On the hunt for Paul Weller : The Music Promo Videos and their Directors…

I love a music promo video – always have done, always will. There’s something really special about seeing your favourite artist and their latest song being brought to life as a short film. I especially love it when it’s a video from the musician who has been away from the spotlight for a bit and this is the first chance to see them and their new creation for a while. What’s the new look? The new sound? Will I like it?

That little gap in 2000 post Heliocentric and the arrival of ‘It’s Written in the Stars’ was one of those moments for me. The look and feel felt like a new direction, where was Paul taking us next? A teaser for a new album on the way. Ditto when that video for Gravity landed in 2018 as it had been a few years since we’d had a proper, full on music video from Mr Weller (thanks Johnny Harris).

I was born in December 1975, Bohemian Rhapsody from Queen was Number One in the charts which came with a music video that has now been watched over one billion times on YouTube! A promo that is generally recognized as the first-ever promotional music video (although most likely a claim from the band so I’m not sure how true this really is? Did The Beatles not do promo videos for a start?)

I guess I’d be part of what is known as The MTV Generation – my discovery of music being a mix of radio – usually Radio Essex, more likely Radio 1 if I was in control, along with my parents music collection (these big cartridges that I’ve never seen since and records / vinyl for The Beatles, Bowie and Motown mostly) and TV – Top of the Pops, Saturday Morning TV (Number 73). In fact, one of my earliest memories, is being allowed to stay up late to watch the December 1982 premiere of Michael Jackson’s Thriller (most probably it was at 7pm but I was only 7 at the time!). The opening sequence kicked in with Jacko doing a bit of romancing… “I was wondering if you’d be my girl?” before the full moon reveals itself, he drops to the floor in agony, and looks up with those bright yellow eyes, and white fangs, roaring ‘Go Away!’ …cue screaming from the girl, but also from myself as I leapt out my skin and jumped behind the television asking for the TV to be turned off!

A Paul Weller Promo video is always a real highlight too – and my discovery of his music back in 1992 was first via the radio – but closely followed up by a performance on Top of The Pops (with Steve White, Camelle Hinds and Jacko Peake) youtu.be/ge3hjcWII94 and then the fabulous promo video from Director, Pedro Romanyi…

When it comes to ‘Most Watched’ on YouTube – there are two Weller Solo music promos that sit at the top of the charts – Broken Stones with nearly 5 million views on YouTube and You Do Something to Me over 13 million views! (both directed by Sonja Phillips – a now-multi-award-winning film-maker and storyteller).

YDSTM is ahead of The Jam – That’s Entertainment on 11 million but just slightly behind The Jam – Going Underground which at the time of writing is around 80,000 views away from 14 million! (In case you are wondering Town called Malice is top with 18 million views!) Official videos for The Style Council put Walls Come Tumbling Down at 6.3m, You’re The Best Thing at 10.6m and Shout to the Top (just shy of 15m views).

But here’s the thing – in the world of digital streaming, it’s really hard to find out who created these things. Gone are the days of the DVD collection of promo videos – we last had a Weller Solo-only video collection back in 2004 ! – which did have credits for all the directors but since then it’s a bit of a struggle.

We’ve identified a few from recent years including Ben Smallwood, Johnny Harris and Episode 5 Podcast Guest Lee Cogswell from Mono Media Films who directed Movin’ On, White Horses and Still Glides the Stream…

Oh, and Weller Bandmate Andy Crofts even got in on the act for promo videos for Dragonfly, Be Happy Children and These City Streets.

A future article will focus on The Jam and The Style Council music promos – but for this one – let’s clear up the whole Paul Weller Solo journey through the power of the music video.
Drop a reply into the end of the feature and we’ll endeavour to plug the gaps on this page!

When we have found them all, I’ll tidy this page up to showcase them all properly – and will endeavour to track them down for the podcast too.

Paul Weller Solo – The Director’s So Far… Pedro Romhanyi, Sonja Phillips, Douglas Hart, Lawrence Watson, Heidi Easton, Andy Hylton, Stuart Watson, Julian Temple, Terry Hall, Andy Crofts, .RuffMercy, Franck Trebillac, Ralph Fuller, Ben Jones, Towa Shimizu, Joe Connor, Dan Massie, Joe Lee, Gemma Yin, Ben Smallwood, Johnny Harris, Lee Cogswell, Martin Kovalenko, Jeanne Jo, Liam Painter, Jordan Martin, Jamie Neale.

Paul Weller Solo – The Music Promo Directors

Into Tomorrow – 1991 – Pedro Romanyi – youtube.com/watch?v=xUDC_nghjrU
Uh-Huh Oh Yeh! – 1992 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/16u4zoD6b7s
Above The Clouds – 1992 – Pedro Romanyi – youtube.com/watch?v=W9up2Gdkb4g
Sunflower – 1993 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/BeiB9x5XT_0
The Weaver – 1993 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/mqJAEb7sYks (not official channel)
Wild Wood – 1993 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/A9_ffgwLVCs
Hung Up – 1994 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/VGNnQ12ItuE
Out of the Sinking – 1994 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/Ih4Zj-YNNvs
The Changing Man – 1995 – Pedro Romanyi – youtu.be/0v9WhRpQw8E
You Do Something To Me – 1995 – Sonja Phillips – youtu.be/tM1rSTOs7Zs
Broken Stones – 1995 – Sonja Phillips – youtu.be/N_M8m4Yr7vc
Peacock Suit – 1996 – Douglas Hart – youtu.be/qOYrioF-hB8
Brushed – 1997 – Lawrence Watson – .youtube.com/watch?v=vzwFjO6Wo_U
Friday Street – 1997 – Douglas Hart – youtube.com/watch?v=XdumsNbxHJI
Mermaids – 1997 – Douglas Hart – youtu.be/t220C_MJeA0 (not official channel)
Brand New Start – 1998 – Douglas Hart – youtube.com/watch?v=uma0WjecyKE
He’s The Keeper – 2000 – youtube.com/watch?v=dUx-E8w3ctU
Sweet Pea, My Sweet Pea – 2000 – Heidi Watson – youtube.com/watch?v=SVGpM8L8zg8
It’s Written in the Stars – 2002 – Jake and Jim? – youtu.be/p2DAB6OT_dY
Leafy Mysteries – 2002 – youtube.com/watch?v=gydo8Ay35Fg
The Bottle – 2004 – No Video
Wishing on a Star – 2004 – Lawrence Watson – youtu.be/IFNVphdH1Ds
Thinking of You – 2004 – No Video
Early Morning Rain – 2005 – No Video
Come Together – 2005 No Video
From the Floodboards Up – 2005 – Lawrence Watson & Stuart Watson – youtu.be/PXd5G8inhwk
Come On / Let’s Go – 2005 – Andy Hylton – youtu.be/X74W_CsP2Os
Here’s the Good News – 2005 – Lawrence Watson & Stuart Watson youtu.be/sDTxESYhvdE
Wild Blue Yonder – 2006 – youtu.be/blGkMy5uZ7c
This Old Town – 2007 – No Video
Have You Made Up Your Mind? – 2008 – youtu.be/Bs8JwkVh8IE
Echoes Round the Sun – 2008 – Terry Hall (Love Commercial Prod Co.) – youtu.be/BizTKLzke3g
All I Wanna Do (Is be with you) 2008 – No Video
Push It Along – 2008 – No Video
Sea Spray – 2008 – No Video
22 Dreams – 2008 – No Video
7&3 is the Striker’s Name – Dec 2009 – Lawrence Watson – youtu.be/bNE0h_bIQis
No Tears To Cry – April 2010 – Julian Temple – youtu.be/TPaoGccYfAE
Wake Up The Nation – 2010 – Julian Temple – youtu.be/fH2JQuHFlrQ
Find the Torch, Burn the Plans – 2010 – No Video
Fast Car/Slow Traffic – 2010 – youtube.com/watch?v=GxdLSv_Xbbg
Starlite – 2011 – No Video
Around the Lake – Nov 2011 – youtu.be/JdOi9lVutJ0
That Dangerous Age – Feb 2012 – youtu.be/_mGucuejMQE
Birthday – 2012 – No Video
The Attic – 2012 – No Video
Green – Sonik Kicks DVD – .RuffMercy
Dragonfly – Sonik Kicks DVD – Franck Trebillac of Burning Head – youtu.be/38do_SE2eR8
Sleep of The Serene – Sonik Kicks DVD – Ralph Fuller
Be Happy Children – Sonik Kicks DVD – Andy Crofts
Drifters – Sonik Kicks DVD – Ben Jones
Dragonfly – Sonik Kicks DVD – Andy Crofts
Paperchase – Sonik Kicks DVD – Towa Shimizu Of Messrs
Flame-Out! – 2013 – No Video
Brand New Toy – 2014 – Joe Connor – youtu.be/QOJm9QQzYt0
White Sky – Feb 2015 – Dan Massie – youtu.be/vARCtbWH-cE
Saturns Pattern – 2015 – No Video
These City Streets – 2015 – Andy Crofts – youtu.be/9BuJzYbNG_M
Going My Way – May 2015 – youtu.be/aSXWcosvVMk
I’m Where I Should Be – Aug 2015 – Gemma Yin – youtu.be/qYsUr7KgUsw
Pick It Up – Nov 2015 – Ben Smallwood – youtu.be/G55Qm78WQu8
Long Long Road – 2017 – Joe Lee ( Animator ) – vimeo.com/210735215
Nova – 2017 – No Video
Mother Ethopia – 2017 – No Video
Woo Sé Mama – 2017 – No Video
The Cranes Are Back – 2017 – No Video
One Tear – 2017 – No Video
She Moves with the Fayre – Andy Crofts – youtu.be/3kB7V4qyEI8?si=EZlm_LudVNC-0ciJ
Gravity – Sep 2018 – Johnny Harris – youtu.be/VuGSA31Cfyw
Aspects – 2018 – Lyric Video
Movin’ On – 2018 – Lee Cogswell – youtu.be/zetwUICmGPg
White Horses – 2018 – Lee Cogswell – youtu.be/wz4DUc7QL_E
Bowie – 2018 – Jeanne Jo – youtu.be/mqg41CI-GeQ
The Soul Searchers – 2018 – Lyric Video
Earth Beat – 2020 – Lyric Video
Village – 2020 – Lyric Video
On Sunset – July 2020 – Martin Kovalenko – youtu.be/HqtZcFrZDpU
More – Aug 2020 – Liam Painter – https://youtu.be/C-xxfTFqMvM
Rockets – Aug 2020 – Jordan Martin – youtu.be/3utI6R4Wjq4
Cosmic Fringes – Feb 2021 – Douglas Hart – youtu.be/hmiQ9ZOAC6w
Fat Pop – 2021 – Jamie Neale – youtu.be/Iu9A4zRdnZg
Shades of Blue – April 2021 – youtu.be/TkXmyWcOw7E
Still Glides The Stream – June 2021 – Lee Cogswell – youtu.be/ndUzDdhROkM

Podcast Interviews

Below you will find podcast conversations with some of the film-makers mentioned – along with their video creations…

Sonja Phillips – You Do Something To Me & Broken Stones

You Do Something To Me – 1995 – Sonja Phillips
Broken Stones – 1995 – Sonja Phillips

Lawrence Watson – Wishing on a Star, From the Flooboards Up, Here’s The Good News, 7&3 is the Striker’s Name

Wishing on a Star – 2004 – Lawrence Watson
From the Floodboards Up – 2005 – Lawrence Watson & Stuart Watson
Here’s the Good News – 2005 – Lawrence Watson & Stuart Watson
7&3 is the Striker’s Name – Dec 2009 – Lawrence Watson

Andy Crofts – These City Streets

Be Happy Children – 2012
These City Streets – 2015
Andy also created video for Dragonfly for the Sonik Kicks Bonus DVD

Lee Cogswell – Movin’ On, White Horses & Still Glides The Stream

Movin’ On – 2018
White Horses – 2018 – Lee Cogswell
Still Glides The Stream – June 2021