slight babbling

Again.. the video clip. Someone mentioned that the video clip takes away the appreciation of a good song.
This is very much true, however i think the music video is extremely important to us as a media saturated society. I believe that no matter how intelligent, stupid, funny, lame etc. a music video can get, these videos are important in recognising our culture(nationally, internationally) at each moment in time. You have moments when a song comes on the radio or is being played at a bar, or anywhere and it can automatically trigger memories associated to that particular song or era in which the song was released.
Video's can be a visual trigger. Not just in terms of the song but in its mise-en-scene, its camera technique, themes, views presented, choreography, characters, dancers, costume, make-up, hair etc. In most cases you can tell which era or which country a video clip was made by these such factors. Even when they are set in the past or future, their views of what they were or will be like reflect a culture's or an era's perspective of music and society.
As a visual memory they can enhance a song. Take the incredible song 'Electric Dream' by Shapeshifter. As awesome as it is already, and of course its even better live, those of you who experienced 'Rhythm n Vines' in Gisborne this year, are able to experience a part of your new years or remember that concert through the video clip for this song. The camera filters and editing even give you a sense of the season, summer, travelling and New Zealand. As well as the setting, backdrop and live material.
Or they can do exactly the opposite and turn you away from a song or keep you from even recognising 'appreciating' the song. For example 'London Bridge' by Fergie.. Whether it was a good song or not, i immediately didn't like it when i watched it. It's choreography, setting..possibly even just her, i couldn't interpret it as anything but a tasteless fergilicious dive.
As well as being able to visually bring back eras; i.e Spice Girls 'Wannabe', costume and dance, and create eras i.e. emo- My Chemical Romance, video clips can tell you about the country and culture its mediated through. Take the American hip-hop culture for instance, with its bling, video 'hoes', expensive cars, houses and other pretencious materialistic objects. Its so reptitive its expected from most hip-hop artists, and tells you about what's important in that culture. And with each new must-have technology or media, its quite possible you could tell which era of hip-hop, for example artists such as Bow-wow and the use of MySpace in his latest clip.
New Zealand hip-hop, however. In my opinion...as much as i'm sure Savage would make my hips swing.., his and various other artists attempts to create the same type of video clip doesn't quite fit with a huge portion of NZ culture that they're trying to reach or impress. Scribe's 'Dreaming', video clip was an awesome representation of not only his self but his culture, and the filming and editing of it fitted it perfectly.
A lot of NZ music videos can represent us creatively visually even if not lyrically.