Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
The video I will be analysing is Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer which was produced in the 1986, it was the first of its time to have produced a concept pop video that related entirely on the artist singing with changes of setting around, rather than the usual pop video’s before this were almost entirely performance based or live performance of the band or artist like The Monkeys. The video has no strong characteristics of a regular pop video at this time as it was an experiment of changing video history, the only characteristic is that the artist sings the lyrics all the way through the video.
There is a strong but quirky relationship between the lyrics and the visuals as every single line of the song is portrayed in the video amplifying the effect on the audience with the words he sings. For example a line of the song is “You could have a steam train, if you just lay down your tracks” this is then shown in the video going around his head. This concept idea of having every image that he sings about created on screen shows his personality is eager to try new approaches to his songs but it also creates a good way of his audience remembering his songs through the visuals. Another lyric is “you could have a big dipper, going up and down or round and round” this then shows Peter going down a rollercoaster that is pencilled on, but he creates the motions himself as though he is going down it in time with the lyrics. This video as it is the first ever digital video made my photographic images, he can play around with hair and makeup to create motion effects like how he does on the rollercoaster which fits in perfect time with the lyrics, like up and down he moves his head up and then down to the pace of the words.
The relationship between the music and visuals is very easy to pick out and notice, as the pace of the music never really changes until the very short chorus of 3 lines. Therefore the video does change with the pace of the music as with each syllable of a word the photographic image changes so for example as the pace goes “I - want - to - be - your - sledge - hammer” in 7 beats, 7 different shots are put on screen. In this instance it is the sledge hammer coming down on his head again relating the visuals with the lyrics. Because of the pace going with each syllable or beat of the song I feel that the relationship between the music and the visuals go together very well as you get to see a new part or image or sequence of movements with each line of the song.
The whole video is a medium close up of Peter Gabriel the artist singing each line of the song, I feel that this was done to show off his new style after leaving his rock group Genesis in 1967 and starting his solo career as a pop artist. This unique style I feel was the main selling point for the record label as no one had tried this before. Therefore this video represents a whole new change of image for the artist compared to his previous videos with his band Genesis. I think the image trying to be portrayed here of the artist is a new fresh faced solo artist trying something different to every other pop star around which would instantly get an audience through the use of this new technology in his video.
I don’t feel that there is much reference to the notion of looking towards Peter as he would be recognised already through his band, but I do feel an image was given to represent him as a good looking pop star to attract the girls to his new look and genre. There is one part that I feel may slightly be there to promote him on sexualised display to the women, which is towards the end of the video he dances with a group of people, whilst changing shirt. He is wearing tight black trousers also which could be used to promote his assets which he didn’t do in Genesis. Although this may show some sexual display I think that it is more to show his new look and image after leaving the band.
I don’t think there are any specific intertextual references included in this video as it was set out to achieve a whole new world of technology and future development therefore it was not necessarily needed. Also as he was a new solo artist like Taylor swift they used themselves to promote the video through the singing and visuals. He did use his surreal ideas through to his tour by distorting his face through lenses on stage and mirrors and wearing unusual make up. One intertextual reference I feel that he strongly used throughout this video is his idolism for David Bowie through actions and makeup in the video.
The video is totally a concept video as the ideas portrayed are very surreal and unusual compared to other pop videos, an up to date video that uses similar concepts is “crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. They both completely rearrange the characteristics of a usual pop video and add their own ideas in to create their image of themselves rather than follow the stereotype. The song is also per formative which is always close up on his face which again adds to the surreal feel of the video. Overall I feel that this video shows a brilliant concept based video as it promotes so many different ideas and images but also shows strong relationships between the visuals and lyrics and the music and visuals.
