Tuesday, August 14, 2007

The greatest video for the greatest song by the greatest band ever

My Bloody Valentine, "Only Shallow":



You may disagree, but of course you'd be wrong.

I first experienced this song as a video - this video - in early 1992. Shortly afterwards I began working at Specialty Records and discovered two things: My Bloody Valentine's albums were available through our shop, and the VHS tape "The Story of Creation" being sold on the counter at the shop was not a religious video but was, in fact, the story of Creation Records, the label which first signed MBV. This video was also included on that VHS, of which I have several copies.

This song made me fall in love, completely and absolutely, with lead singer Bilinda Butcher. Her voice is that special sort of voice that is heard sometimes in the music that was once known as Alternative Rock. It is a voice that tells you that she is the most desireable woman in the universe, but there is absolutely no way, never, ever, she would possibly consider sleeping with you...except maybe she just might.

3 comments:

  1. I've never seen this or any of their videos. I like to imagine the songs as just sort of appearing out of the ether.

    Must...not...click...link...

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  2. Click it! Click it!

    You're just one click away from an absolutely transformational experience: the beauty of Bilinda Butcher, the sultry mysteriousness of Debbie Goge, the ready-to-fall-off-his-stool franticness of Colm O'Ciosoig, and Kevin Shields helping clarify the pejorative British term "anorak". All in a video that absolutely transcends time and space. Click it!

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  3. OK, I clicked the link. Ya!

    You forgot to mention: from the greatest album ever.

    And I'll add: (probably) the greatest concert I've ever seen (the first of two times I saw them on tour for Loveless).

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