RECORD STORE TALES #1083: The Helicopter Video (The Great Record Album Collection)
1983/84.
Music videos were just starting to happen when I was a kid. There wasn’t a MuchMusic yet, but there were a few ways to catch music videos on your Canadian TV sets. One was Toronto Rocks out of channel 7, City TV. Another was a show called The Great Record Album Collection, which we saw out of WNED TV in Buffalo NY. Channel 29!
I don’t remember much of this show. I recall seeing Quiet Riot, but there was one video I saw twice that I cannot identify.
If you can help me find out the name of the band and song, it would be a great help.
Here’s what I can recall:
I remember seeing a music video with a three-piece band. We have to assume it was a new wave band based on the year. It was not the Police. In the video, I recall there was a helicopter. It had red in it. I think it was a remote control model ‘copter, and at the end of the song, the ‘copter crashed and/or blew up. That’s all I can remember. The band was playing on a black stage as I remember, intercut with occasional shots of this helicopter.
I was transitioning from childhood into adolescence. It was important to like music, and not just John Williams symphonies. I thought “These guys are cool. I like them.” But I only saw them twice and never again.
Ideas? Post a YouTube link to a video in the comments.

Sorry Mike, I can’t help you on that one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
No luck so far.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Go on imvdb. They list all videos by the year of release.
Good luck.
LikeLike
Impossible to narrow down
LikeLike
285 videos listed in 1983 alone,
375 listed in 1984!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wake me up, when September ends….
LikeLike
Just pretend it’s a 4 o clock 4 play question.
;)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have no way to figure this out. I need someone who’s seen the video and remembers it. Hopefully they see this post! There’s no guarantee it’s on that list. I think it’s incomplete.
LikeLike
Probably tons of old videos that faded to obscurity.
Good thing there are people like you that saved their vhs tapes.
LikeLike
I have no idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So far no luck. I may never find out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Front 242- Quite Unusual ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good try but nope, doesn’t look right.
It would have been a band that was on The Great Record Album Collection and I think they played hits.
LikeLike
Mike, the only thing that comes to mind is Aldo Nova’s “Fantasy.” https://youtu.be/vPQgfaB3S1c?si=WjoHOw6H8-q3Zn1I
(I also thought of Jon Butcher Axis’ “Life Takes a Life” but video has no helicopter in it!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It would have to be a song that was top 40 in 1983 or 84. Aldo has a helicopter, but it’s not red and it doesn’t explode.
I think the band were new wave.
So far nobody has seen this video.
It couldn’t have charted high. I only saw it played twice.
LikeLike