Run To The Stranger Promo 1986 Version 1 and Version 2
This film has not been seen by anyone, including members of the band for forty years. Only recently turning up in a box from a loft.
Getting the single together had been our goal and had given no thought to any wider outlet for it than the Radio and Music Press. With a single of the week in the N.M.E leading to the Peel session and a rapidly arranged distribution deal (Revolver in Bristol) the record entered the indie chart at number 21.
With the possibility of it rising in the chart we were asked if we had a video to go with it. We had not.
Fortunately we had an association with the College of Art so were able to rapidly arrange the use of a studio and edit suite. We didn’t have time to over think what we were doing so the result is a classic ‘lazy mime” backed up by our usual stage lighting.
The edit suite offered all the visual effects of the 80s era, but the only two effects added were a touch of 8mm film and a tube of coloured lighting gel held in front of the camera.
A few takes were edited about resulting in its Lo/fi fuzzy psych feel. The sound was never broadcast quality and has now been finished. We put it together within a week but ran out of steam when the single dropped out of the Indie Chart. We were pleased with the result at the time but out attention was drawn towards the release of a follow up single.
The Run to the Stranger tape was never marked up for easy identification and after being passed around the band the only VHS copy went into a box to be lost for forty years, only ever having been watched by a handful of people.
So we are pleased to present to you a 1980s curio, which we hope you will enjoy as much as we have enjoyed finding it and seeing it for ourselves.
The Psylons wish to thank Sean Nye for Camera work and editing, Mike Snarr for Lighting and Sean O’Connell for the transfer from the original VHS to Digital. Cheers Chaps
