Bravo Rainbows. I love the Wilton hall sessions and the live performances. They show Paolo as real musicians worthy of respect. The official PFOL video is packaged drivel and should be withdrawn.

As for Sambista, we are all here to air our views, that doesn't give us the right to denigrate the opinions of others.

Okay, I haven't said anything yet but I'm not a fan of the video either. I'm not over-analyzing; I just know what I like and what I don't like, and I don't like this video. But, there are a lot of videos I don't like and it doesn't make me love the song or the artist any less. I'll just choose not to watch. I do agree with what a lot of you had to say about the concept, though.

I think it's great that we've got different opinions and that we're able to express them here. Everyone should be able to say what they feel without worrying about being criticized or ridiculed. The discussion is good.

That last posting should of course read Paolo and The Vipers. Sorry. Too full of righteous indignation to concentrate on what I am typing. I'm now going to climb down of my high horse and watch http:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ4sHu8MEA0 This shows the Paolo we love.

Thank you Greenstarlite for sharing this with me. Love you sister.

Wow - as i have said before, I never have met such passionate people as Paolo fans!!!

I still like it though! - and I think Paula mentioned a scottish sense of humour somewhere -at the end of the day Paolo is a 22 year old male from the west of scotland I dont think he would mean any offense at all, its all fun!! - the young people I work with like the video, but dont all get the style of the song- so it could be an effort to get them to listen to something different.
Wow! I wish Paolo would read this thread and answer us - that would be good

Since my first post has been paraphrased a few times here, let me just clear up a few things!

I certainly didn’t mean to antagonize any boardies. Controversy is not a bad thing, though. It can help promote an artist.

“Everyone’s got opinions…their own version of a good idea.”

This forum exists for speculating and commenting on anything relating to Paolo’s work, however banal. Paolo’s website (and even here, where the last admin announcement is currently from May!) has never been a consistently good source of info, and there is rarely personal input from Paolo. That’s fine with me; he’s stated that he doesn’t want to tweet, etc., and I don’t want any more fake Paolo blogs. So we fans must really rely on each other to get info. That’s why I’m here – you guys are great. Thanks.

I’ve already written what I don’t like about the video. Videos are made to promote songs. A visual that may reflect what a song is about, although it doesn’t have to be literal of course. Should a video represent an artist’s tenets? Why not – it’s part of the body of work. I thought PFOL was about personal satisfaction and celebration of all aspects of your life including love.

Paolo’s image should be whatever he wants it to be. It has been tinkered with over the years for sure. Example: Major damage control a few years ago when Atlantic didn’t want him seen as a stoner. It’s now okay for him to discuss freely. Fine. So we learned there that image is a big deal to him.

What am I basing my surmises on? Live interviews – I don’t trust print as much. I don’t know Paolo. I don’t idolize him. I’ve enjoyed meeting him – he seems like a good person. I feel privileged to be following his career from the early stages because his voice is a gift and I sense the potential for greatness. I also think he’s put together a fantastic band who especially are a wonderful foil to his sometimes shy stage persona, which I also like.

Re women: he absolutely loves his mom. She’s a role model. Again, from interviews. One of which he did with her in Barga. Who does interviews with their mom? That’s so uncool it’s cool. Loves his sister, likes her taste in music. Loves his girlfriend, she’s his muse. Doesn’t get much better than that.

So relationships with strong women are a huge part of his life. Paolo respects these women highly. How great.

Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll – also great. Have no problem with any of the three. A sexy video makes sense - “Pencil” certainly refers to the sexual in a blues way as I posted about here.

I love all genres of comedy. I’m not easily offended. Seen it all. Cerebral to toilet. No stranger to Brit coms. Extras, Spitting Image, Brass Eye, Little Britain – all hilarious to me.

It’s not about not getting it – I get it! Is this one of those “so bad it’s good” videos? I was hoping, but – no. I just don’t like it.

Ok, I'm cheating here and replying without having read every single post.

I've said before that I don't like the video, but I'm not upset about it. I wondered why I wasn't. I think I would have been upset 20 years ago, but not now. Why? Well because 20 years ago ALL we had were tv channels like VH1 to see our favorite artists through their videos. The ones that didn't feature the artist/band weren't much fun to watch (at least not for me).

So why do I feel differently now? Here are 3 reasons.

1
2
3 (love the "trumpet"!!!)

Let's face it. The official video was probably made to compete with the legions of videos on channels like VH1 and MTV, etc., as well as the plethora of videos to be found on the internet --- where ALL of the videos of Paolo appeal to US. So, I can understand if Paolo, his management, and record label feel that they need to make a video that might not appeal directly to his fans, but attracts some new fans from a different demographic.

Someone mentioned art. Ok, let's think about it as a piece of art for a minute. Various themes/concepts/ideas have been conceptualized in umpteen ways by numerous artists over the centuries. If you are on this board praising this video or noting all its faults, you have access to more than one video of this song. You have many videos from which to choose. Be glad that you have so many choices because, as I said, 20 years ago, we would have had only two, watch the video or watch nothing.

For me, there are paintings in art galleries that mesmorize me, and there are ones that I can't relate to at all. Naturally, I spend more time admiring the former and merely glance at those which fall into the latter category. Unfortunately, the official PFOL video falls into the latter category.

As far as the video portraying Paolo in an unflattering light, I can see your concern. I know we are all protective of him and want people to love his music for what it is, without needing to "bring out the strippers" as it were. However, I think we need to remember that Paolo has already put his foot down about official, highly airbrushed photos, and fought for his creative freedom when starting work on SSU. I doubt they released this video before he even had a chance to see it. If he approved it, then he obviously felt it was ok. If he believes changes need to be made in the future, then he'll have to be the one who fights for them.

I just don't find any pleasure in watching the official video. So, I'll go watch one of the many others out there that I DO enjoy and be happy.

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Sambista, I agree. I think this video has been analyzed to death, and it's being taken much too seriously.

Theresa, I disagree. I don't think Sambista was being condescending. She was voicing her opinion like everybody else. No need to take it personally or get upset about it.

Rainbows, I'm sorry, but I strongly disagree. For one thing, I don't think we fans are eligible to speculate about what Paolo and his entourage thought about the video. We don't know what they thought, so let's not put words into their mouths.

I also don't see the video as an injustice served upon Paolo. He approved of the premise before it was made, so he had at least some idea what it was going to be like. If he saw it as offensive, he could have axed it from the start.

Also, someone mentioned that it's demaning to the women. I personally think this video is exactly the opposite. I think the premise is brilliant because in this case, the girls get the last word.

To read into it that this video is payback for the executive and political struggles Paolo's gone through to stick to the integrity of his vision for the album is WAY too over analytical. I sincerely doubt that one has aything to do with the other. Mostly because it's not the same suits that make the videos. Also because I'm pretty sure that any executive outrage was put to rest when the album shot straight to number one.

My personal take is that the video offends some fans who think that it paints him as a womanizing shmuck because they percieve him as a lot more wholesome than that. I can completely understand that. Paolo is very young, and many of us are mothers who might want to protect him like mama bears. Plus, I think that some fans might have this image of Paolo being a sweet innocent little angel. I can understand that, too, but I think that protectiveness is being carried a little too far. Paolo is not some lost little puppy that needs to be protected against the harsh realities of the big, bad world. He's a grown man, capable of making the decision to let them make a tonngue-in-cheek video.

Paolo's got his own website. IF he didn't like the video, he could have logged on and said so on his site. I haven't gone to look, but I think we would have heard about it here on the forum if he'd made such a statement.

He's also got the power to have it removed from airplay if he thought it was offensive or served him an injustice. He hasn't done either, so let's just take it for what it is. Just a video.

Honestly, I have to wonder what he'd think, coming on here and seeing so many heated statements about a silly little video.

Well said Jelly !!
c'mon peeps! lets celebrate his work and stay positive!!!

Wow!! This is getting really heated..I know i said i was done with this subject. I just wish I knew how to express myself the way some of you do. I do tend to agree with Rainbows. And I love your spirit Theresa Mae! And at the end of the day it simply comes down to a matter of opinion....And my opinion still stands..I think it was a bad choice on Paolos behalf..But will this video alone make or break him?? NO!!
But I have to say I love the passion from you all. And I think he would get a kick out of it as well!!
Now seriously, I am done!!

quote:

Originally posted by AuntyLynnex:
Wow - as i have said before, I never have met such passionate people as Paolo fans!!!

I still like it though! - and I think Paula mentioned a scottish sense of humour somewhere -at the end of the day Paolo is a 22 year old male from the west of scotland I dont think he would mean any offense at all, its all fun!! - the young people I work with like the video, but dont all get the style of the song- so it could be an effort to get them to listen to something different.
Wow! I wish Paolo would read this thread and answer us - that would be good

I agree that it's SUPPOSED to be a tongue-in-cheek video. I did think it was amusing to watch as clay Paolo's face "accidently" ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. What turned me off was in the extreme reaction of the women. After the slap (a bit gross - but funny) it stopped being tongue-in-cheek and became malicious. I was taken aback at how angry the woman who slapped him looked. The women squishing Paolo's clay body would have been amusing had it come across as them just getting even with a pervert, rather than getting revenge on a rat bast***. That's just how they came across to me. They seemed just plain vindictive and that's not tongue-in-cheek.

The discord between the song and the video is that one line in the song, sung repeatedly, is "Best of all, I've got my baby" which suggests someone in a happy relationship and not a breast-peeping pervert.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bibliomaniac,

Here are the makers of the video:

Academy Films

Corin Hardy: “My aim with this video was to set up a situation where a clay Paolo would live in a real world and behave just like a real person. Once the viewer has accepted that I then wanted to break the rules I had devised for myself and see what goes on when a clay Paolo just pushes it a bit too far. The animation schedule was brutal, we had 3 weeks to animate and I pretty much moved into Clapham Rd studios. Due to the animation needing to be composited into live-action, it had to be 25 frames a second which gives the movement a beautiful rich feel.”

The world would be such a boring place if we all felt the same!
I have found this thread very intersesting - and quite amazed at the fire in our bellies!
Would any one like to have a think and post only ONE word each on this video and see what we all come up with????
Go on someone start it!!

Brilliant

Creepy.

Disturbing