The J. Geils Band - Love Stinks

What this video is

Released January 28, 1980, 'Love Stinks' arrived at a pivotal inflection point: MTV would not launch until August 1981, meaning this promo clip was produced and circulated within the older broadcast/retail promotional film system — aired on late-night TV programs and used as in-store display material. The song was co-written by Peter Wolf and Seth Justman, possibly inspired by Wolf's 1979 divorce from actress Faye…

Why it matters

Represents the transitional grammar between the 1970s concert-promo film and the MTV-era music video. The performance-document format, 16mm warmth, and slow editorial rhythm are direct antecedents to the early MTV clip aesthetic. As one of Chuck Statler's confirmed pre-MTV commissions, it belongs…

The director

Akron-born, Minneapolis-based filmmaker widely credited as the 'godfather of the music video.' Met DEVO founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerry Casale at Kent State University in the early 1970s. Go-to director for Stiff, Blank, and ZE Records. Credits include…