Ian Hunter — All of the Good Ones Are Taken

JUL 01 1983 · 12:00

Ian Hunter — All of the Good Ones Are Taken (1983) Director: Martin Kahan Era: MTV First Wave (1983) - Peak early MTV era; post-glam British rock artist adapting to American music video format during the channel's rapid mainstream expansion High curatorial value as a rare surviving document of Ian Hunter's mid-career video work during the formative MTV era. The video bridges glam rock's legacy with early 80s mainstream American rock, directed by Martin Kahan whose small but verified filmography makes this one of his most historically significant credits. The comedic New York City aesthetic and fast-cut editing style offer a valuable snapshot of 1983 music video production conventions. Context: Released in 1983 at the height of early MTV's cultural dominance, this video represents the adaptation of a British rock veteran — Ian Hunter, former frontman of Mott the Hoople — to the American music video format. Hunter had relocated to New York City, and the album was recorded at Wizard Sound in New York State during winter 1982/83, released on CBS Inc. The song's jangly, melodic hard-rock sound stood apart from the synth-heavy pop dominating radio, offering a more organic, guitar-driven counterpoint. The comedic, narrative-driven video approach aligned with early MTV's appetite for story-based clips that could function as short films, echoing the influence of contemporary films like Arthur (1981) on pop culture visual language. Director notes: Directed for Ian Hunter in 1983, produced by Bob Jason (IMVDb). The video is set to the fast version of the title track from Hunter's sixth solo studio album, recorded at Wizard Sound in New York State during the winter of 1982/83 and released on CBS Inc. The video adopts a comedic, theatrically staged approach evoking the style of the 1981 film Arthur, reflecting Hunter's New York City period. IMDB lists the music video as a 1983 production with a 7.3 user rating.