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.