Introduction
During the 1980s the British fashion photographer David Bailey (1938) made several public information films for which Vangelis created original music. Bailey is mostly known for his fashion photography for Vogue magazine and celebrity portraits since the 1960s, working with stars such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Elton John, Cat Stevens, Bob Marley, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Tina Turner, Dusty Springfield, Grace Jones and Bjork, to name but a few.
In 1985 David Bailey created a shocking video for Greenpeace titled “Dumb Animals” as part of the anti-fur campaign by Lynx, a charity organisation for animal welfare. Using the slogan ‘It takes up to 40 dumb animals to make a fur coat. But only one to wear it.’ this 1-minute video was shown in cinemas and featured comedian Pee-Wee Herman and original music by Vangelis.
The next year Bailey created another disturbing video, this one titled “Blood Money” for the Sport Aid campaign of 1986. Using the slogan ‘Bury The Debt, Not The Dead’ this 1-minute video was a strong advocate of famine relief through debt management, and also featured original music by Vangelis.
Finally, in 1987 David Bailey directed the dystopian video “Meltdown” for Greenpeace. Using the slogan ‘Nuclear Power. Is it worth the risk?’ this 1,5-minute video depicts a horrific possible future with people dying of nuclear radiation, and again featured original music by Vangelis.
In other anti-fur campaigns the Lynx organisation produced videos such as “FUR: You Deserve It” (1982), showing a rather shocking scene where people are being killed in the streets for their fur coat. The music in this video starts with a clip from ‘Abraham’s Theme’ from Vangelis’ “Chariots Of Fire” (1981) album, but otherwise did not involve Vangelis. In 1992 Lynx produced another anti-fur video but it is not clear if Vangelis was involved in this one.
Details and credits
“Dumb Animals”
- Agency: Yellowhammer Advertising
- Art Director: Jeremy Pemberton
- Copywriter: Alan Page
- Photographer: David Bailey
Links
- 1985 “Dumb Animals” for Greenpeace
- 1986 “Blood Money” for Sport Aid
- 1987 “Meltdown” for Greenpeace
- IMDB.com