The accompanying video for Ralegh Long‘s “The Dukes of Stratosphear” (our Song of the Day), opens to a scene of travelling through the countryside. Captured on super 8 film in all its analogue glory, the warmth of the moment is heightened as you hear a woman asking off screen “what is it?” A casual reply of “my film, I’ve been trying to put a commentary to bits of it” is followed by a laugh.
Being exposed to these private moments can be emotional to watch, not just for those who have a connection with the film-maker, in this instance Ralegh’s grandfather, but for anyone. It’s easy to suggest that this emotional pull affects people of a certain age. I for one, was very exposed to analogue technology and find myself strongly drawn back to it from the sterile environment offered today – where both the visual and audible noise is now removed by technology in pursuit of perfect reproduction (read ‘The New Analog’ by Damon Krukowski of Galaxie 500 for a great insight into this strange cultural lurch we’ve taken). As a very keen film photographer, I know, through those I meet and talk to, that a younger generation are equally drawn to the analogue magic. The attraction has not been lost on the music makers either as there is an increasing number of music videos now being made on super 8 and in some cases featuring both old and new footage.
Ralegh’s decision to use the footage for ‘The Dukes of Stratosphear” was a brilliant idea…it feels like the music he has created was made for this moment.
He tells me “I found a box of my grandfather’s early super 8 films in the attic. He was an engineer and an early adopter of technology so I found reels and reels of home footage shot in the 50’s and 60’s which I transferred to digital and edited.
“It’s an intimate portrait of suburban life – house parties, kids painting model aeroplanes, playing football in the street.”
While his grandad may not have got to put that commentary he speaks of to his cinefilm, what his grandson has done with that film is nothing short of magical.
The song itself was premiered by Gideon Coe on 6, and picked up by Tom Robinson, and is on Apple Music’s Breaking Singer/Songwriter and Today’s Acoustic Playlists.
Listen on Spotify
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