Rod Stewart - Passion

What this video is

Released in late 1980, 'Passion' occupies a precise cultural hinge point: the end of the post-disco commercial boom and the first stirrings of synth-dominated early 80s pop. Stewart, having achieved massive commercial success with 'Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?' (1978), was navigating an artistic and commercial repositioning. The promo clip — shot in a church with low light, blurring effects, and a near-static camera —…

Why it matters

Represents a key document of the post-disco arena-rock/early synth-pop crossover, illustrating how established 1970s rock stars like Stewart adapted visual and sonic identity for the incoming decade. The brooding church setting and near-absence of conventional performance energy anticipates the…

The director

Mike Mansfield (b. 1940) is a British director, producer, and television personality. He is best known as the creator and on-screen host-director of ITV's pop music series Supersonic (1975–1977), produced by London Weekend Television. His distinctive…