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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBASIL, ToniUS choreographer and video pioneer turned singer. Association with music began '60s; choreographed some Shindig and Hullabaloo TV shows in USA, also the Monkee's cult movie Head '69, American Graffiti '74. As rock shows became fancier, advised David Bowie ('77 Diamond Dogs tour), Linda Ronstadt, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, others. Moved into video with Talking Heads (co-directing with David Byrne) and continuing parallel dance career with own troupe the Lockers; into musical performance when new Radialchoice label came up with video album for club patrons to look at and dance to at the same time. Result was Word of Mouth '81, with (uncredited) contributions from Members of Devo, Brand X's John Goodsall, ex-Seatrain violinist Richard Greene. The drawback was Basil's voice, like Kate Bush with laryngitis, wearing on a mixed bag of material incl. Bacharach/ David's "Little Red Book', Devo's "Be Stiff'. Though the project didn't work commercially, subsequent 30-minute TV show generated interest: Chinn & Chapman's "Mickey' no. 1 USA late '82, nine months after being no. 2 UK: her only top 40 entry was described by Rolling Stone as "cheerleading vocals [and] a backing track that merges Eighties funk to Sixties garage-rock'. LP Toni Basil '83 on Chrysalis. |