Night Flight

"Viewer discretion is advised" Pat Prescott tells us at the start of tonight's 1988 Take Off episode to Controversial Videos. "Sex, Drugs, Religion, Politics..." what more can you want from Night Flight's curated collection of controversial music videos. Everyone knows that while other fledgling music networks from the era avoided controversy, Night Flight actively courted it. Just ask creator Stuart Shapiro about what happened the first time we aired The Clash's "Rude Boy" completely uncut :). This episode brings you music from Billy Idol, Motley Crue, Slovenian avant-gardists Laibach, Sheena Easton's fantastic "Sugar Walls", the always classy George Michael and maybe one of the best sequencing decisions ever: a transition from the "Ballad of Jim and Tammy Bakker" to a Raucous Dead Kennedy's performance with Jello Biafra compelling the audience to "Shoot Up With God." Then, stayed tuned for two films from the Glasshouse Production Team, Tom Stern & Alex Winter: "Aisles of Doom"

The segment is guided by a candid Radio 1990 interview with Robert Smith about the inspiration for the "Close To Me" video, fame and more. In true Night Flight fashion, the British band's ever evolving visual is explored through director Tim Pope's videos throughout the piece. Includes the following content: Previews from She's Having a Baby, Julia and Julia, and The Unbearable Lightness of Being, plus a look at new home video releases courtesy of Coming Attractions magazine for No Way Out, In the Mood, and Spaceballs The Cure video profile including the following videos and interview segments with Robert Smith: - Let's Go To Bed - The Walk - Dear Prudence (Siouxie & the Banshees) - Caterpillar - Close To Me - On a Night Like This - In Between Days - Just Like Heaven

Night Flight and Coming Attractions magazine celebrate Valentine's Day with some of the greatest love scenes, and greatest lovers, in movie history.

Welcome to Night Flight goes to the movies, a. Tonight we look at the growing emergence of black leading men in a variety of film genres including Carl Weather's "Action Jackson" and Spike Lee's "School Daze" including interviews.

Your original Night Flight programming returns with a 1988 episode of Flash Tracks. Tonight we have neo-60s psychedelia Australian style with Hoodoo Gurus, gritty english rock Flesh for Lulu, and from Bradford, England it's "Sanctuary” for your soul with The Cult! And for a timely bonus, stay tuned at the end of this episode for Australia's roaming reporter Norman Gunston who pays a visit to the 1979 Grammys!

This 1988 installment of Night Flight Goes to the Movies looks at John Waters' nostalgic look back at 1960s teen dance TV shows "Hairspray" along with the forgettable yet forgivable remake of "And God Created Woman" starring Rebecca DeMornay and a completely forgotten Rob Lowe/Meg Tilly thriller entitled "Masquerade". The Cars video profile features many memorable hits songs interspersed with rare juicy interview bites from Rik Ocasek. Includes the following content: Previews from Hairspray, And God Created Woman, and Masquerade, plus a look at new home video releases courtesy of Coming Attractions magazine for Beverly Hills Cop II, Stakeout, and Maid to Order, plus a video tribute to Divine (Harris Glenn Milstead) who had just recently passed away. ----- Encore presentation of a video profile on The Cars who had recently disbanded. Music videos (some are just snippets) include: You Might Think Why Can't I Have You Drive Hello Again Magic Tonight She Comes True To You - Ric Ocasek (Wearing Down) Like a Wheel - Elliot Easton Stay the Night - Benjamin Orr Strap Me In

Night Flight's 1988 New Metal Special spans the globe - covering bands from Japan, Germany and at home in the USA. Acts included in this essential Night Flight Take Off are Megadeth, Zodiac Mindwarp, Ezo, Warlock and more... Not to be missed!

In "Take Off To Crime," get ready for greed, gunshots and gangsters with David Bowie, Tony Powers, Madhouse and more... Unlock this week's video vault with Toni Basil, Paul Simon and other groundbreaking music video moments from the 80s.

"Hi, I'm Divine. And tonight we're going to be taking a looking at my career, from the early years in Pink Flamingos, to my performances and right up to my current hollywood film." He was one of america's most glamorous, campiest, and outrageous movie queens and Night Flight's interview is one of the most treasured parts of our library. Watch Divine discuss the legacy of Pink Flamingos, meeting John Waters and more.

Night Flight's take off special feels uniquely 80s in its exposure of videos from Madonna, The Talking Heads and more relating to the culture of wealth and excess that defined the time.

Night Flight's Atomic TV is a classic featurette from the original series and fan favorite. This early, trend-setting 'video mashup' takes the pop music scene of 1986 and early public domain safety films to create a pre-internet psychedelic supercut for the ages. It's like Dr. Strangelove met Koyaanisqatsi at the bar of Ramones concert. It's a hypnotic, and surreal homage to nuclear hysteria with a comedic twist and a testament to Night Flight's dedication to experimenting with the formats of the music video and television. Sort of sad that regardless the decade, the threat of Nuclear domination never seems to escape the news cycles, Luckily, Night Flight is still around and can serve as your virtual time capsule of Nuclear History.

Night Flight rocks regional tonight as we travel to Asbury Park and beyond to explore the sounds of The Garden State. Featuring music from, of course, the Boss, blues revivalist Southside Johnny, Hackensack’s Joe Lynn Turner, Clarence Clemons and more!

Features music videos from legendary British goth rockers Bauhaus and their spin-off group Love and Rockets along with dark entries from singer-gone-solo Peter Murphy. Videos from the Attic revives several classics from Blancmange, Eurythmics, Billy Idol, Fine Young Cannibals and More. Includes the following content: Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead Peter Murphy - Final Solution Peter Murphy - All Night Long Love and Rockets - Ball of Confusion The Bubblemen - We Wish We Were Bubblemen Love and Rockets - No New Tale to Tell Love and Rockets - Mirror People Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself Romeo Void - Never Say Never Eurythmics - Missionary Man Blancmange - Living on the Ceiling Peter Gabriel - Shock the Monkey Falco - Rock Me Amadeus Fine Young Cannibals - Johnny Comes Home

A "Take Off" series on Politics and Progressive Rap. Also, an extra special bonus feature on 'Movie Villains.'

Welcome to Night Flight's new filmmaker series, featuring short films from America's most talented writers, directors and producers. Tonight, two films from the Glasshouse production team Tom Stern and Alex Winter, Squeal of Death and Aisles of Doom.

Another classic cut of summer themed Night Flight programming featuring The Cars, The Untouchables, Jimmy Cliff, and Pat Prescott trivia time: "What happens when the original surf rockers trade places with 900 pounds of rap?" The Fat Boys' Wipeout!

Welcome to Night Flight's video profile of one of Rock's greatest vocalists and song stylists, Robert Plant and Night Flight goes to the movies with Arnie Action Thriller Red Heat, Bull Durham and more

Night Flight salutes the Women of Rock in this excellent original episode from June, 1988. "Today," Pat Prescott tells us, "women's voices are more powerful than ever in new music, neo-folk and down & dirty Rock n Roll." Featuring Sinead O'Connor's incredible video with MC Lyte, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and Annie Lennox.

Night Flight's celebrating Independence Day (in 1988 and today!) with a Red, White and Blue Take Off Special to Freedom. We'll take a musical look at the many faces of Freedom, at home and abroad with Billy Bragg, Robbie Robertson, Hulk Hogan, and Aztec Two Step.

Tonight we head to Ventura, California 1987 for Night Flight’s special segment on a Motorcycle Rodeo. Like a Heavy Metal Parking Lot for the great American Biker community, this feature takes an intimate look at the customs of the leather clad, bearded, booted men of the Highway. Featuring such events as the Slow Race, Motorcycle Tug Of War, Keg Derby, and the couples competition Weenie Bite, (which features a mustard slathered Hot-Dog that you’ll just have to watch for yourself to truly understand) tonight’s episode gets you all need to know about “the modern day cowboys of the American Highway!” Stick around after the Easyriders motorcycle mayhem for a vintage episode of "Night Flight Goes to the Movies," where we featured clips from Hollywood movies released in 1988: "License to Drive," "Dudes" (featuring a young Jon Cryer!), "Arthur 2: On the Rocks," "Wall Street," and "Siesta." "And now the Summer of Love returns" Pat Prescott tells viewers next, "with this week's home video pick.

Night Flight's 1988 "Poets of Rock" special is a celebration of some of the greatest songwriters of the era. "Rock and Roll lyrics are the poetry of the masses" Pat Prescott tells us, before giving us a brief history lesson in rock lyricism that includes Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and Lennon. Then we move into the 80s with a look and listen to the lyrics Patti Smith, Tracy Chapman, 10,000 Maniacs and more.

A half hour tour of Hollywood, America's most famous, glamarous, and heartbreaking town.

1988's "Take Off" to Hardcore (and more!) You gotta hand it to the original Night Flight writers. Every weekend for over seven years, the team put together 8 hours of cutting-edge television—mixing a complex blend of avant-garde, undiscovered and obscure visual/audio art. The amount of work this took on a weekly basis back in the 1980s is staggering. Tonight’s episode is a one-two punch of amazing Night Flight curation. Take Off to Hardcore begins fittingly with Bad Brains and Bl'ast!’s “Surf and Destroy,” before taking a detour off the Hardcore Highway into Euro-Industrial tracks from Alien Sex Fiend and Nitzer Ebb, only to end with an awesome Peter Murphy clip and solo track. It’s disorienting for sure, but one hell of a watch!

“What do you do when a guy puts Mayonnaise on your shoulder?... Do the Watusi!" — Howie Mandel circa 1986. And so goes 3 minutes of towering cringe (even by '80s standards) in tonight’s "Take Off" episode to Comedy in Music Videos from 1988 that also features the legendary Max Headroom, Father Guido Sarducci, Bette Midler, Will Smith and more!

A selection of innovative, landmark 1980s music videos from Devo, Tony Powers, Will Powers, Elvis Costello, Grace Jones, Chaka Khan, Peter Wolf & David Lee Roth. Includes the following content: WHIP IT - Devo DON'T NOBODY MOVE (THIS IS A HEIST) - Tony Powers ADVENTURES IN SUCCESS - Will Powers ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN - Elvis Costello ONCE IN A LIFETIME - Talking Heads WARM LEATHERETTE / WALKING IN THE RAIN - Grace Jones I FEEL FOR YOU - Chaka Khan OO-EE-DIDDLEY-BOP! - Peter Wolf HEY DJ - World Famous Supreme Team I AM A DJ - David Bowie GOD BLESS VIDEO - Alcatrazz JUST A GIGOLO / I AIN'T GOT NOBODY - David Lee Roth

Night Flight "Take's Off" to the once and future glory of Acid Rock. The original catalytic agent for Acid Rock faded away, but Night Flight tracked the visual cues and sonic elements of Acid Rock making a major flashback for the '80s through artists like S'Express, The Cult, The Psychedelic Furs, Nina Hagen and The Mission.

It's time for more video flash tracks. Presenting video portraits of The Style Council, Fields of The Nephilim and Aztec Camera. First, we point the viewfinder at Glasgow act Aztec Camera's folk fusion of jazz chords and bossanova rhythms. Then it's on to our next act: Rising like ghosts from a swamp, the London band Fields of the Nephilim combine the dusty, lawless legacy of the west with a lot of post apocalyptic dread. Councilman Paul Weller lead one of England’s original punk band’s: The Jam. By 1983, he needed a new direction so formed The Style Council, whose videos cap this excellent episode of Flash Tracks.

Night Flight's video profile of John Carpenter arrives! The master of horror sits down with Night Flight for this special 1988 director profile and talks his influences, the role of music in his filmmaking and much more. Featuring clips from his films to help tell the story of the auteur's unique vision, this special episode is peak Night Flight and not to be missed!

Night Flight's Video Flash Tracks, with rapid fire bios and rock videos from Sisters Of Mercy, Timbuk3, and "Junkers," an international award winner about a trusting yuppie on the backroads of America.

Night Flight profiles quintessential rock video director Bill Fishman, on the debut of his film Tapeheads (1988) with John Cusack and Tim Robbins. This tour de force of his work explores videos by Suicidal Tendencies, The Ramones, and more.

In "Take Off to Comedy IX," enter Jackie Mason's mind with the brilliant compilation “The World According To Me,” Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi get Brian Wilson out of bed to go surfing in a long forgotten clip that was one of our most popular stories on the blog last year. Other gems include Divine’s “These Lips Were Made For Kissing,” Dweezil Zappa, Weird Al Yankovich and an original segment with comedian Ritch Shydner’s hilarious bit in the Night Flight studios.

The sun has risen on the Aquarian Age. Tonight we return to 1988 for an intergalactic sojourn through the New Age movement. “A fascination with the eternal truths permeates New Age music…” Pat Prescott tells us, before jumping into an eclectic mix of Philip Glass, Ravi Shanker, Kitaro, and Yanni. Prepare your Pan Flutes, and ready yourself for New Age hour on Night Flight.

A special feature on politics.

Part of Night Flight's "20 Years of Rock N' Roll Style" series from 1988, this episode highlighting Punk Rock focuses on the careers of the Johnny Rotten, The Clash, Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys and more.

Night Flight's 1988 video tribute to John Lennon includes "Instant Karma," "Stepping Out," "Living on borrowed time" and more, with introductions and back story from Pat Prescott.

Classic dance videos from Robert Palmer, The Clash, Devo and more.

Night Flight profiles sonic wizard Thomas Dolby in this special episode of Video Flash Tracks. Cut with some of Dolby's best tracks, Pat Prescott brings us up to speed with Thomas Dolby's history in pop and status as one of its best collaborators with the inclusion of his 1988 George Clinton collaboration Hot Sauce. This episode also features extra coverage on White Lion and Level 42. Night Flight gets some Metal In Your Face with clips and stories from Suicidal Tendencies, Britny Fox, Nuclear Assault, Overkill and more. Enjoy!

Tonight Night Flight profiles one of Rock’s great renegades: Neil Young. The essential episode features a candid NF studio interview with Young discussing his origins and inspirations and features some of Young’s more esoteric deep cuts on Geffen Records in the '80s including 1982’s techno track “Sample and Hold” and his Rockabilly ballad “Wonderin'.” Night Flight creator Stuart S. Shapiro's independent film distribution company International Harmony distributed Young's film "Rust Never Sleeps," a regular title in our early days on the air. It’s great to have the icon back on Night Flight.

In this original episode from 1988, Night Flight features the beat-box, syncopated rhythm of Rap. “Born in the inner-city, now commercially accepted the world over rap made its social statement with a look, as well as a sound," Pat Prescott explains. Dig in with a classic tune from Jamaican born Shinehead, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’s “The Message,” Run DMC’s heavy guitar hybrid track “Rock Box,” Night Flight favorites The Fat Boys and more.

Tonight, we go back to 1988 to Take Off to Futurism in Music Videos. "The future is upon us, with Robots, Computers and new technologies" Pat Prescott informs us at the top of tonight's episode. Kicking off with Bonnie Tyler scored supercut of Fritz Lang's Metropolis this episode shows a multitude of visions of the future through music. Re-flex is "Hurt," the Earons explore "The Land of Hunger," Tangerine Dream's Peter Baumann signs of "Strangers in the Night" and DEVO tell the tale of the "Worried Man." This episode on the future has the special honor of being bookended by a good friend from the past, Mr. Bill.

What’s on the menu for tonight? Fish Heads! Our 1988 “Take Off” episode of Night Flight is a special salute to… Food? “Whether you slice it or dice it, chew it or spew it” Pat Prescott proclaims, “you can’t live without it!” Kicking off with Weird Al Yankovich’s “Eat It,” and including tunes from The Fat Boys, Tom Petty, Barnes and Barnes and a myriad of food-related, public domain interstitials, this episode is a pure cup of instant weird. Including the the notorious 'pot brownie' recipe from 'The Alice B. Toklas Cookbook!

Welcome to tonight’s new original arrival: a 1988 special profile of The Traveling Wilbury’s. The a British–American supergroup consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, gets the complete Night Flight treatment with a look at the groups signature songs and individual output from the 80s.

Afro Beat: A look at Africa's music and politics. It's no secret that Rock and Roll is based on African Rythyms. Africa created tempo and 4/4 time, the basis for all our generation's popular dance music. Today, another sound is coming from Africa as the world turns to the political abuses on the continent. African-born musicians are crying out for their civil rights. Featuring preeminent pan-africanist Fela, Senegalese brothers Toure Kunda, Nigerian Juju music leader King Sunny Ade, South African Apartheid activists Juluka and much more. This is Night Flight at it’s absolute finest: musical, cultural and historical.

Watch the director discuss "tired" comparisons to Hitchcock, the importance of beauty in horror, and the potential pitfalls of directing music videos all while seeing pivotal scenes from Carrie, Phantom Of The Paradise, Body Double and more...

Side A: Welcome to New Sounds highlighting the burgeoning acts and micro-genres of the late 80s with Belgian synth act Front 242 (with a video from iconic photographer Anton Corbijn), Australian punk act Lime Spiders, Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians massive hit “What I Am,” and some fantastic Joy Division inspired coldwave from Siglo XX. Side B: Time for some rapid fire Flash Tracks featuring the masters of party anarchy: Fishbone, the brilliant vocal contortionist Bobby McFerrin, and finally the big sounds from Scotland’s Big Country.