Like many others, I while away the odd evening watching some of the music channels on cable. And sometimes, there is even something good on. And a look at the playlist pages may make you weep if you are looking for something different. Kerrang TV‘s playlist has vanished (leaving a blank page – perhaps they were embarrassed to mention that their playlist has remained effectively static for aeons), while Scuzz’s playlist has some stuff that really is rather tired. At least MTV2 make an effort to play something different every now and again – for the other channels each top 50 is a rehash of the last. Perhaps I’m just watching at the wrong times of the day. But when the likes of Headbangers Ball is at 0100 on a weeknight, what chance do I have?
So this week’s list is a little different. Following the suggestion of my girlfriend, here are ten “alternative” music TV staples that should be retired – and a few suggestions for what other videos by those bands that could replace them. Other overplayed videos that I may have missed? Feel free to comment…
Is this all that people remember Soundgarden by? Fucking hell…Since Chris Cornell’s move into ever-more chart friendly waters (Bond themes, Audioslave, etc), it seems the past is being buried ever quicker. Shame really. Aside from the eye-popping video to Black Hole Sun, there were other great visual moments too. Like their original breakthrough Jesus Christ Pose, Fell On Black Days, The Day I Tried To Live, hell, even Blow Up The Outside World. And I’ve never even seen the video for Superunknown before! My favourite still is Spoonman, though (and is an utter sod to find online, too).
Yes, it’s a glorious video (and song, for that matter), but each and every one of Tool’s videos are jaw-dropping (examples: Sober, Prison Sex, Stinkfist, Ænema). So why not some of these every once in a while? It’s not as if they are unknown songs, or indeed videos…
I have never understood why this song over all others still gets played. It was a non-album track, not that great in the greater scheme of things, and there are many better songs, never mind videos. OK, so I’m hardly expecting to see Happiness In Slavery on TV (be warned: this is not worksafe in a million years, and is not the easiest video to watch, either), but even Head Like A Hole or Closer would be nice once in a while. Even better would be the studio-based fury of March Of The Pigs or the wierd imagery of Burn, but I think that is some hope.
Now here is a video that is most certainly overplayed. Again, a great video – and song – but you know what they say about familiarity. Much of the more recent stuff sucks, though, so going backwards instead, A.D.I.D.A.S., or even Blind would be nice.
If it isn’t this, it’s Chop Suey. I’ve never seen the video to BYOB anywhere (too political in these times, perhaps?), so otherwise it would be nice to see Aerials, or even the once-played-to-death Sugar. Even better still would be their old track War? – the most furious take on the issues of their Armenian heritage.
They may be a little hackneyed now, but way back when this lot were one of the most intense live bands I have ever seen. I am well and truly sick of this bloody track, though. Far more fun – and way more extreme as a single: Spit It Out. Ah, the memories…
MM has been pretty bad of late, but this poorly-executed cover was quite possibly the nadir. Which makes all the inexplicable the almost constant rotation of this video, still. It isn’t as if, again, his back catalogue isn’t well known enough, or the videos aren’t good enough. Just a couple of examples: the JFK assassination rehash of Coma White, the Dita-featuring mOBSCENE, or even The Beautiful People. But if it’s going to be a cover, why not the really filthy version of Sweet Dreams?
In some respects, the constant playing of this makes some kind of sense. It is unquestionably their greatest pop moment, and their best-known song, and at least it isn’t some of the stuff post-reforming (the case for the prosecution: Tarantula). Still, there are other joyful moments that it would be nice to see once in a while: like the glorious 1979, or the even better Cherub Rock…
Shame Wierd Al Yankovic never did a video for Pretty Fly (For A Rabbi), really – that might have removed this damned song from our screens. The band’s much-better past seems to have been totally forgotten now, which is a shame. Just try Self-Esteem or breakthrough hit Come Out And Play instead…
This video always amuses me. All this environmental awareness images…and then you find the band having lugged all their kit out into what looks like the middle of the desert. How very…responsible. I’d just like to see less of this lot on the music channels full-stop. There are many more deserving bands out there…