That Petrol Emotion — Genius Move (Promo)

JUL 01 1987 · 12:00

That Petrol Emotion — Genius Move (Promo) (1987) Era: UK Post-Punk / Indie Rock Transition Era (1987) - Period marking That Petrol Emotion's move from Polydor to Virgin Records, coinciding with the release of the politically charged non-album single 'Genius Move' in October 1987, at the height of British alternative rock's pre-Madchester ferment. High curatorial value as a preserved primary visual document of one of the most critically significant yet commercially overlooked UK alternative bands of the 1980s. The video supports a track that was actively censored by the BBC, lending it particular historical importance as an artefact of the intersection between political speech, popular music, and broadcast media gatekeeping in Thatcher-era Britain. Its survival provides a rare audio-visual record of the band's peak-period presentation and energy, complementing the extensive critical rehabilitation That Petrol Emotion have received in the decades since their dissolution. Context: Released in October 1987, 'Genius Move' arrived at a pivotal moment for That Petrol Emotion: freshly signed to Virgin Records after exploiting a contractual loophole to exit Polydor, the band released this non-album single as the bridge between their critically acclaimed Babble (May 1987, UK #30) and their forthcoming third LP. The single was banned from BBC airplay due to a reference to Sinn Féin politician Gerry Adams on the sleeve artwork — a politically explosive association in a year when Adams' voice would soon be subject to a formal broadcast ban (1988–1994). The band's music fused post-punk urgency with emerging dance-punk influences and an explicit engagement with the Northern Ireland Troubles, making this promo video a document of a band whose art was inseparable from political identity. Their work is credited with anticipating both the Madchester indie-dance movement and the early 2000s post-punk revival. Director notes: The promo video for 'Genius Move' (Virgin Records, VS 1022, released October 1987) was produced to support the single, which was subsequently banned from BBC airplay due to a reference to Sinn Féin politician Gerry Adams on the sleeve artwork. The single was produced by Roli Mosimann and remixed by John Leckie. The video is referenced on the official That Petrol Emotion fan/band website (thatpetrolemotion.com/videos/) as one of the preserved promo clips. No production company or director credit has been documented in any publicly accessible source.