Rob Masters

Back to that rich vein of videos, the 80s this time, and one of the musical greats the the era produced.  Our video is a stop-motion paper-cut surrealist dream-sequence, and that by itself would not gain it an entry to this series. What gets it in is the way it mirrors the song in a very literal way. This is someone who has achieved flight and is never returning to the ground. It might be an acid-fuelled vision of the narrative, but it is clearly what is going on.  I do wonder about the flippers and the slippers, though. Anyway, here is 1985's classic hit "And She Was" by Talking Heads from Little Creatures.

Another of the classics - here's a band going the full Alice. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with a bonus of Dave Stewart from Eurythmics, bringing you 1985's "Don't Come Around Here No More". Fun fact - 'Alice' was also the original 'Joanie' in the series pilot for "Happy Days". 

One of the modern musical greats this time around - and from a work released just two days before his death. I am, of course talking about David Robert Jones. Better known to  the world as David Bowie. This is the title track from his last album, Blackstar. And what a ride it is. Surreal in ways that cannot be adequately put into words, the video features a cat-tailed woman, living scarecrows, religious ecstasies, a dead astronaut, and a button-eyed Bowie. The music meanwhile most strongly fits experimental jazz in style, and the lyrics are similarly surreal.  Debate about various elements of this video abound - mostly around the identity of the astronaut (Major Tom?), but also about various other things. For example, what is with the lovecraftian creature at the end? So have a look at Blackstar, and tell me what you think it all means! I'll cheerfully admit I'm way out of my depth.