Ken Foree & the Birth of MTV
- Paul Mcvay
- 11 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Once in a great while, we encourage the ICFH staff to sit back and watch hours of videos that seemingly have nothing to do with their assignments. During one of these "breaks," a keen-eyed ICFH staffer noticed something that hasn't been brought to light.
Any horror movie buff can tell you about Ken Foree's impact on film history and the fringes thereof. Foree starred in George Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978) and has gone on to star in many genre film favorites since. But, in between gigs, back in those rough days, Ken Foree played a part in the history of MTV (albeit unknown to him then, and the rest of us as well).
Pittsburgh-based new wave band The Silencers reportedly signed a contract with Epic Records in 1980 before ever playing a live show. If that wasn't impressive enough, their management arranged to film three "music videos" based on their songs. This was before the "Music Video" was a thing, but back then, it helped promote and/or secure a record deal if you could show that your band had a distinct angle. It was often called a "Video Showcase".
The Silencers filmed three music videos in early 1980, showcasing their talents. The music video "Remote Control" features actor Ken Foree in brief snippets as "The Bartender."
The song "Remote Control" never hit the Top 100 on Billboard during those days, and The Silencers did not go on to top 40 radio stardom, although they probably should have. So, the music and the "Video Showcase" that The Silencers paid for were lost to the ether until 1981.
On August 1, 1981, MTV launched its 24-hour music video channel. Because music videos were scarce then, MTV readily accepted any available videos, and The Silencers' music video for Remote Control debuted on that historic day in 1981. It is possible that this was the first and last time the video for Remote Control by The Silencers ever played on MTV. Our research shows that that notion might indeed be the case.
On August 1, 1981, The Silencers' Remote Control was the 40th music video played that day. It was preceded by REO Speedwagon's "Don't Let Him Go" and followed by Juice Newton's "Angel of the Morning." Securing its place in broadcast history.
Ken Foree lists his appearance in The Silencers' "Remote Control" music video in his official IMDb filmography, so it is not as if he has been hiding it. However, we must provide a few screencaps, as this is a huge discovery for the small ICFH staff. Nothing gets us more juiced than seeing "Peter" from Dawn of the Dead in a music video!
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