I cant believe this brought him down. I ignored it then i dont care now. Its a stupid video. His music was amazing. One of the best concerts ive ever been to. I saw the tour where RATT opened up for him.

@shermswarthau5366

2 жыл бұрын

The Stroke was huge! This song is killer. MTV was loaded with glam bands who intentionally dressed like "transvestite hookers wearing enough make up to put most morgues to shame.

@robertpolnicky7702

2 жыл бұрын

I don't care if Rock bands appear gay. Mick jagger with the gay look. David bowie rest his soul. Sometimes it helps their act. A lot of them had women friends anyway.

@volleyballjerry

2 жыл бұрын

As a musician, guitarist, and songwriter, Squier was one of the very best. Exceptionally talented. He did not even *need* to do anything other than band shots (which many of his videos here on KZread actually are). If it ain't broken, DON'T FIX IT!

@miller6910

2 жыл бұрын

I was always a big Squier fan-when I saw that video I simply thought that someone gave him bad advice. making music videos was a new thing at that time & it was his first.I didn't freak out like so many ppl did and talk about it for decades.It didn't make me feel any different about him & his music.I still listen to his music-the man was a brilliant songwriter and musician ~he should have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame years ago.He was cheated big time.

@zandig666

Жыл бұрын

Cool bud looking back that was some good kick ass guitar rock

There was a comment on the youtube version (with audio) where the guy says his uncle was paralyzed from vietnam, when he saw the video on MTV he got out of his wheelchair and flailing his arms like billy in the video...walked over to the TV and changed the channel. Yep...sums it up perfectly

@leosemmler308

8 ай бұрын

Now that there is HILARIOUS!!!

Met him on the corner of 57th st and 7th ave in the 90's. Told him I saw him open for Queen @ MSG. Still have his autograph somewhere..

@truthbtruth8559

3 жыл бұрын

Lucky you! 👍❣

@Paul-ob1lc

3 жыл бұрын

@Woo Bino, it’s in the closet !

@lawyernurse8811

2 жыл бұрын

I have met him a few times. He's a nice guy. His wife is cool too.

@stakehexthankmelater

4 ай бұрын

That's awesome, love to meet Billy

This had me laughing so hard that I almost started crying. To this day, I have no idea what he was thinking when they shot that video.

@qball1of1

3 жыл бұрын

Billy claims he tried to have it changed because he knew it was stupid...but was basically overruled

@paulsmith4686

3 жыл бұрын

Nobody does.

@contour157

2 жыл бұрын

he wanted to be michael jackson.. even tried to get jacksons last video director

@hurtlockerr8661

Жыл бұрын

He wasn’t thinking other wise he would have not done that video. I grew up listening to Billy’s tunes and liked his music but I have to Amit it was this video that turned me away from his music. I know that sounds bad but it was the 80s and when I seen him in that leotard I was like wtf is going on and then went back to smoking a bowl and drinking my OE 800 .

@drifterman319

Жыл бұрын

That's what happens when you listen to a gay guy and do what he tells you.

Billy's career continued long after this video. When his last studio album, "Tell the Truth" was about to be released, the president of Capital records called him and told him it was the best album they had coming out that year... and that he was going to do everything he could to make sure that the record would be buried. Basically told Billy that he was going to ensure that the record was a failure. He chose to walk away after that. So no, the video didn't help, but he got no help from his record company either. He has recorded since then, and has worked on multiple other projects. He has also toured and played at some small venues. His shows are always well-attended and he hangs around after the show and talks to the fans. He is a class act and does not deserve to be constantly haunted by this video. Especially when you had bands like Poison walking around with lipstick and eye liner every night.

@geslinam9703

3 жыл бұрын

I remember not really liking this video, even though I liked the song when it came out....but I didn’t think it was any more silly or embarrassing that what other singers were doing at the time.

@rEdf196

3 жыл бұрын

I wouldn’t be surprised if Squier’s label struck a back room deal with Kenny Ortega to coerce an overtrusting Billy into making questionable clothing choices and dance moves and thereby kill off his male fan base and his Capital record label basically making him a sacrificial goat.

@1stfamilyfilms

2 жыл бұрын

@lawyernurse you're absolutely correct, but I guess that wouldn't make as good of a clickbait title as this one.

@gbot3377

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah but they never danced like a strippers first night on the stage.

@paolothorpe1461

2 жыл бұрын

Everything u said was right cept the end. Dont try to put Poison down bc their style

You're a stand up dude, you said you would give me a "co-write" credit and you did!

@Mydogslove2laugh

3 жыл бұрын

❤❤❤

What sucks is that the song itself is not bad at all.

I was 15 back in 1984 and I had the biggest crush on Billy. I remember not liking this video and thinking he looked silly in those clothes and his dancing stunk, but I still always loved his songs. He also kept his good looks for many years after that. I can't imagine why he ever let this video be released though. If it looked bad to a 15 year old girl I would think it would be quite obvious to anyone.

@RushTrader

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, I was 15 too back in '84 but didn't catch this video until I was adult. All Billy had to do was say "Hey, I'd like to see the video before it launches." Now, that would have saved alot of drama for sure. Thanks for watching and for the comment!

@jrawk4140

Жыл бұрын

​@@RushTrader nope, he was on tour and had no choice, the record company wanted it released

My career's fallen and it can't get up..... great line

I saw Billy Squier live... he was doing the same "moves".

@suza3883

2 жыл бұрын

EXACTLY! It’s how Billy ‘moves’ (like Jagger, ahem 😬). WTH, who cares? The man is a force of nature!!!

@scrapplepig

2 жыл бұрын

@@suza3883 He is so ghoosy and squiggly.

There's a reason one bad video hurt Squire more than other artists. This was back when there weren't 700 channels on TV and fans read about their favorite artists much more than seeing them. At that time Squier had an image of being an edgy rock n roll artist who wrote edgy songs like The Stroke and Everybody Wants You. So it was shocking to see him dressed like Richard Simmons, crawling in silk sheets and redefining the term "prancing around the room." And as far as Squier totally blaming Ortega, WTF was he thinking okaying a video BEFORE seeing it? Also, did he think sliding down a pink stripper pole was going to look cool somehow?!?

@valeriebalch4868

10 ай бұрын

Ok, crashburn, feel better now? You must be a guy... and as a reminder, guys started the rumors, guys spread them and guys stopped listening. I'm confident in saying that no red blooded heterosexual female had one bit of a problem with Billy sliding on the sheets or crawling on his elbows... are you kidding me? Questioning his "sexual orientation" never for one second crossed my mind. There just wasn't anything "tuff" in it for the guy fans. He didn't bomb a city or shoot someone. I'm sorry, bro, I don't mean to jump in your cyber-face, but Squier had/has talent and magnetism in spades. "What do you want from him"?? (Did you catch that?) boomba boomba boom tadada 🎶

My first concert 1981 backing up Foreigner . Dont say no is still one of the best rock records of all time

I have always loved Billy Squier. I think he’s very underrated. (I’ve always thought he, Jackson Browne, and the Little River Band should tour together and name it the “Better Than Most People Will Ever Know” tour.) I agree the video wasn’t great, but at the time (granted I was pretty young back then) I never saw it as “career-killing”. It was just another video on MTV. I’m sure there are plenty of other videos out there that are just as bad if not worse. Keep doing your thing, Billy. Us die-hard fans still love your music and couldn’t care less about the video.

@acewillingham

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah the music video really shouldn't have been the thing that ruined his career it's a shame he gets overlooked so much just because of One music video I mean Journey had a silly music video as well and no one ever talks about that plus it didn't ruin their careers so why One music video Billy Squire's career? I put it like this people shouldn't volume focus on one bad thing that someone did in their career and just Overlook their talent completely Billy Squier really should be more recognized these days but the sad part is he has been completely blackballed by the music industry.

Best title EVER!!! Stroke to joke...holy shit that's funny. Love your videos...always great stuff!

🤣🤣😭😭 You're wrong as hell for that thumbnail pic!! Poor Billy. 😌 Thanks for the laugh though. No matter how many times I've seen that video it is still hilarious! 😁

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

😂 Stacie, do you realize just how much time I spent making sure I captured the best possible frame from that award-winning performance?? Anyways, thanks so much for watching and glad it brought it a smile!

@staciehenderson6982

3 жыл бұрын

@@RushTrader You definitely put together a great video! I love Billy Squire's music, even if his dancing is horrific. Lol I just can't believe that someone who dances THAT poorly....somehow has no clue. No one's that delusional, right? I mean, he's got a mirror doesn't he? I don't care how much people may have lied to him and kissed his ass. He HAD to have known. While it sounds like a lot of people contributed to making this video the shit show that it is, in the end Billy should've never signed off on this. He was worried about the f'in sheets yet doesn't see a problem with all the skipping?? Come on, Billy! It just doesn't make sense! I still feel bad for the guy though and wonder how far his career could've gone if this never happened cuz he was definitely talented. Nevertheless, I still love his music and will continue listening to him, even if I don't watch him. 😉😁

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Stacie, I do believe Billy suffered from "dancer's delusion" back in the day. He was already making similar moves in previous videos and in concert but this video really took things to another level. Billy probably thought he had great moves but then Kenny Ortega had to come along and screw it all up! 🤣 Billy should have reviewed the tape! His first album is even called "Tale of the Tape" and what a tale this one's been. However, shit video aside... I do believe his popularity was on it's way out anyway because, on subsequent albums, he didn't have much of anything to offer commercially.

Thank you, Billy! This video is a treasure. Sorry it hurt your career, but it is certainly a wonderfully entertaining and shocking video.

I love your whole in-depth video on this awful video. Great information and your commentary while the video played had me laughing my ass off. New subscriber!

People forget about the power of MTV back then! The backlash was instant, and all without cellphones or social media. It’s a shame, cause the guy made some great music, which still stands up after all these years. I’ve bought his hits repeatedly over the years, and yet every time I hear this story, I want to buy all his albums, just to make up for the screw job he got. I guess no one gets to ride that ride as long as they’d like. What matters is what you leave behind. Shame he can’t erase that video. But to be fair, most of the videos from the 80’s sucked! 😂

14:30 Phil Collen: This coming from a guy that is in his 60s and still never wears a shirt. I guess you can't rip your shirt off when you never wear one.

@paulsmith4686

3 жыл бұрын

And claims he is an original member. Lol

@jaxsonsmommy1

3 жыл бұрын

So true! Phil Collen plays all his shows shirtless with baby oil rubbed all over him.

@hernanrios4604

3 жыл бұрын

@@jaxsonsmommy1 eww

@scott7521

2 жыл бұрын

@@jaxsonsmommy1 Exactly... he's the last guy that should be throwing stones... he's like one of the cheesiest guys in rock. Not to mention Def Leppard started to suck immediately after he joined.

Awesome show, RT. Billy rocked in the day. In 81 & 82, he might have been one of the top 5 biggest acts in the world. His music was everywhere. Too bad a cringe inducing music video overshadowed everything.

@drifterman319

Жыл бұрын

Too bad he let a non man ruin his lucrative career.

A very cogent analysis and presentation regarding the impact this video had on Billy Squire's career. Nice work. Regarding the video itself... imagining Richard Simmons in Billy Squire's place makes it much more palatable.

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Bianca, thanks so much for the kind words! Thanks also for the Richard Simmons visual. Just a heads up, I'm likely to feature your comment in a future video just so I can do the side x side comparison.

@BFDanning

3 жыл бұрын

​@@RushTrader No worries. I remember when "Rock Me Tonight" premiered, and I'll be honest... I was disappointed and lost interest in Billy Squire's music from that point onward. I have subscribed, and I'm looking forward to checking out your other videos soon. Have a great day. Thanks again for the great work. q:)

Awesome video man. Really enjoyed it. Have a good day..

That damn video didn't make me like him any leas ! He is a classic preformer and song writer!

i loved this song when it came out..and back in 84 i really didn't think the video was anymore weird than say a Boy George or Twisted Sister video

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Anthony!

@dougie0109

3 жыл бұрын

Totally agree. The song had a great sound. And the video concept, a rock star dancing around a room like an adolescent imitating a rock star, is nothing short of a “ mise en abyme “. You need not look too far in its periphery to find Rod Stewart’s “Baby Jane”, where the most interesting object is a highball glass containing a neon-blue liquid, or anything from the all-zeitgeist pervading Don Johnson (Heartbeat) or his t.v. partner-in-law cum musical partner-in -crime Philip Michael Thomas (Just the way I Planned it).

Great straight up , honest review with great sense of humor . Made me laugh. Liked your reviews on the group Yes also. Maybe you can do a tongue in cheek one on Jon Andersons lyrics. Thanks Bro keep em coming.

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

I appreciate the comment Bobby! Thanks for watching.

The rumors about him that spread around high school when that video came out is what sank his career. Remember, no social media back then. It was all word of mouth. And it spread like the plague. Nobody was wearing any black concert shirts from him anymore.

@RushTrader

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for pointing that out because I know there's some who discount the video having any impact when it clearly did. Even Squier mentioned how venues were not as packed after the video came out so it definitely made an impact. Couple that with having mediocre material going into the mid to late 80s, along with the musical shift and that all spelled the end as he knew it.

@tpw9099

Жыл бұрын

I remember that! Him and the nick jagger , rod stewart swallows comments were everywhere!!!!!!

@yayaherrera2311

3 ай бұрын

My little brother gave me a t-shirt and i still have it. Will wear it proudly once again!!!!❤❤❤❤❤

@fockewulf190d

3 ай бұрын

@@tpw9099 Exactly. That’s ALL you heard.

Just revisited this again Tony. Outstanding ! Miss your videos and commentaries. Are you coming back ??? - David - Philadelphia

@RushTrader

2 жыл бұрын

David, thanks so much! Yes, I've had alot going on (good stuff) and will be returning real soon. I never intended to be away this long and thanks so much for still wondering about me! See you soon.

My wife and I laughed through this whole video!!...The Barry Manilow comment killed me!..Sad to say that he is a truly talented artist and a shame that he trusted Ortega and how he misrepresented his intentions..I remember when that video came out and thinking “how awful this is”...however, back then, I was keenly aware of Boy George and the clothing and blurred line between male and female. The video fit in with the time, but his rock and roll image may have taken a hit compared to the “new romantic” look of say Duran Duran, Culture Club and Spandau Ballet..his musical talent should have overcome the video, but the video age was a huge influence often being MORE important then the music..Paul

@scrapplepig

2 жыл бұрын

Billy ok'ed this video and thought he was so sexy.

You're so good! Watched it twice. But.... I usually do watch all your videos at least twice. Your commentary during the video was hysterical. I sure appreciate all of your research throughout. I always thought it was a conglomeration of Billy's music (it got tiresome fast) and the video. But to have an entire chapter in a book about mtv dedicated to your horrible video, wow, that's just sad.

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

Hey there Amy... thanks for watching x2 (or more) and, as always, I appreciate you so much. Glad you enjoyed!

Billy has some great music.

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

He does! I loved him in the early 80s and never saw this video at the time.

You explained so much,enlightened me so much. I saw Queen with Billy Squire as the opening act in MSG in NYC in the early 80's: 1 of the best concerts ever!!!

@RushTrader

Жыл бұрын

I would have loved to see that show back in the day as Queen was the first band I ever really got into and I really enjoyed Billy's stuff too.

@shiroibasketshoes

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations. His last name is spelled Squier. Not like Chris Squire of Yes.

First things first: I totally have no idea who the heck you are, but I took a look at the many other videos on your channel, and I was like, damn, this dude's got some cool stuff here. Just subscribed, bro.

The comments under the actual music video for "Rock Me Tonight" are pure gold

@Mydogslove2laugh

3 жыл бұрын

I will go look. I can use a laugh 🤣🤣🤣

@kittymetal186

3 жыл бұрын

Totally agree, so many hilarious comments. I was laughing so much!!

It's now 2023 and Billy has new music coming out. I also went to a BS concert around 2002, somewhere in the early 2000's and i loved it too. I love his music. I don't even remember that video and i watched MTV all the time when it first started. Man, this thing is old, it wasn't even 2011 yet?

This was one of my all time favorite music videos. I was surprised when I heard his other music though.

The video never bothered me. I just thought it was tongue-in-cheek (and it did not matter where the cheek happened to be located! ha ha) I still respected Squire as a musician.

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

@brightbite haha good one!

@lovingit4450

3 жыл бұрын

I 👍

Wearing pink and moving like James Charles wasn't going to endear him to his rock fans.

It’s crazy that this video could damage his career, his music is what should matter Not his video, lots of bad taste videos are out there and nobody says anything about those, I personally love his music, True heart of rock and roll, pouring talent and lots of feelings… And yes, he is a very sexy and good looking man, his voice is unique, and his moves are Different from everybody else, his music amazing! Isn’t that enough to be recognized as a true artist? You couldn’t find anyone like Billy❤️🌟 anywhere.❤🌟

@carmenhuynh2232

7 ай бұрын

I love your comment , Billy is a super talented guy and sexy , and his moves are unique

Did I mention how incredible Billy Squier is?

@RushTrader

9 ай бұрын

No, first I'm ever hearing of it! 😁Thanks for the comment!

If this had been a runaway success, other bands (even Fleewood Mac) would have had to start making videos like this. Can you picture John McVie wearing pastel colors & flapping his arms to 'Go Your Own Way' Lol

I didn’t really care that much about the video then. It was all about the great music I still love. Truly underrated in my opinion.

Inciteful. Funny. But where you filming this? The place where the guy lowers the lotion in a bucket?

Surprisingly fair assessment of this video, great job and research! And hilarious. The video absolutely ruined him, anytime I see him, the video is triggered in my head to this day.

Billy can blame the director all he wants but it is Billy himself who bears the blame for this disaster. Nobody put a gun to Billy's and forced him to prance around like that. It was Billy's "dancing" that made this a laughingstock.

@gregorybush3224

Жыл бұрын

Yep. His " dancing" , choice of clothes worn, and those damn satin sheets.

@markprange2430

12 күн бұрын

Shouldn't have featured a bed, especially with satin. Shouldn't have emphasised peach and pink. Shouldn't have ripped his shirt open. Shouldn't have sashayed. Only guys in the video??? Should've had GIRLS, and shown THEM dancing.

How can it be that a choreographer films a dance video, in which the protagonist does not know how to dance.

I remember that Rock Me Tonite video Billy did. Even as a 12 year old kid I knew it was schlock.

@Paul-ob1lc

3 жыл бұрын

Now we know, all makes sense now !

Ha! Loved this! Back when I was just a kid my mom used to play his album (among others) and dance around the living room. Then one day she stopped playing Squier and said, "He's a good singer, but he really can't dance. He's awful." Lol.

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

Hey Julie! haha, nice story there about mom. There's an old saying having to do with finding happiness and part of it says "...dance like nobody's watching." Well, we know how that can sometimes go...

@julie-c-3873

4 жыл бұрын

@@RushTrader Truth!

You haven't seen anything until you type in 'Dancing In The Streets no music'. 😂🤣😂

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Love that one!

Fabulous sashay around the bedroom at 11:10, Billy! You killed it!

When I first saw the Rock me tonite video, my jaw hit the ground. WTF!!!! were my first thought. Billy the KING! what are you doing? Have you lost your mind? Any fan saw the disaster immediately.

All the more mainstream guys in high-school were listening to Billy squire while we were listening to priest mercyful fate queensryche etc

You nailed it Anthony, the video and his lackluster material is what tanked his career. How the hell did Billy Squier look at this video and say, Yeah that's cool and really macho! Gene Kelly was a truly talented dancer with many outstanding physical dance moves, Mr Squier comes across as being a clueless spastic in a pink shirt. At this point the only thing that got "Stroked" was his career.....

@contour157

2 жыл бұрын

the video killed him.. the album and the follow ups werent too good either.

I saw Squier open up for Queen in 82, man those were the good ole days.

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

That would have been nice! At least they rocked those disco songs out for that tour.

I think the fact that billy squire sucks had more to do with his career taking a dump than the video did. Billy was the guy on cam, those were his moves. The driver of the car is responsible. And that's billy squire.

Thanks for the laughs 😀

The hairbands were coming in at the same time, Billy dropped this video. It was just time for him to phase out, but the video sped up the process a little.

I actually have a video ideas for you maybe you can do a video about Queen and the impact they made with videos that they did

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the idea Chris... I would like to do a Queen video. All the ones I've done so far end up bashing Adam Lambert but I'd like to talk about the Freddie years, particularly what happened to them in the 80s.

@cjb32

4 жыл бұрын

@@RushTrader I would love to see that also I would love to hear your opinion on the video for I Want to Break Free that is one of my favorite songs and the video to me is interesting how it didn't really go well for them in the US

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

Chris, I think the video is hilarious! The song was pretty cool too... I preferred the album version to the single which they kinda messed around with. Thanks for the feedback, an 80's Queen video will be coming at some point.

Good job bro. That was a great video! Let me say this. At the end of the day, BS has nobody to blame but himself. His limp wristed dance moves (more like lack there of) right out of the gate made Boy George look masculine. That definitely was a steaming pile!!!!!!!

you are hilariously funny - subscription earned

@RushTrader

2 жыл бұрын

I'm glad you enjoyed, thanks for the sub!

This is the first rock guy, that I remember, being "cancelled" I have a REALLY bad memory so..

I remember this crappy video....his moves remind me of Pee Wee Herman wearing a wig. Could not someone in the band, a gaffer or even a lighting dude have just said: “Billy...that shit ain’t right.” I enjoyed the laugh, I had forgotten how hard I chuckled at this video back in the day.

The video wasn’t the cause of his downfall. It just exposed how spectacularly fruity he was all along. People started to second-guess why they were listening to the schlock he had been churning out for years.

@VisualTedium

2 жыл бұрын

He always moved kinda fruity, I agree 100%

My god hadnt seen this before..embaarasing. emotions in motion was his peak though. Not sure if the video killed it for him, but it sure didnt help!

I remember it was the talk of everyone in highschool . It was the pink shirt that did it . A fucking pink shirt !

This was legit the guy that showed up at the concert I went to back in the day. Shiny purple knickers, White puffy pirate's shirt (like in Seinfeld), BIG puffy hairdoo and pranced around the stage. What made things worse for Squire, was Def Leopard opened for him and they fricken KILLED it.

Can’t go back in time but it would have been very interesting had Billy IMMEDIATELY shot another hard core “ rock “ video with this song and maybe did a short n sweet interview about it on MTV for the premiere. I wonder if that would have worked somewhat as damage control 🤔

@RushTrader

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment! I've never heard that possible scenario but certainly couldn't have hurt. The thing is, there was no budget left after this video so I doubt he could have shot another one even if it were simple. It's a shame they didn't shoot more footage with his band as that could have been the entire video and save him alot of grief.

Gotta love people trying to impress and build credits on others failures. If people today would work 1/2 as hard to build others up as we do to cut them down this world would be a much better place to live. Happy Holidays! ps Mr. Squier if ur out there u had a great piece of the pie! They cant take that away, Rock On!

I really liked Billy. I didn't know that this killed career. RIP Billy Squier career. Good video I learned a lot. Thanks

I was listening to hus music today and decided to see this vid, before I saw this review thing I didn't remember if I saw it back in the day, well I was thinking it was hot and how did I miss it

Dude I love the way you do these stories in fact I subscribed. Annnnddd the video is awful but Billy Squire still rocks !

In those days music was getting heavier Billy’s music got lighter and that video just hurried along the inevitable.he should have adopted a harder edge. In the dark was a hard rock song and it’s what got most of us interested at the time.

I owned Don't Say No and Emotions in Motion back in the early 80s. They were more radio oriented than video. Those songs didn't really have a visual associated with them. Rock Me Tonite made it impossible to call yourself a Billy Squier fan if you were a teenager. The ridicule from peers was punishing

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

Great point Peter! I remember loving "Emotions In Motion" and "Everybody Wants You" back in the early 80s before I had MTV and was glued to the radio. Those songs stood on their own. MTV bringing in the visual element was a blessing or a curse to certain bands depending on if they could use the format to their advantage.

I remember when it came out and the metalheads were angry and were saying the man was gay and they hated him now. LOL Tbh, if he had a sense of humor about it, if he publicly made fun of it, like play it at his concerts and make fun of the video MST3K-style, he could've saved his career. Even claiming it was a parody of Mtv at the time, which is kind of is. By having a sense of humor, he could've saved his career but maybe he only had a few albums in him.

Loved your analysis, and I didn't know about the I Want My MTV book. I think a lot of us ladies who thought Billy was totally HOT back in 1984 saw nothing at all wrong with the video--he was sexy as hell, and he couldn't undo that with one questionable video. I liked the video, but clearly I was in the minority. My ex-husband called him "Prance Boy" (he could never remember his name, although I bought every album) but that face, that voice, the music. All was forgiven back then and still yet. His musical style has changed but I'm still a fan. What a shame that one video sunk his boat, and as someone else said, at a time when Bret Michaels was wearing more makeup than I did. (PS, Bret was not too shabby, either, LOL). And he was NEVER worse than David Lee Roth.

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah Debbie, based on the feedback to this video, I'd say the ladies are much more forgiving than the guys when it comes to this stuff. This video reaffirms how a straight-up, full band performance video would have worked out better for Billy and has probably saved many other bands from suffering the same consequences! Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed!

I have to say, I love this song! I love Billy Squier! And to be honest, I don't mind the video...It just made me laugh. But he should have made another concert video with this song. It would've been much better and no one would've given him crap about it.

This was great and creative funny commentary. Sad Squire still has to be reminded of this video all these years later. It still makes me cringe knowing that the producer sat there while he was dancing around telling him, Great take and good job. Lol. Why didn’t Squire view it before it’s release and critically analyze it? I guess that’s why you pay a producer ;)

@RushTrader

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, you would think, at the very least, his manager would have wanted to see an early edit, something. It's hard to believe nobody from Billy's camp had to approve it first in any way.

He's blaming the dancing on billy when it was probably the director. The atmosphere at the time was that noone knew what was a good video and vice versa. There were a lot of bad videos made during this time period, sadly.

I think most artists back then made some pretty embarrassing videos in retrospect like Kiss (Paul Stanley) dressed in neon outfits, Journey’s Separate Ways playing invisible instruments, etc ... But this one is for sure the most infamous.

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, when your career suffers due to a bad music video in the 80s, it musta been a special kind of bad!

@rEdf196

3 жыл бұрын

We Built This City video. Awful,, especially when that Abe Lincoln statue comes to life. “Cringe”

I thought to myself: "oh it couldn't be that bad"... I was wrong 😁

Back then I don’t recall the video since it was probably pulled. I loved his music I wondered why he was off the scene while I moved to U2 etc…

@RushTrader

Жыл бұрын

I really enjoyed some of his music up to this point as well... but then nothing really appealed to me after that and it's not because of this video but rather the lack of strong material.

I don't think the real fans (which are many!!!!) really cared about the video this much... Mostly media drama (vultures)

Im laughing so hard at this..He confused me doing this video..😂🤷🏻‍♀️

Y’all can say what you want about him.. He’s not Gay… the video was supposed to have portrayed a teen female… and it was terrible no doubt! BUT he was BADASS as a rock musician and nobody can take that from him! 🤷🏼‍♀️

As for Billy Squire looking gay… hmmm I am a gay MAN… and never acted like that… I am a man, and I carry myself like a man !! Feminine prancing around should never determine a person’s sexuality, but more of a person’s mental state.

This might be a long comment. I'm a Gen Y kid, I got into 80's music in the 90's, and I used to see this video on VH-1 and think "Okay, Billy's dancing it up for the women, I get it., I'll just ignore that and listen to the music" and always thought the full band scene was pretty cool in that Miami Vice way. I was 12. As the years went on and the internet grew I noticed people bringing this video up more and more, it's like what E.T. Extra Terrestrial was to the Atari 2600 game system, and now is the legendary "worst" of all time. As I got older, started working, I figured this video was the result of some kind of corporate fuckery. My wife bought that book and I read it and all it did was confirm what I thought all along - corporate fuckery (+ maybe some of Kenny Ortega's personal preference seeping into the project). As a fan, I just ignored it and moved on. As a KZreadr myself, Since Billy spoke up, it's been tempting to try and create something like what Billy wanted: which was basically him getting ready at home, cut to some fans hopping in a car, Billy's having dinner at a cafe, cut to the lonely girl fan climbing out the window, etc...you get the idea, and then right where it cuts to the regular band in the original, you'd have the full concert, with the fans from earlier in attendance, then fade out as the music fades and the concert rolls on. Simple concept. That said, and something I've only heard mentioned once in 40 years, is I have to wonder if the music video for "She Goes Down" was a response to this video because it's like the complete Antithesis of "Rock Me Tonight" - hot girls everywhere, female nudity, I've seen it twice online, KZread CAN'T host it for obvious reasons. Probably never seen by the masses either because only the Playboy channel played that one.

The band performing footage wouldn't necessarily have saved them. I was a junior in high school when Def Leppard opened for Billy Squier and blew them off the stage. More than half the crowd up and left during Squier's set and the next day at school all the kids agreed it was because Squier and his band were acting exactly the way they are in this video (expletives and slurs omitted, sanitized for your protection). So when this video hit MTV, it wasnt a surprise to us. Great song though....

I see the one line phrases example nobody wants you I just shake my head and think I don't think iam a nobody; if iam not a nobody that makes me a simebody;and I still listen to your music and always wil!! I do believe that you have definitely made someone proud that would be Les Paul himself knowing you use his creation with full heart and passion

To be honest with you, I never knew this video killed his career. I don't remember ever seeing until now. I did like his first album but I really didn't follow his career. I remember I bought his first album and Rush"s Moving Pictures around the same time but I went with Rush and liked almost everything they did from that time on until they retired. Yes's Leave It video is pretty lame and I like Yes. I can think of quite a few other videos that were just as bad from other bands.

@paulgallagher9234

3 жыл бұрын

We cringed and laughed and lost respect as it was so fanooky. The song was good, so we left it on, and cringed like trainwreck! Before that, he reminded me of Zep. Prance on!

I’ve never seen either video but I actually liked David Bowie’s dancing. David could follow choreographed moves but Billy is so tragic! Someone did him dirty by not telling him the truth about his wrists and pigeon twos!😢

I saw Billy 3 times, And it sort of wasn't a secret that He was feminine. Just that no one felt the need to talk about it, The Big wigs were to busy with detroying Michael Jackson.

Man, I feel sorry for Billy! I wonder who picked out his outfit that day??! Whoever it was is to blame..it's that simple! Lololol I never knew why we didn't see him anymore, until now. This video was hilarious btw!

@RushTrader

3 жыл бұрын

Well April, he certainly didn't get a package with "American Gigolo Attire" stamped on it, did he?? I think Kenny Ortega must have picked out his clothes that morning. That alone should have killed the Richard Gere vibe he was shooting for. Oh well. I'm still shocked nobody waived a red flag through this whole mess, or even a pastel one! 😂Anyways, thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed!

Billy Squier is my all time favorite musician❣️ His ENTIRE CATALOG is supreme Rock and Roll. Dude is super talented. 🎧😎

It didn't bother me , people judge to much.

Crazy conspiracy theory that just ran through my head...do you think it was possible the record industry was getting back at him for his attack on them in 'The Stroke"? Just a weird thought. But pink was a color that guys wore back then, think 'Miami Vice'.

I dont want anything to do with anything pink for at least a week

I grew up on MTV and don't remember this much. Did Billy/management pull the video or was it that it just wasn't very popular? Either way I thinks its a shame that he will continue to be haunted by this. I don't really believe this video killed his career. A lot of established acts heading into the 80's didn't age well and maybe Billy's career just ran its course. I do have a question, what is he doing with his arms!? It looks like his elbows were taped to his waist! LOL!

@RushTrader

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Joe! The thing Billy said about playing to half-full houses after the video came out... what caused that? I don't know how you can blame anything other than the video because I believe the song itself was his biggest seller up to that point so he was still riding high in terms of the charts. However, Billy could tell something was up on the streets and could see the writing on the wall. I do think that even if this video had turned out okay, his career was on the downside as the late 80s approached and lack of strong material reflects that too. As for his arms...yeah, he definitely could have used some constructive criticism somewhere along the line!

Bille in 84 “I’m never going financially recover from this”

I love the video. It's no worse than any other video from the time. The homophobia around the video seems undeserved as well. Androgyny had alway been a key element to rock music (little Richard, Elvis) But particualry in the 70's and 80's it was kind of the main way to be as a rockstar (any artist during the 70's and 80's). So being slightly efiminate was not a crime at the time of this video. Billy's movements are a bit weird and ungraceful but the same could be said for Mick Jagger, or Sinead O'connor, or Michael Stipe or David Byrne. They're weird movers. That's what makes it interesting to look at.

This is on Billy Squier.

Now days that video will make his career Shit with music is going to hell in a hand basket