Anton Corbijn was received like a rock star when he gave a lecture in Skellefteå, Sweden, last Friday. The tall Dutch entered the room to a thunderous applause. But unlike a lot of super stars he was very modest.
, he explained humbly.
The acclaimed and well-known photographer, who during the years has worked with U2, R.E.M., Metallica and Nirvana among others, had declared beforehand that he did not intend to give any interviews. But U2.se’s representative took the opportunity to speak to him after the good two hours long music video lecture.
He was slightly reluctant when he said that he is in the middle of photographing U2 for the upcoming album.
, he laughed, speaking about the band members.
This was all that Corbijn wanted to tell, but he gave all the more beef on the recording of the “Please” video, which was also shown to the 400 spectators in the Expolaris conference center.
About the theme of the video, Corbijn had the following to say:
Corbijn says that he is dissatisfied with the end of the video, which was too unreal and overstated. He thinks it would have been better if the video was to end with a close up of Bono. But the most unexpected thing was that the official version of the “Please” video is not the version Corbijn liked the most. In Corbijn’s version Bono is bursting into tears.
, Corbijn said.
Corbijn did not reflect a lot on the videos he showed. Introducing each video he presented each artist or band, which was very parodic as the majority of the videos were more than well known to the audience.
, he mumbled before playing the classic “Enjoy The Silence” video.
From having been, to the record companies, an art form of relatively little value, the music video have become a real marketing tool. Corbijn has been there through it all and he does not have a lot left for the big record companies.
, he explained.
During the lecture Corbijn offered a lot of anecdotes. He told about how he, during the recording of the video for “Deliah’s Gone,” was invited to lunch at Johnny Cash’s place. Chicken was on the menu, and that posed a problem.
, he laughed.
He also told of how hard it is to get artists to act and that very few can handle it well.
Anton Corbijn does not like to plan and structure but prefers to let his feelings and intuition rule. To convey thoughts and ideas to others, together with handling all the techincal aspects that drive the recording a video, are among his least favourite tasks.
Corbijn’s role models are directors Jacques Tati and Andrei Tarkovsky, a fact that can be seen in his ability to weave together sharp details to a working whole. And when Corbijn is to do a video he doesn’t listen to the individual words of the lyrics, but instead he focuses on the musical feeling.
After having shown 13 videos and shared a lot of jokes and anecdotes, Corbijn ended the lecture and got, once again, a long and thunderous applause. He left with a bunch of CD’s, a cheese made in Västerbotten and a hockey jersey of the local team, Skellefteå AIK.
(This article was written by Olov Baudin for U2.se, loosely translated into English by Peter Hanning. Reproduced with permission.)
In London?..maybe they’ve been shooting David Blaine images for the new album..or maybe even something interesting.
In London?..maybe they’ve been shooting David Blaine images for the new album..or maybe even something interesting.
In a small desert outside London. 😉
In a small desert outside London. 😉
Does anyone know where you can purchase prints of Corbijn? I know he has a book, but I want some of those U2 prints he’s done that were all over the Rock Hall of Fame.
Does anyone know where you can purchase prints of Corbijn? I know he has a book, but I want some of those U2 prints he’s done that were all over the Rock Hall of Fame.
baron,
I am not entirely sure about prints, but the Torch Gallery in Amsterdam once sold ’em (probably ’cause Anton had an exhinition there once). They still do sell posters of some of Anton’s work.
For prints (which I remember were rather expensive… 200+ euro/dollar per pop), you’d best contact his agent. I lost that addy, I’m afraid. Good luck!
Reno <- has Anton’s Miles Davis hangin’ on his wall.
baron,
I am not entirely sure about prints, but the Torch Gallery in Amsterdam once sold ’em (probably ’cause Anton had an exhinition there once). They still do sell posters of some of Anton’s work.
For prints (which I remember were rather expensive… 200+ euro/dollar per pop), you’d best contact his agent. I lost that addy, I’m afraid. Good luck!
Reno <- has Anton’s Miles Davis hangin’ on his wall.
Try http://www.torchgallery.com/
I remember they were quite helpful.
Try http://www.torchgallery.com/
I remember they were quite helpful.
Wow. anton is really a cool guy. if bono would have let him leave the “please” video alone, it would’ve probably been one of their more “memorable” videos because it sounds so powerful with bono crying in it. (Now I wanna see it!)
Wow. anton is really a cool guy. if bono would have let him leave the “please” video alone, it would’ve probably been one of their more “memorable” videos because it sounds so powerful with bono crying in it. (Now I wanna see it!)
Torch in Amsterdam represent Anton’s work. The prints are expensive: 2000-4000 euro.
For more info go to http://www.corbijn.co.uk
Torch in Amsterdam represent Anton’s work. The prints are expensive: 2000-4000 euro.
For more info go to http://www.corbijn.co.uk
so if you exchange your dollars for pesos and then to euros…you might make enough profit to buy the prints :p
so if you exchange your dollars for pesos and then to euros…you might make enough profit to buy the prints :p
How did bono interfere with the please video?
How did bono interfere with the please video?
never mind! should’ve read it first! lol, and i agree, i think showing bono crying at the end would have been better,
never mind! should’ve read it first! lol, and i agree, i think showing bono crying at the end would have been better,
If you show the emotion, you take away from viewers imagination. That’s what some directors think, anyway, that it is better to hint at the emotion and leave the rest up to the viewer, so that there’s more for them to feel.
If you show the emotion, you take away from viewers imagination. That’s what some directors think, anyway, that it is better to hint at the emotion and leave the rest up to the viewer, so that there’s more for them to feel.
Empathy is an emotion. Some can’t feel that unless provoked by real tears. the salty ones.
Empathy is an emotion. Some can’t feel that unless provoked by real tears. the salty ones.
Crying or not, I think Please is one of their best videos ever. It’s also one of their best songs and my personal favourite, it’s perhaps the new version of Sunday Bloody Sunday, same band, same theme, but 10+ years later. Band has changed and developed, situation in Ireland hasn’t really. Although perhaps now…
Crying or not, I think Please is one of their best videos ever. It’s also one of their best songs and my personal favourite, it’s perhaps the new version of Sunday Bloody Sunday, same band, same theme, but 10+ years later. Band has changed and developed, situation in Ireland hasn’t really. Although perhaps now…
And how they performed it on the popmart tour was gutwrenching when the cams and strobes would cut to different shots of Bono when he would…Aighaigh. Awesome!
And how they performed it on the popmart tour was gutwrenching when the cams and strobes would cut to different shots of Bono when he would…Aighaigh. Awesome!
The remembrance of their Please performance in Rotterdam shure sends the shiveres up and down
my spine again….great emotional song but what a swing as well….
The remembrance of their Please performance in Rotterdam shure sends the shiveres up and down
my spine again….great emotional song but what a swing as well….
seeing the band perform please in baltimore just 5 weeks after 9/11, the song’s elevation tour premiere, was one of the most thrilling live moments I have ever experienced.
seeing the band perform please in baltimore just 5 weeks after 9/11, the song’s elevation tour premiere, was one of the most thrilling live moments I have ever experienced.