‘….I’ve flown around the world standing on the wing of a jet’.
Last Friday evening I was sat excitedly in the ICA, London, waiting for the screening of ‘Infected’, a long-lost-long-form video and album by 80s band The The, now celebrating its 30th anniversary. The The is the moniker of Matt Johnson, a musician with a singular vision and many demons to shake from his head. And the ambition of the LP reached beyond the radio play of singles into film which explored locations in South America and Spanish Harlem in New York. The intensity of the movie was matched by the vibrant cover art by Matt’s brother Andy Dog which featured despairing fighter pilots, climaxing devils and other desires that cannot be satisfied.
In 1987, it was a huge influence on my peer group at art college. The album and the film are both classics, but oddly the film was never released on DVD and today only a few of its 8 tracks can be found on youtube. Here’s the title track. Is it about AIDs or the spread of western influence?
When the film finished, everyone in the ICA was stunned, but there was more. After the screening there was a short interview with Matt, and to be honest, I was too excited to remember what was said! After all, Matt has been reclusive for sometime and apart from a few soundtracks his last major release was 16 years ago.
It would be fantastic to hear a new The The album but I hope there is a re-issue of Infected as it would be great to see it influence a new generation. Just how it did the heads-in of my first flat-mates, Hardy and Steve, myself and many others.