Dilate Your Mind

Not my favourite Duran Duran single by a long chalk, but I found myself thinking of Too Much Information yesterday. 

Written by the band, at that time a four-piece comprising Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo, it was a modest hit in the UK (#35) and USA (#45), faring marginally better in Canada (#25).

I'd not seen the video before and whilst visually it's of moderate interest if overlong, structured around the 5 minute album version rather than the slightly more spritely 4 minute radio edit, it's the director credit that caught my attention.

Nick Egan is more familiar to me for his design work on album art. How's this for starters?

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais & Tommy Gun (singles): The Clash (1978)

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels: Dexys Midnight Runners (1980)

See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang Yeah, City All Over! Go Ape Crazy!: Bow Wow Wow (1981)

Duck Rock: Malcolm McLaren (1983)

Empire Burlesque: Bob Dylan (1985)

Midnight To Midnight: The Psychedelic Furs (1986)

Kick: INXS (1987)

It's inevitable that Nick would move into video direction and although it's not particularly memorable compared to, say, Rio or The Wild Boys, it does a decent job of conveying the spirit of the song, with rapid edits, fast zooms, use of old news footage and a prop that references A Clockwork Orange.

Too Much Information had remixes to appeal on both sides of the Atlantic, America represented by John 'Jellybean' Benitez, the UK by Ben Chapman. The latter edges it for me.

 

Destroyed by MTV

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me

So much information

The pressure's on the screen

To sell you things that you don't need

It's too much information for me

Hey TV child

Look into my eyes

Here by intervention

I want your attention

Promotion boy

In a suit 'n' tie

He wants you to use it

You're too shot to lose it

It's pumpin' down the cable

Like never so before

A cola manufacturer

Is sponsoring the war

Here comes the news

With love from me to you

Destroyed by ABC

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me

So much information

The pressure's on the screen

To sell you things that you don't need

It's too much information for me

Turn on the tube

Hits you with groove

Advertisin' music

We want you to choose it

These teeth are white

Trainers ultra bright

This band is perfect

Just don't scratch the surface

We covered all the angles

The survey people said

Just put us on the cover

We'd be smilin' anyway

This video was made

With love for you

Destroyed by BBC

I hate to bite the hand that feeds me

So much information

The pressure's on the screen

To sell you things that you don't need

It's too much information for me

Dilate your mind, dilate your mind

Dilate your mind, dilate your mind

Got to give it to me

Got to listen to me

Got to give in to me

Now I'm on the line

Got to give it to me

Got to listen to me

Got to give in to me

Now I'm on the line

I try

Yes, I try

Oh, I try