VHS Video Compilations
Now here's a market that has been sorely overlooked -- video compilations! In anticipation that this list will grow over the next couple of years, here is a list of what is presently available...sadly, a paltry list at that, if you consider what is still in print and available in HiFi stereo. They are arranged by title of compilation. If you, too, agree that what currently exists is unbelievably threadbare, visit the Music Videos List and cast your votes for those video classics you're yearning for.
The international video format dilemma
One major problem that crops up is NTSC vs. PAL video formats. This is both relevant to standard VHS tapes as well as DVD's and laser discs. Here in North America and Japan, NTSC is the mildly inferior format to much of the rest of the world's PAL format. This makes video-buying and availability on an international scale especially problematic, since NTSC VCRs will not handle PAL format videos, and vice versa. Special dual-capable VCRs are required for any format transfers. You may also encounter the SECAM format which is used in France as well as some other countries. DVD presents its own problems as well, since the discs are encoded based on region. DVD players can be purchased that will handle all regions, but they come at a price.
If you want to know which countries support which video format, click here for the technical lowdown (courtesy of Bevis King).
The Be(a)st of I.R.S. Video
(1984 US NTSC; 39 minutes; I.R.S. Video 002) English Beat -- I Confess Wall of Voodoo -- Mexican Radio The Alarm -- The Stand Fleshtones -- Right Side of a Good Thing R.E.M. -- Radio Free Europe Howard Devoto -- The Rainy Season Let's Active -- Every Word Means No Lords of the New Church -- Dance With Me (Long Version) The Cramps -- Garbage Man Go-Go's -- Head Over Heels
Note: This title is most likely long out of print.
Blackbox: Wax Trax! Records - The First 13 Years, A Video Retrospective Volume 1
(199? US NTSC; ~80 minutes; Wax Trax ?) KMFDM -- Money KMFDM -- Vogue Sister Machine Gun -- Not My God Lead into Gold -- Faster Than Light Laibach -- Geburt Elner Nation Meat Beat Manifesto -- I Got the Fear Clock DVA -- The Hacker Frontline Assembly -- Virus Revolting Cocks -- Attack Ships on Fire (live) Foetus -- Butterfly Potion Coil -- Windowpane Psychic TV -- I.C. Water Braindead Soundmachine -- Walking After Midnight My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult -- Sex on Wheels Greater Than One -- I Don't Need God Ajax -- Mind the Gap Suicide -- Dominic Christ
Blackbox: Wax Trax! Records - The First 13 Years, A Video Retrospective Volume 2
(199? US NTSC; ~80 minutes; Wax Trax ?) Psykosonik -- Welcome to My Mind Sister Machine Gun -- Wired Revolting Cocks -- Stainless Steel Providers KMFDM -- More and Faster KMFDM -- A Drug Against War Young Gods -- Envoye Laibach -- Life Is Life Coil -- Tainted Love Clock DVA -- Sound Mirror Frontline Assembly -- Iceolate Meat Beat Manifesto -- Strapdown Thrill Kill Kult -- Kooler Than Jesus Psychic TV -- Joy Chris Connelly -- Stowaway A Split Second -- Colosseum Crash Fini Tribe -- I Want More Greater Than One -- Utopia
Geffen Vintage 80s Volume 1: The Videos
(1995 US NTSC; 45 minutes; Geffen GEFV-39549) Wang Chung -- Dance Hall Days Berlin -- Sex (I'm a...) Stan Ridgway -- Goin' Southbound Lone Justice -- Ways to Be Wicked Was (Not Was) -- Knocked Down, Made Small (Treated Like a Rubber Ball) Madness -- Our House Berlin -- No More Words The Plimsouls -- A Million Miles Away Quarterflash -- Take Me to Heart Ric Ocasek -- Emotions in Motion Wang Chung -- Everybody Have Fun Tonight
Lonely Is an Eyesore
(~1987 US/UK NTSC/PAL; ? minutes; 4AD VAD 703) Dif Juz -- No Motion Dead Can Dance -- The Protagonist Dead Can Dance -- Frontier Throwing Muses -- Fish The Wolfgang Press -- Cut the Tree Clan of Xymox -- Muscovite Mosquito Cocteau Twins -- Crushed This Mortal Coil -- Acid, Bitter & Sad
Note: This title is most likely out of print.
New Wave Hits of the 80's: Just Can't Get Enough Vol. 1
(1994 US NTSC; 45 minutes; Rhino Home Video R3 2175) Gary Numan -- Cars Duran Duran -- Girls on Film (uncensored) Bow Wow Wow -- I Want Candy Haircut 100 -- Love Plus One Golden Earring -- Twilight Zone Thomas Dolby -- She Blinded Me with Science Dexy's Midnight Runners -- Come on Eileen (live) ABC -- Poison Arrow Total (Toto) Coelo -- I Eat Cannibals Dream Academy -- Life in a Northern Town
New Wave Hits of the 80's: Just Can't Get Enough Vol. 2
(1994 US NTSC; 40 minutes; Rhino Home Video R3 2182) M -- Pop Muzik A Flock of Seagulls -- I Ran (So Far Away) Toni Basil -- Mickey Thompson Twins -- Lies Roman Holliday -- Stand By Taco -- Puttin' on the Ritz Spandau Ballet -- True Big Country -- In a Big Country The Fixx -- One Thing Leads to Another Berlin -- The Metro
Picture Music
(1983 US NTSC; 56 minutes; Vestron Video MA1001) Kim Carnes -- Bette Davis Eyes Strange Advance -- She Controls Me Naked Eyes -- Always Something There to Remind Me America -- The Border J. Geils Band -- Freeze Frame Kim Wilde -- Kids in America Red Rider -- Light in the Tunnel/Human Race Talk Talk -- Talk Talk Thomas Dolby -- She Blinded Me with Science George Thorogood -- Bad to the Bone Eddie Jobson -- Turning Over Billy Squier -- Everybody Wants You Burning Sensations -- Belly of the Whale Steve Miller -- Abracadabra
Note: This title is most likely long out of print.
Pillows & Prayers
(~1983 ? NTSC; 31 minutes; Cherry Red Films BCRF 2) Marine Girls -- A Place in the Sun Jane -- It's a Fine Day Honor Blackman/Patrick MacNee -- Kinky Boots Kevin Hewick -- Feathering the Nest Fantastic Something -- If She Doesn't Smile (It'll Rain) Eyeless in Gaza -- New Risen Everything but the Girl -- On My Mind Monochrome Set -- Jet Set Junta Morgan-Fisher -- Un Homme et une Femme
Note: This title is most likely long out of print.
Pop & Wave - The Clips of the 80's
(1995 DE PAL; 105 minutes; Sony Music Entertainment Ltd. 200 612 2)
Frankie Goes to Hollywood -- Relax
Camouflage -- The Great Commandment
ABC -- The Look of Love (Part 1)
New Order -- Blue Monday '88
Propaganda -- Dr. Mabuse (Formel 1 Version)
Gary Numan -- Cars
Visage -- Fade to Grey ('93 Version)
Soft Cell -- Tainted Love (Original Video)
The Communards -- Don't Leave Me This Way
Yazoo -- Don't Go
Heaven 17 -- Let Me Go
Eurythmics -- Sweet Dreams
Godley & Creme -- Cry
The Communards -- Never Can Say Goodbye
Wham! -- The Edge of Heaven
Erasure -- Oh L'Amour
Johnny Hates Jazz -- I Don't Want to Be a Hero
Human League -- Human
The Nits -- In the Dutch Mountains
Depeche Mode -- Personal Jesus
Madness -- Our House
Dexy's Midnight Runners -- Come On Eileen
Adam & The Ants -- Stand and Deliver
King -- Love & Pride
Culture Club -- Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
China Crisis -- Wishful Thinking
Art of Noise -- Moments in Love
Rock Revolution
(1986 NTSC; 30 minutes; Royal Sound Video Prod.) The Clash -- I'm Bored with the USA / London's Burning Ian Dury & The Blockheads -- Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll The Jam -- In the City Hello Sailor -- Son of Sam Talking Heads -- Once in a Lifetime The Ramones -- Psychotherapy Ian Dury & The Blockheads -- What a Waste Lene Lovich -- Lucky Number Graham Parker -- Protection Sex Pistols -- Anarchy in the UK
Note: This title is most likely long out of print.
Urgh! A Music War
(1981/1985 US NTSC; 124 minutes; CBS Fox Video 7720) The Police -- Driven to Tears Wall of Voodoo -- Back in Flesh Toyah Wilcox -- Dance John Cooper Clarke -- Health Fanatic OMD -- Enola Gay Chelsea -- I'm on Fire Oingo Boingo -- Ain't This the Life? Echo & The Bunnymen -- The Puppet Jools Holland -- Foolish I Know XTC -- Respectable Street Klaus Nomi -- Total Eclipse Athletico Spizz 80 -- Where's Captain Kirk? Go-Go's -- We Got the Beat Dead Kennedys -- Bleed for Me Steel Pulse -- Ku Klux Klan Gary Numan -- Down in the Park Joan Jett -- Bad Reputation Magazine -- Model Worker Surf Punks -- My Beach Members -- Offshore Banking Business Au Pairs -- Come Again Cramps -- Tear It Up Invisible Sex -- Valium Pere Ubu -- Birdies Devo -- Uncontrollable Urge Alley Cats -- Nothing Means Nothing Anymore John Otway -- Cheryl's Going Home Gang of Four -- He'd Send in the Army 999 -- Homicide Fleshtones -- Shadow-Line X -- Beyond and Back Skafish -- Sign of the Cross Splodgenessabounds -- Two Little Boys UB40 -- Madam Medusa The Police -- Roxanne
Note: The classic and brilliant compilation of live performances which is sadly out of print. One of the most important video documents of the New Wave era, in my opinion.