Pleasure - Elcka

What this video is

Released in early 1999, 'Pleasure' by Elcka sits at the twilight of British Britpop's commercial dominance. The band — signed to Island Records and having toured as support to Morrissey — represented the art-school wing of 1990s British rock. The video was a hit on Russian MTV, demonstrating the transnational reach of UK alternative rock in this period. The song's release was ultimately overshadowed by Universal's…

Why it matters

Documents the post-Britpop British alternative rock moment of 1999, when bands with Island Records pedigree and Melody Maker critical acclaim navigated major-label consolidation. Elcka's blend of art-school swagger and melodic rock, produced with Ashley Beedle's dance-influenced production…

The director

Tony van den Ende is a British-based director, filmmaker and photographer whose career spans the 1980s through 2000s. He directed over 92 music videos, with notable credits including A Flock of Seagulls ('I Ran'), Simply Red ('Holding Back The Years'), The…