the Sun (2014)

Countdown interlude of sorts. 

Besides receiving my Nova Scotia Power bill, it's been a wonderful birthday!

Appreciate all the well wishes from those close, near and far. 

Shout-out to Joelle for a scrumptious pub-style dinner, along with the traditional wine from-around-the-world gift. This one's a white blend from Bulgaria, with notes of orange blossoms and pineapple, and hints of nutmeg, grey poupon, and blah-blah-blah on the finish.  

As for the song, it's an upbeat track from one of my fave groups of the current millennium that helps immortalize the glorious sights and sounds of the 80s.

There's no doubt that 80s influenced the cosmic vibes emanating from the uplifting "Celebrate" by Australia's Empire of the Sun. New wave with a new age panache.

Filmed in South Korea in 2014, lead singer Luke Steele sports a spiffy gold suit and parades around the streets of Seoul taking in the nightlife while the locals are largely oblivious.

I love the inclusion of the Korean subtitles and the karaoke scenes.

57/100 Video - "Walk This Way" - Run DMC feat. Aerosmith (1986)

"Walk This Way" by Run DMC featuring Aerosmith is one of music's most iconic videos.

After initially clashing, the rap and rock artists merge into one as the song progresses.

This bridge is shown in the video as the two groups tear down a physical barrier that separates them, while during the latter half the rappers and rockers play together on the same stage.

The track was one of the earlier rap rock crossovers that influenced the explosion of the genre during mid-90s around tens years later, with groups like Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit fusing the two styles with great commercial success. 

58/100 Video - "Dancing With Myself" - Billy Idol (1983)

I always looked forward to watching a Billy Idol video. 

Frankly, I could line up five or six Billy Idol videos in a top 100 countdown. But we'll settle for two to show more diversity.  

The lyrics were inspired after Bill visited a disco club in Tokyo, struck by the sight of the young Japanese crowd dancing with their own reflections in walled mirrors, rather than with one another.

The video for "Dancing With Myself" is one of his best, set in the future during what appears to be a zombie apocalypse.

Or is it?

By the end of the clip, all these supposed 'zombies' wanted to do was find a dance floor closer to their idol, Billy, and the tunes.

Apocalyptic super fans would be the more accurate description.

59/100 Video - "Kelly Watch The Stars" - Air (1998)

One of the most creative videos I've ever stumbled on, the clip naturally stars a Kelly playing ping-pong with a blonde girl called Smith. 

But there is a twist: the ping-pong players are controlled by the Air band playing Pong, an early Atari video game. 

Suddenly Kelly is hit in the head by the ball. Knocked-out by ping-pong. Kelly then watches the proverbial stars and drifts away, later to be revived by two medics (the band members as well).

Similar to "Around The World" by Daft Punk, the lyrics for "Kelly Watch The Stars" are simply the song's title repeated a few dozen times to a backdrop of a catchy bass line and dreamy synths.

60/100 Video - "Touched By the Hand of God" – New Order (1988)

 

A spoof of the heavy metal hair band videos of the 80s, those familiar with New Order's low-key image will find this clip ironic and funny as hell. 

It is interesting to see the band members totally feeling the part, even Bernard. One of my favourite scenes is when he tosses the guitar into the audience.  

Rabble-rouser Peter Hook, the rock icon of the band, unsurprisingly fits the rock-and-roll role the easiest with his bass thrusting.

The video wraps up with a somewhat predictable explosion as manager Rob Gretton enters stage left to assess the scene.