Squeeze - Hourglass (HQ)

What this video is

Released in July 1987 as the lead single from Babylon and On, 'Hourglass' arrived at a moment when MTV's rotational power could transform a niche British band into a US chart contender overnight. Squeeze had long been celebrated in the UK but struggled to convert critical acclaim into American sales. The Edmondson-directed video — suffused with Dalí-esque optical illusions and practical forced-perspective effects —…

Why it matters

A defining example of British New Wave's late-period US breakthrough, 'Hourglass' demonstrates how a high-concept, effects-driven music video could overcome a band's perceived regional specificity and drive mainstream chart success. Its win at the 1988 MTV VMAs for Best Special Effects canonises…

The director

Adrian Charles 'Ade' Edmondson (born 24 January 1957, Bradford, West Yorkshire) is a British actor, comedian, writer, director, and musician. Best known for TV roles as Vyvyan in The Young Ones (1982–84) and Eddie Hitler in Bottom (1991–95), both co-written…