Friday Afternoon Videos: Close (To the Edit)

When Houstonist was little, this video freaked us out. Not sure if it was the punked-out middle school girl, the suit-clad men with chainsaws, or the multiple instruments being destroyed. It's weirdness is what made the Art of Noise's "Close (To the Edit)" extraordinary back in 1984.

Many people (including us) didn't know that the band Art of Noise was created by record producer Trevor Horn and music journalist Paul Morley. Horn is best known for his production work (Yes, Seal, ABC, and many more) and being the lead vocalist for his own group The Buggles.

Art of Noise reached the Top 10 in the U.K. with this single, but it never entered the American charts. Their only two Top 40 hits in the U.S. were collaborations: "Paranoimia" with computer-generated character Max Headroom and Prince cover "Kiss" with Tom Jones. However, their only song that has stood the test of time was 1985's "Moments in Love," which can still be heard on (of all things) smooth jazz radio stations.