The Bubblemen — The Bubblemen Are Coming

JUL 01 1988 · 12:00

The Bubblemen — The Bubblemen Are Coming (1988) Era: Late MTV Golden Age / Post-Punk Novelty Era (1988) - A period when post-punk acts increasingly embraced absurdist, low-budget concept videos as deliberate anti-spectacle statements against mainstream rock excess. High curatorial value as a singular, fully-documented absurdist artifact from the UK post-punk canon. Represents the only video output under The Bubblemen alias, making it irreplaceable for any retrospective study of Love and Rockets, Bauhaus-lineage artists, or 1988 UK alternative culture. Its cult status, Beavis and Butt-Head exposure, and inclusion in post-punk/EBM compilations confirm enduring cross-generational relevance. Context: Released in June 1988, this video represents a deliberate creative detour by the members of Love and Rockets — ex-Bauhaus members whose gothic rock legacy loomed large over their public identity. The Bubblemen project functioned as an absurdist pressure valve: full creature-costume anonymity allowed the performers to strip away their alternative rock credibility entirely in favor of playful surrealism. The single, issued on Beggars Banquet Records, was accompanied by a comic book, reinforcing the project's multimedia, world-building ambitions. The concept originated as a personal doodle that evolved into a performance alter-ego, later used in Love and Rockets live shows and crossover video cameos. The video's subsequent appearance on Beavis and Butt-Head cemented it as a cult artifact of late-1980s UK post-punk whimsy. Director notes: Released June 6, 1988 on Beggars Banquet Records (BEG214). The video features the band performing in full Bubblemen bubble/bee-like creature costumes. It was later featured on the Beavis and Butt-Head television program, which provided its widest mainstream US exposure. A brief excerpt also appeared in the Love and Rockets videos 'No New Tale to Tell' and 'Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)'. The single was accompanied by a comic book, elements of which appear to have been incorporated into the video presentation. The single was produced by John A. Rivers and The Bubblemen per Discogs credits.