1999: drected by Grant Gee

entirely in black and white.

Blur are in the studio. This is performed live, though not in front of an audience of more than the crew. Graham plays electric guitar in a T-shirt. His hair is very short. Dave plays drum with one hand and a tambourine stick with the other. He's got on glasses and he suddenly looks very mature, like he's settled into himself and likes it. Alex plays standup bass, and my God has he put on weight in those two years between Blur videos, and his hair looks like it hasn't been cut or washed in weeks. Damon, playing acoustic guitar, looks about ten years older still than he looked in "Beetlebum" or "On Your Own", which means that he finally looks his age. He smiles at Alex and Alex tosses his head with an answering smile and you see? There's the magic.

Damon leans up to the mike and begins to sing - it's a very different vocal performance than the album version. In the video, his voice is a lot less polished, as befits a live performance, but we're talking a LOT less polished. It does help when Graham comes in to do the harmony, because their voices really complement each other. In the background, the London Community Gospel Choir hang out and clap and wait for their turn to belt out the beautiful gospel sounds. They're miked really well, and when their voices come in, it's like a light has been turned on and suddenly it's an extraordinary song. Let's take a moment to meditate on the comfy style choices made by the choir - we've got two hoodies and a fabulous shiny crush-velour V-neck. It just looks good. Unlike Alex. Dear, dear Alex.

And Graham doesn't sound too wonderful by himself, either. This video makes the Author really appreciate William Orbit's extraordinary production on this album. Anyway, Graham is not perfect, but his Adidas T-shirt is really fly.

Alex keeps making these faces that imply that he's either really drunk, making a ton of really bad mistakes, or else so gosh darn happy to be there that he just can't believe it. Or it is possible that he could be all three at once. His hair is so long in front that he has to keep tossing it out of his face and he never succeeds and the Author cannot help but feel a twinge of pity that he can't stop playing long enough to do it with his hands, or maybe even get a fucking haircut once in a while.

Cameramen zoom in on Graham as his guitar solo starts; he turns his back to one camera, but there are another three right there. He's got a chain wallet hanging down from his back pocket. Graham has become a skate punk in a very big way. He can still play a tiny little four-bar solo like it's the one against the Devil at the crossroads, though.

Damon sings his grim/hopeful lyrics with a big smile on his face and a visible lightness in his soul, despite the worry lines all arond his eyes and the slightly haggard state of his hair. He's got spit flying off his lips and he just don't care. The choir is utterly grooving - it's a fun song to sing and they get to be on camera. On the last refrain, the studio turns into a complete Baptist revival with Damon pleading at the top of his lungs and with all his heart. "Help me! Help me!" he begs. It is truly heartbreaking to watch him sing this. He's so into it that it makes Graham laugh and miss his line.

At once, the band slows and stops and the choir slows and stops, and, trying to get himself back under control, Damon lets his jazz hands completely take over and start spasming like he's just been Smacked Down By The Divine Backhand. When he finally gets it together, he starts hugging his guitar and waving it back and forth like a happy kid. Everybody laughs a little bit, blowing off some tension. Damon looks behind him, probably at the director, and nods crisply, signalling his approval of the performance. Cut and print.

CUTE FACTOR: dismal, except for the sooooooul.
VIDEO QUALITY: It's sort of cheap and quick and raw and the Author appreciates that.
FUCKED UP FACTOR: Alex has got to be off his face. He can barely keep it together. Everyone else looks dead sober and kinda grimly determined.
OVERALL GRADE:C