Beyond the Silver: Eternal Bond of the Le Bons

I like posting about dynamic, lifelong couples on this blog (my post with the most amount of traffic happens to be one) and I find Yasmin and Simon Le Bon to be one of the most endearing. Here we have the quintessential rock star/supermodel pairing working in a way that's eternal. These two are so far from typical. Many other famously glamorous couples have tried, and few have outlasted these two. (Of course there are other exceptions like Keith Richards and Patti Hansen, who deserve their own post.) And 2011 marked Simon and Yasmin Le Bon's SILVER anniversary, believe it or not. :)  

For 25 years, this British couple has been going strong. Their 26th anniversary is coming up on December 27th. So here's to another happy holiday anniversary. 

Yasmin Le Bon was also emblematic in showing the world that a great model can continue to work (and be in high-demand) well after what could have been considered her prime. 

Simon Le Bon, too, deserves praise for his knack at commitment. When asked what keeps their marriage so strong, Simon Le Bon said:  "I wake up in the morning and for ten minutes or so I just get to look at her sleeping peacefully. That's kind of all you need to know about me... I guess I'm very lucky that I picked somebody really bloody good in the first place! She's great fun, fantastic, beautiful and we laugh all the time. It's not always easy at all. But I really want to stay married for life."  

Their love is very real and that's what resonates.

Aside from his long-term ties to his marriage and family, Simon Le Bon has also proven similarly committed to his career as front-man of Duran Duran, a relationship that was depicted so well in their recent video for the song "Girl Panic". The song and video are classic Duran Duran. (I find it especially adorable when YLB, as "The Guitarist", says in her most haughty tone: "I'm not a member of Duran Duran.") And with that, let's celebrate the holidays with a toast to the eternal bond of the Le Bons.

80's Obscure - 'Let's Go' by Wang Chung

This song-and-video combo makes me smile. Together, they're just so distinctively 80's. This also pops into my head frequently, since it's easy to think "let's go" in various capacities throughout the day. Or even "Wang Chung" for that matter. Just yesterday our cat, Jane, yelled what sounded like "Wang!" which led me to think about Wang Chung and invariably : "Let's Go". (Check out the hair and suits!)

Video Surprise––You'll Never Guess Who This Girl Is, 'Captain of Her Heart' Video; 1986 (Denise Richards, Or Still A Mystery?)

These photos are screen shots of a young woman who appears in the video for the song 'Captain of Her Heart'  (by the Swiss group, Double) from 1986. A while ago, I used some footage from that video for one I made to go with Spandau Ballet's 'Gold'. And this tremendously chic punk girl appears at the very beginning.

So here's the surprise. I have a knack for recognizing faces and I still would never have guessed this one, it is so tricky and utterly shocking. Lo and behold, who was this bleached blond beauty? Supposedly, and there is not a shred of photographic evidence otherwise, this is Denise Richards. Of course, this is according to Wikipedia (on both Denise Richards' page and Double's page.) But it has never been confirmed.

(Supposedly) Denise Richards

If this is not Denise Richards, how did this rumor even begin? If this is her, she would have been 15 years old here.

(Could be) Denise Richards

(Might be) Denise Richards in Double's 'Captain Of Her Heart' video

Here is the elegant but cheesy video featuring a bevy of beauties. The lovely young woman who is supposedly Denise Richards appears at 0:30. Note the stunningly gorgeous gray-haired lady at 1:10.

80's Obscure - When Music Videos Had Impact, Featuring Bronksi Beat's 'Smalltown Boy' & Toto's 'Africa'

A still from 'Smalltown Boy' by Bronski Beat

'No, you never cried to them, just to your soul...'

The first time I saw 'Smalltown Boy' is an experience I'll never forget because it made me cry. I felt enormous empathy for the protagonist and really didn't know why. I was young and I didn't actually know what it meant for someone to be gay. I only saw that he was terribly alienated and it seemed so real and incredibly sad that it tore me up. 

The song itself is very moving, even without any visual representation - but this was the first time I realized a music video can have great emotional impact. In fact, there is more power and gravitas in the video for 'Smalltown Boy' than in an alarming number of feature-length films. Another video that attempts a similar storytelling angle is Pat Benatar's 'Love Is A Battlefield', but hers is over-the-top and unintentionally kitschy. "Smalltown Boy' manages to tell one of the most poignant stories I've ever seen in just five minutes. I still get terribly choked up when I watch it now. Given the recent, long-overdue attention to the issue of bullying, it also feels quite current.

Watch it for yourself here...

But 80's videos that have an impact are not necessarily sad ones. For the most part, they have simple but unique visual qualities that are no longer present in music videos.

A still from 'Africa' by Toto

Toto's video for 'Africa' is not as emotionally moving but its impact lies in a unique aesthetic quality that makes for a satisfying experience. This video made me want to travel to 'Africa' and it just feels warm and inviting somehow. Again, that is a great visual representation of how the song, itself, sounds and feels - which lends to its cohesion. It appears they didn't have much to work with (and were on a tight budget) but they still managed to create the right feeling. 

Check out 'Africa' below...

80's Obscure - 'I Can't Hold Back' Video (Survivor) Rips Off 'American Gigolo' & 'Risky Business'

She likes bad boys... Was she inspired by Lauren Hutton 

in 'American Gigolo' to stalk him in the record store? 

Citrus-colored sweater and all. 

Lauren Hutton followed hers (Richard Gere) 

into a record store, wearing a canary yellow 

cable knit crew neck sweater.

Back to this one. Sure, he says, I may be interested. 

Depends which record you're holding.

Don't worry, it's an Elvis-themed magazine.

That hot blonde is digging our front man! 

We have to stop this.

She's really about the movies, this one. 

Now working the 'Risky Business' tactic in the subway.

(Her subway inspiration, 'Risky Business'.)

But... it was just a fantasy, after all! And he misses 

that train. Lesson: be quick if a beautiful blonde 

tries to pick you up in a record store.