As I’ve said before, MTV in its earliest days was a real influential hitmaker. With the right video, the right sensibility for the time, video could make a hit that never got across on the radio. One of the earliest videos I can remember was the video for “Bates Motel” by The Hitmen. A spooky black and white pastiche of Hitchcock film images, a little bit of the band, and a cool song that fit the vibe, and there was a hit. Danny and I were obsessed with that song. We were even more obsessed with it because we really couldn’t find it anywhere. Scarcity drives demand, and we demanded that song, or something like it.
Before the album that featured “Bates Motel,” the UK group had released this one, “Aim For The Feet.” We found this in the bins first at Desertshore first. In fact, I’m fairly certain we found the two-song promo disc featuring “She’s All Mine” and “O.K.” even before this.
The songs on “Aim For The Feet” are a time capsule of synth-driven new wave with a layering of vocal attitude on top. It’s not a good sign if none of the songs from an album I bought, especially a new record, ever made it onto any mix tape I ever made. I listened to this an hour ago and can’t remember a single one of the songs. I could put it on, play it again, and they would be familiar, yes, but I would forget them again in no time at all. Yet, there was that brief period when we were absolutely desperate to find “Bates Motel,” and anything that was at least by the same band would have to do. I guess that’s why I’ve kept it all this time.
Or because of the “Music Not Noise” sticker on the cover.
