It’s funny how one incident can kill a successful musical career. It could be drug addiction, long-term hatred with former bandmates or other music industry people, failed marriages, or a sladerous comment that got published. But making a music video?
I was talking with a co-worker at my job, and the discussion turned to music videos. I grew up with my teens being part of the early MTV generation. That was when the network was literally just showing videos. They had the occasional interview with an artists, and the whole thing was hosted by six VJs. This was the early 1980s, and the channel would show any type of video that a signed band put out, whether it was of a live performance or some crazy concept.
As time went on, videos turned into mini-movies, with “Thriller” by Michael Jackson being a great example. Other videos became messages, in many cases not related to the music and lyrics. Of course, like many Top 40 songs, the videos faded into obscurity. However, some have remained in the minds of music fans, for better or worse.
Such is the case of Billy Squier and his video for “Rock Me Tonite.” Squier had a great career in rock music in the early 1980s. Radio hits such as “Stroke Me” and “Lonely is the Night” had some powerful vocals with memorable guitar riffs woven throughout. Then came “Rock Me Tonite.” As far as the recording, it matched his previous hits, with a hard-edged power-pop sound.
Then there was the video. To this day, no one really knows who was responsible for approving this and putting it out. At the time, MTV put it on heavy rotation, and probably scared away a lot of viewers along the way. This video is an absolute nightmare meeting a bad joke and having a baby.
Throughout the video, Squier is dancing by himself in his bedroom like no one is watching. Unfortunately, people were watching, and the ridicule soon followed. So much so that, 40-plus years later, the video still stands out as one of the biggest guffaws ever put to tape. Soon after the initial criticism, Squier’s career in music tanked considerably. These days, he makes occasional appearances, but very few have forgotten this catastrophe.
In watching this video again (I forced myself for this blog), my only theory to the making of it was that teenage boys were watching MTV videos not only for the cool hair-metal bands performing, but for the scantily-clad models that appeared in them. Perhaps someone thought that pubescent young girls would have the same reaction when seeing a young rock star dancing around and tearing off his shirt. In short, it didn’t.
For those of you who have never seen the video, I present it here. My apologies if it negatively affects your future life in any way. You are sure to get a few good laughs at the comments that follow.
Chew on it and comment.
Luegra 