violent stars of the cinema 
by david barnett
this gem was david barnett’s original storyboard for the positivity video. for reasons we’ll never understand, the band decided against using it. we think you’ll agree that this video would have been a helluva lot more satisfying and compelling than the one with all the birdies and butterflies.

positivity
we open with an artificial “sunrise” in a darkened studio, which gradually reveals the five members of suede in silhouette, legs and arms outstretched bros-style.

the light then shifts to reveal first their smiling faces, then gradually pans to show that they are all dressed in matching white suits, a la boyzone or westlife.

close in on brett’s face who, with a wink, sings the opening line, panning across to show the others lip-synching badly.

all five members then launch into a cheesy pastiche of a typical boyband dance routine. acrobatic somersaults etc are provided by deliberately unconvincing body doubles.

the view then shifts to a pop idol type judges panel, the five judges being suede in grotesque disguise – brett as pete waterman, richard in drag as that awful woman, etc. they groan and shake their heads in despair as the boyband suede continue their performance in the background.

the judges then tear off their wigs and costumes to reveal, the real suede who storm over to the stage to beat the living shit out of their boyband doppelgangers.

the violence is extreme with blood everywhere, teeth flying etc.

for the first time we see a large audience of suede fans cheering ecstatically and invading the stage. amongst them are suede’s roadies who hurriedly set up the band’s equipment.

the real suede then finish the song as they would play it on stage while fans dance ecstatically around them.

the idea is to show suede in a new light, combining humour and violence, with an optimistic theme of proper music triumphing over the manufactured pap that suffocates the charts.

© 2004 suede fanzine.  All rights reserved.