Since improvisational rock came into fruition over 50 years ago, the “jamband” genre has ultimately become defined by the live music experience. While a majority of today’s popular-music industry measures success based on album sales and various social media-centric stats, bands such as The Grateful Dead, Phish, & Widespread Panic honed their chops on the road with incessant touring and marathon concerts featuring ever-changing setlists. Although relying on word-of-mouth and allowing tapers to openly record & trade their live shows was certainly a creative & successful business model, there was one facet of the music industry that jambands seemingly were never quite able to master, particularly during the genre’s formative years: the music video.
As the 80’s & 90’s came to be defined as the “MTV Generation” – thanks to a sudden influx of elaborately produced music videos from artists such as pop-darlings Michael Jackson and Madonna – the popularity of the music video erupted like wildfire, eventually spreading to nearly every corner of the music industry. In 1987, the unthinkable happened when The Grateful Dead, an admittedly “anti-establishment” group if there ever was one, released their first ever music video in support of their surprise hit-single “Touch of Grey.” And while that video, recorded after a 1987 concert with a live audience and using life-size skeletons to portray each band member on stage, still holds up relatively well even today, other jambands were, shall we say, not quite as successful.
Join us as Glide takes a (good natured) look at a handful of “official” music videos from jambands that have aged about as well as this author’s hair-line:
“Down with Disease” (Phish): Released in 1994 and directed by bassist Mike Gordon, this video features all four band members dressed in scuba gear diving into an aquarium. The four-plus minute clip is replete with plenty of footage from the group’s 1993 New Year’s Eve performance including several crowd shots (apparently jester caps were a big thing in ‘93-’94) though the clear highlight is a welcome appearance from Trey’s longtime canine companion, Marley.
“RU 4 Real” (God Street Wine): In 1996, Lo Faber & co. recorded their first music video for the single “RU 4 Real.” Featuring an incredibly 90’s looking crowd, including a super sassy female protagonist and some shady dude who kind of looks like John McEnroe and keeps hovering around the men’s bathroom, this video matches the “cool factor” elicited by the song’s ultra- hip shorthand title.
“But Anyway” (Blues Traveler): Before “Hook” or “Run Around”, Blues Traveler made an impact on the college rock radio charts in 1990 with their single “But Anyway.” They also made a lasting impact on the future of music videos in general with their brilliant usage of the Green Screen video effect which finds the band zipping around New York City with a toilet seat, for some reason.
“Airplane” (Widespread Panic): Recorded and released for 1994’s Ain’t Life Grand, “Airplane” was one of a few songs that late guitarist Mikey Houser not only wrote but also sang lead on. While the song itself still holds a dear place in the hearts of band members and fans alike – Panic waited over four years to perform the song again after Houser’s passing – the accompanying music video has not fared as well with an abundance of some very 90’s video effects and motifs.
“Hell In A Bucket” (Grateful Dead): While the Dead’s aforementioned “Touch of Grey” video has seemed to have aged reasonably well since it’s 1987 debut, the same probably cannot be said about another video the group recorded around the same time, “Hell In A Bucket.” This bizarre biker-themed video has it all, from an alcoholic duck to Phil Lesh dressed up as some sort of oddly terrifying S&M Circus ringleader.
“I Want to Live in America” (Bobby and the Midnites): Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir’s second attempt to front his own band – Kingfish being the first – was relatively short-lived, but thankfully there was enough time in between touring to film this masterpiece of a music video. Consisting of a hodgepodge of quick cuts featuring footage of everything from random children skateboarding and eating ice cream to Weir casually strolling the streets of New York, this video borders on “unwatchable” for even the most ardent Deadheads.
