VIDEO? Killed The Radio Star?

"No. I don't think so."

Nor did radio kill the video star. Whatever any of this means.

But something killed the video star.

And do you know what it was?

If you are over 25 years old, surely you do. Just think about it.

MTV played videos all the time in the early 1980s. A college student's dream. And there was this new thing called stereo TV. It fit perfectly with the new music video channel. One of the videos MTV delighted in playing was called "Video Killed The Radio Star." It's premise was that radio was on the way out, and a new dimension to music was beginning due to the music video.

MTV wasn't all garbage programming back then. Okay, there was some garbage. Most of the programming was, however, videos. And videos were supposed to make music radio obsolete.

But sometime, not too long after a certain video appeared, MTV began it's short spiral into garbage programming and essentially quit showing music videos. And I propose it's all because of this band and it's freaky video. We saw how silly the whole concept of "music videos" was.

It's true. Where are the videos now? Confined to the upper stratosphere of cable and DISH channels, where no one can find them easily.

It pains me to say it, because the band is one of my favorites, but I am putting forth the theory that this one band single-handedly destroyed video music. Which was probably a blessing in disguise. Because it exposed video music for what it was- just plain silly. Music is much better when the imagination plays along with it.

And they were able to do this despite a great song, great vocals, great guitar, and a great (yes, I used that adjective one more time) synthesizer.

And so, enter Beavis and Butthead.

Still don't know what I'm referring to?

It's one of the most ridiculous, and I think unintentionally hilarious, things I have ever seen.

In the video, there's a drummer that appears spastic and who appears to be playing with a pair of long chopsticks, there's over-the-top "acting", lots of "air instruments", an unattractive chick, a lead singer who can't stop flapping and flailing, and a criminally inexpensive "wardrobe" for the whole band.

Still don't know?

Well, we're about at the end of the post, so just take a guess if you don't already know. Then go to Caffeine and Irony to watch the video and read a hilarious play by play outline of the goofy moments, complete with the time of occurence.

Then check back and tell me if you agree with my hypothesis.