Hawaii-Bombay (Mecano) — Hawaii-Bombay (Mecano)

JUL 01 1985 · 12:00

Hawaii-Bombay (Mecano) — Hawaii-Bombay (Mecano) (1985) Director: Juan Gatti & Paco Cuevas Era: La Movida Madrileña / Early Spanish MTV Era (1984–1985) - Peak of Spain's post-Franco countercultural explosion; synth-pop acts like Mecano embodied a new liberated pop identity released from censorship, with CBS Spain backing cinematic music video production. A rare confirmed artifact of Juan Gatti's music video work before his celebrated pivot to cinema with Almodóvar, and a primary document of Mecano's visual identity at the Movida's peak. The video's narrative ambition, desert cinematography, and warm theatrical palette distinguish it from contemporaneous Spanish pop videos, making it an essential preservation target for both music video history and Spanish cultural heritage archives. Context: Released at the height of La Movida Madrileña, 'Hawaii-Bombay' captures Mecano — Spain's defining synth-pop trio of the 1980s — deploying an adventurous, cinematic music video that aligned with the liberated creative spirit of post-Franco Spain. The video's road-movie narrative, co-directed by CBS Spain art director Juan Gatti (who simultaneously shaped the visual identities of Alaska y Dinarama and other Movida acts), reflects the era's appetite for internationally inflected, genre-aware pop culture. The song's release on CBS Spain in 1984–1985 places it at the intersection of European synth-pop and a distinctly Spanish cultural moment of creative liberation. Director notes: Confirmed co-directed by Juan Gatti and Paco Cuevas per IMVDb and FilmAffinity. The video follows a narrative of two travelers, Norman and Sally, driving toward Bombay who are intercepted by motorcycle men in a desert setting — a cinematic genre pastiche consistent with Gatti's graphic-art and theatrical visual sensibility developed during his tenure at CBS Spain. Released April 8, 1985 in Spain per IMDB; the song itself dates to 1984 on the album 'Ya Viene el Sol.' Runtime approximately 4 minutes. Shot in color with mono sound mix. Aspect ratio 1.33:1 (4:3). Gatti's background as CBS Spain art director made him the natural creative bridge between the label's visual branding and Mecano's videos during the peak Movida era.