The 90s saw a slowing down of the production of music videos in London. I made a few then started to work more as cameraman in television documentaries and drama
M-People - Renaissance The next time I came across Heather she was with M People who were riding success (also with deConstruction Records) and they asked me to make two videos, one in Berlin just after the wall had come down and another in San Francisco as they were performing there – what a treat – Being a fan of Bullit I decided to make a car sequence then back in London Simon Archer lit the studio set that we based on their album cover
You Woke Up My Neighbourhood - Billy Bragg I made several videos with Billy a close friend with Phil Jupitus who wrote this script. I got to go to Athens Texas and film Michael Stipe and Peter Buck who co-wrote the song
We made the video for “Cuts You Up” with a minimal set against black drapes so that we could key images into the black background. We then filmed Peter in the New Forest where I used a portable smoke gun and was extremely pleased as the smoke held in a layer along the ground, a rare occasion of a still day and the right temperature creating and ethereal feel – We were pleased the way the video worked out but it was not until several years later that I found out that the record had been a big success in America – it hadn’t charted in the UK.
Strange Kind of Love - Peter Murphy I directed this with Beyhan - Pete's wife - Peter is an ex member of Bauhaus who had quite a cult following in the UK but also in the US
Way Down Now - World Party One of my favorite early videos was a performance by the Rolling Stones where they are inside a parachute performing “It’s Only Rock n Roll” and it fills up with foam completely obliterating the band who try to carry on in bemusement. I had a basement constructed where the rubbish shoots dispensed old clothing, boxes and Styrofoam over the band as they try to perform - by this time in his career Karl had annoyed a few people in the record company who came down to the shoot and enjoyed joining in throwing stuff into the set.
M-People - Don't Look Any Further The next time I came across Heather Small she was with M People who were riding success (also with deConstruction Records) and they asked me to make two videos, one in Berlin just after the wall had come Berlin changed incredibly fast and we made the video at the end of 92 by which time the wall had been down for 18 months or more and a lot of the eastern properties had been taken over by West Berliners and there was only a small section of the wall left standing. The other thing I remember is that East Berlin had jumped ahead in phone technology taking on mobile phones faster than any other community at that time as the old phone system didn’t work that well – we filmed in the streets and an old East Berlin speakeasy – Heather by this time was a lot more comfortable in front of the camera The band work performing in San Francisco and asked me to go there and make the video.
It's OK I'm a Policeman - Crunch Through various projects with Madness I have gotten to know Lee Thompson and Chrissy Boy quite well as they have at times been neighbours -They formed Crunch while Madness were having a sojourn and we filmed this video busking all the way with the level crossing scene shot at Abbey Road and the end scene outside Harrods.
The Last Machine (TV Series) 94 This was a three part series presented by Terry Gilliam. The Last Machine is a documentary series about the early period of cinema. It is based on the book "The Last Machine: Early Cinema and the Birth of the Modern World" by Ian Christie. Hosted by Terry Gilliam, it was broadcasted on BBC2 from January to February 1995. The episodes chronicle the history of cinema up to the year 1913. It delves on the events that influenced the development of the entertainment industry such as advancements in transport. The show also discusses early directors like Lumiere, Edison, Melies, and Pathe