This week on my Throwback Thursdays Retro Video Project; Savage Republic.
Savage Republic may well be my favorite obscure 1980's post-punk band (American division). This California group with an ever-shifting line-up combined epic spaghetti-western-surf-guitar with tribal drumming, industrial distortion and some occasional ethnic seasoning to create a moody, atmospheric sound completely their own. They also had a striking visual style for their record covers as they had access to an antique off-set printing press and a willingness to use it. They put out a series of albums starting in 1982 to about 1992 before splitting into various spin-off groups, some version of Savage Republic exists to this day. They made no actual videos which is a shame as I always thought their cinematic music especially well suited for the medium.
SAVAGE REPUBLIC ~ "TABULA RASA";
This is a song off the 1988 fourth album "Jamahiriya" using an early DW Giffith film "Edgar Allan Poe" in which Poe is inspired to write "The Raven" in order to find money to feed his dying wife. The actor does bear a striking resemblance to Poe.
SAVAGE REPUBLIC ~ "JAMAHIRIYA";
Another track off the fourth album this time using a 1908 film "The Haunted House" by Spanish film-maker Segundo De Chomon, a contemporary of the Frenchman George Melies whose style he expanded on.
SAVAGE REPUBLIC ~ "TRUDGE";
The group were in full-on Ennio Morricone on this epic track off the 1986 "Trudge" ep. For the vid I used a George Melies film "The Alchemist".
SAVAGE REPUBLIC ~ "TREK";
The other epic track from "Trudge", this time using a perfromance art film by Dutch film-maker Franz Zwartjies.
SAVAGE REPUBLIC ~ "TARANTO";
This track uses another Segundo De Chomon film "Les Grenouille" from 1908.
SAVAGE REPUBLIC ~ "VALETTA";
For this Mediterranean influenced track I used a documentary film "Burgos" about a Spanish city made by in 1911 by Segundo De Chomon in one of his rare docs, it's also one of the earliest colour films. The music runs out before the video ends and normally I would have junked it but the imagery matches up with the music so perfectly I had to keep it.
Showing posts with label Franz Zwartjes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Franz Zwartjes. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 December 2017
Wednesday, 30 August 2017
The Throwback Thursdays Retro Video Project Presents; Cabaret Voltaire pt.2
More in my ongoing retro video project. This time more Cabaret Voltaire, pt.2, mid-period recordings.
"IF THE SHADOWS COULD MARCH";
This video for a remixed track recorded in 1974 which eventually turned up in a shortened form on the second album. The footage is from a short art film made by Wolf Vostell for a Dada film collective called Flux Films who made a series of such shorts in 1965-67. I think this one really captures the feel of the Cabs early vids.
In 1983 Cabaret Voltaire did a soundtrack for an obscure film called "Johnny Yesno". I took a couple of these tracks to make videos of.
JOHNNY YESNO";
For this one I used a short art film, "Tails", by Paul Sharits. This film spliced together the faded, underdeveloped ends of other films, hence the title.
"TAXI MUSIC";
Another from "Johnny Yesno". For this one I used one of DW Giffith's first film (from 1908) about a home invasion. I also used this film for a Monoton video but couldn't decide which I liked better so I kept both.
"SPREAD THE VIRUS";
This track is off the 1981 "Red Mecca" album. The video uses newsreel footage of the Red Baron's funeral and wreckage of his plane from 1918.
"INVOCATION";
This track is from the 1988 album "Eight Crepescule Tracks" using a performance art film from 1968 directed by Dutch art film-maker Franz Zwartjes.
Besides these found film videos I also made a few collages using still images.
"BAADER-MEINHOFF";
For this track off the second album about the 1970's terrorist group I used newspaper footage of the group.
"SLUGGIN FOR JESUS";
OK; the idea of three (very) pale white English dudes covering the theme from a 1970's blacksploitation flick may seem ill-advised but you can't argue with the results. We're just talkin' bout Shaft. Shut your mouth.
"IF THE SHADOWS COULD MARCH";
This video for a remixed track recorded in 1974 which eventually turned up in a shortened form on the second album. The footage is from a short art film made by Wolf Vostell for a Dada film collective called Flux Films who made a series of such shorts in 1965-67. I think this one really captures the feel of the Cabs early vids.
In 1983 Cabaret Voltaire did a soundtrack for an obscure film called "Johnny Yesno". I took a couple of these tracks to make videos of.
JOHNNY YESNO";
For this one I used a short art film, "Tails", by Paul Sharits. This film spliced together the faded, underdeveloped ends of other films, hence the title.
"TAXI MUSIC";
Another from "Johnny Yesno". For this one I used one of DW Giffith's first film (from 1908) about a home invasion. I also used this film for a Monoton video but couldn't decide which I liked better so I kept both.
"SPREAD THE VIRUS";
This track is off the 1981 "Red Mecca" album. The video uses newsreel footage of the Red Baron's funeral and wreckage of his plane from 1918.
"INVOCATION";
This track is from the 1988 album "Eight Crepescule Tracks" using a performance art film from 1968 directed by Dutch art film-maker Franz Zwartjes.
Besides these found film videos I also made a few collages using still images.
"BAADER-MEINHOFF";
For this track off the second album about the 1970's terrorist group I used newspaper footage of the group.
"SLUGGIN FOR JESUS";
OK; the idea of three (very) pale white English dudes covering the theme from a 1970's blacksploitation flick may seem ill-advised but you can't argue with the results. We're just talkin' bout Shaft. Shut your mouth.
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