We finally managed to digitize Parousia’s 1984 video production based on the song “Keep Running.” This video made it’s rounds on VHS tape for years, so please excuse the degraded quality, but it’s quirky charm shines through.
This video was shot in several locations, some in Buffalo, NY and some in Dallas, TX. Editing and Mastering completed at Warner Brothers access studio in Dallas by Parousia’s good friend Gregg Filippone. Gregg’s brother Randy Filippone recorded all of the live footage of the band performing in Buffalo at the Chamber.
Gerry coordinated the effort and put together the storyboard, and in the spirit of the Who’s “Quadrophenia” and Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains The Same“, each member of Parousia was asked to contribute their own section so that each personality would be represented in the video. The result is entertaining, amusing, comical, thought provoking and at times slightly disturbing. Especially when viewing Robert Lowden’s stop-action sequence, filmed by Gerry on a Super-8 camera in a back room at the Chamber.
It’s hard to believe this is 30 years old.
Keep Running Lyrics (as written on the original papyrus)
Zombie Parousia. ‘We’ll eat your brain if you have one.’
Here’s a little promo piece for the new revised Parousia incarnation which soon spawned the song “Keep Running” and this video to go along with it. This was a particularly creative and prolific stage for the band.
The Dawn of a New Parousia
And here is an outake featuring Buffalo’s own “Ms. Heavy Metal”, Nicole Ashley, posing for her role as the mystical Enchantress in the video.
Wow, this is a great video from a great band I forgot all about. That guy playing the flute was like Jethro Tull on steroids, I never seen nothing like that before. I wish this video had one of their flute songs, they were amazing. I liked when they had Kim in the band and played at the Masthead by Buff State. They were supposed to be a punk band but wtf, I don’t know what they were, other than awesome.
Parousia and Labatt’s Blue. The perfect evening in 1980’s Buffalo NY.
Holy crap, I haven’t seen this in so long. I used to live in Buffalo and we would all go and party at this weird industrial attic on Kenmore Ave and these guys would be playing and they would have TVs showing weird videos and the bass player was kind of scary. I think I passed out in the parking lot once. What ever happened to that singer, he was kind of sexy, in a Bowie kind of way. I hope he’s not dead or something, I thought for sure he’d be famous by now.
Well, I’m happy to say I’m not dead, anyway.
This video is classic 80’s MTV fodder.
What is this video about? I don’t get it. I thought Parousia was about Jesus coming back, and I look at this and there’s some guy with a sword and a magic satanic diamond and some guy dressed like death playing chess, and some crazy negro. Death doesn’t play chess, he comes and takes your soul, that’s why you need Jesus. This Parousia better “keep running” because God will punsh them for making this stupid video which I don’t understand at all.
I remember seeing these guys open up for Pegasonics (aka Pegasus) at the old Granada Theater when they did the big New New York show. Pegasus + Parousia = one hell of a show!
Is this the Parousia that played at the Port Colborne Arena? Those guys were great! We don’t get fooled again
Parousia used to play some great songs noone else would dare to even try. Hocus Pocus by Focus, Perpetual Change by Yes and Squonk by Genesis. What other cover bands would attempt this stuff. I loved going to see Parousia play.
Wow, what a blast from the past. I remember seeing Parousia at Melanie’s, they were like the house band for a while there. Great times, always entertaining.
wow, blast from the past for sure…….
Oh man, this is a trip to see.
No doubt inspired by, and for, that new phenomenon captivating the youth of America, MTV
Can’t believe it’s 30 years old now Gerry, still love the video. Brings back the memories when you first showed it to me and Robby when we visited you! I still can’t help laughing at the cheesy special effects from the 80’s, LOL!
yep, cutting edge Commodore 64 courtesy of Gerald North Cannizzaro, we spared no expense!
The ‘special effects’ were generated using a Radio Shack TRS-80 color computer, the major competitor to the Commodore 64 at the time.
Yes, that is correct. Gerry and I usually agreed on most things, but as I was a Commodore 64 man, Gerry continued to promote that Radio Shack piece of garbage. As to who was right, only time will tell.
I saw it!! is really good.
Wow what a blast from the past. It’s been years since I’ve seen that. How cool to see that video again. What a great space that was on Kenmore ave.
That was a blast from the past all right very cool
Great song, I smell a little DEVO in it
Garth, I still have the ‘Magic Amulet’ from the video…
I can only imagine all the wonderful good fortune it’s brought you over the years – you must be living like a king
Yeah, except it only works when i’m standing in the middle of a Pentagram…
I have to give Gregg credit though for the timing in the video. He has events happening perfectly timed to the beats, and that was a lot of work back in the day.
I remember seeing this the first time in the 80s, then showing it to Tyna in the 90s, now showing it to Elizabeth. I still love it. Robert’s scene still kinda freaks me out! Lol.
I filmed Robert’s scenes with an old Super 8 movie camera using “stop animation” mode. I had fun with that!
Thanks for passing our video down from generation to generation.
Yeah, I bet you did… it’s creepy! Very good effect, though!
Yeah, Bob’s section turned out to be the most vintage artsy section of the video. Odd thing is, it IS Robert Stuart Lowden to a tee. Somewhere between madman and genius, Bob happily skates that line. Someday I’ll corner him and get him to sit down with me and shoot the sh*t again – – elusive b*st*rd!
GERRY—
I FINALLY WATCHED THIS AND IT WAS AWESOME!
MTV was STUPID not to play your video—
Great drumming—and great video and music—time for a reunion concert!
VERY COOL!
What a time capsule!
And remember way back when MTV was actually about music videos! HA!
Thanks for sharing man.
Cool music. Fun visuals. Nice production. Thanks for posting this one!
The interesting thing was that I wasn’t present for a majority of the shooting, since I was pursuing my second love, shoe store management. The guys all went to Texas and my scenes were shot in Buffalo. Gregg did a great job putting it all together.