Animotion
Warning. This post requires audience participation.
Nick has what he calls a "random" question, which I've not been able to address for some time as my Flash player stopped working and refused to reload.
What you need to do is don a frilly shirt, velvet kneepants and a stretchy head band, plaster-on some pink and blue eyeshadow, preferably in zig-zag lines, backcomb your hair and take a look at this pop video from the 1980s.*
The band is, of course Animotion; the song I Engineer.
No - I don't remember it either - perhaps it's because it's so very generic 1980s electro-pop that I could have heard it and not really noticed. If I was asked to create a pastiche of music from that time, I might come up with exactly this video - pretty boys (and one girl) with big hair and big shoulders, mooning around a fuzzy creepy place that's just out of focus, looking mean and moody photographed from oblique angles and singing about - well - I'm not really sure what...
But back to Nick's question. He wants to know where the fuzzy creepy place is. "All I know is that it was an abandoned WWII (haunted) hospital in Blackheath, London," he tells me.
You know, Nick - it is familiar - I have seen this place before - but not in 'real life.' I've seen photos of it - and I'm trying to remember where. It may well have been at an illustrated talk by Neil Rhind. I'm not convinced it still exists, though it could have been turned into luxury flats by now and be virtually unrecognisable.
It's a fabulous place - presumably set-dressed for the video, but gloriously creepy all the same. It looks Victorian, rather than purpose-built WWII. The interiors are wonderful and the covered walkways are great.
I am sure someone here will be able to identify this place even though I, frankly, can't. It's interesting that an obscure American new wave act (who have, apparently, reformed and, judging from the pictures look a hell of a lot better now than they did then) may have unwittingly created a fascinating historical record (no pun intended) of a lost building - for, whatever it is now - a fab-looking old place in a desirable area - it certainly won't be looking like that any more...
So, folks - do you know this place? Does it still exist? What was it?
And is it haunted? Hell. Why not...
* I should warn you that this song is horribly catching. I've only seen the video twice and I'm already convinced I remember it from the 80s and it's rattling around my head in a most annoying I'm-going-to-be-with-you-all-day manner...
Nick has what he calls a "random" question, which I've not been able to address for some time as my Flash player stopped working and refused to reload.
What you need to do is don a frilly shirt, velvet kneepants and a stretchy head band, plaster-on some pink and blue eyeshadow, preferably in zig-zag lines, backcomb your hair and take a look at this pop video from the 1980s.*
The band is, of course Animotion; the song I Engineer.
No - I don't remember it either - perhaps it's because it's so very generic 1980s electro-pop that I could have heard it and not really noticed. If I was asked to create a pastiche of music from that time, I might come up with exactly this video - pretty boys (and one girl) with big hair and big shoulders, mooning around a fuzzy creepy place that's just out of focus, looking mean and moody photographed from oblique angles and singing about - well - I'm not really sure what...
But back to Nick's question. He wants to know where the fuzzy creepy place is. "All I know is that it was an abandoned WWII (haunted) hospital in Blackheath, London," he tells me.
You know, Nick - it is familiar - I have seen this place before - but not in 'real life.' I've seen photos of it - and I'm trying to remember where. It may well have been at an illustrated talk by Neil Rhind. I'm not convinced it still exists, though it could have been turned into luxury flats by now and be virtually unrecognisable.
It's a fabulous place - presumably set-dressed for the video, but gloriously creepy all the same. It looks Victorian, rather than purpose-built WWII. The interiors are wonderful and the covered walkways are great.
I am sure someone here will be able to identify this place even though I, frankly, can't. It's interesting that an obscure American new wave act (who have, apparently, reformed and, judging from the pictures look a hell of a lot better now than they did then) may have unwittingly created a fascinating historical record (no pun intended) of a lost building - for, whatever it is now - a fab-looking old place in a desirable area - it certainly won't be looking like that any more...
So, folks - do you know this place? Does it still exist? What was it?
And is it haunted? Hell. Why not...
* I should warn you that this song is horribly catching. I've only seen the video twice and I'm already convinced I remember it from the 80s and it's rattling around my head in a most annoying I'm-going-to-be-with-you-all-day manner...
Labels: Animotion, Ask The Phantom, I Engineer
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
08:26
17 Comments:
You know what, I think that "hospital" is the one on Shooters hill on the way to Welling that has been converted into flats. You can make out the distinctive brickwork arches, although I think the covered walkways are no longer there.
I turned the sound off while watching so I was'nt infected by "I Engineer"
Yes, that's right, its the Royal Herbert ex-military hospital (now flats) in Shooters Hill Rd.
What a great song though!
All together now " Don't count on me....I engineer"
You could be right, Benedict. Not exactly Blackheath - but a very likely candidate.
Yes it seems to have really loooong coridors in some of the shots and I cant think of anywhere in Blackheath that is that big.
I'm with Benedict & Stephanie, its the Royal Herbert. Now Herbert Pavilions.
I believe it was closed in the 1950s, quarantined for 30 years... And being military there was lots of secrecy around the underlying reason for the quarantine. I also recollect stories of it being haunted, but not the detail.
Website of the development has some history. Flats look v. swish...
http://www.royalherbert.co.uk/index.php
Wow- that's fascinating. Thanks. The pool looks cool, doesn't it...
Not sure i'd fancy swimming lengths with any ghosts and ghouls mind!
Didn't C4's Time Team do something about the Defences along Shooters Hill? I think they also found a Gun Emplacement that was 'camouflaged' to look like a corner shop around that area.
I remember Animotion for 'Obsession' and (I think it was called) 'Justified'. Oh, My God, I have just admitted to the world I was a child of the Eighties.....LOL
So, who wants to set up a tribute band?????
Only if we can have big hair and big padded shoulders dazza!
Apparently I look like the keyboard player from Depeche Mode, (Or so my mum used to say)
Did you have your hair like him too? and they allowed you out in public...???
Mind you Mothers have very strange views as to who their kids look like......I was told I was a spitting image of Rowan Atkinson...my Mother could be so cruel!!!!
Mind you I have also been told recently I look like Jeremy Spake. The person who said that also said that Hospital food has got better since he was last there!!!!!!!!
I'm told I'm the spit of General Wolfe. Can't see it m'self...
Hard to tell Phantom, with the shadow from your Tricorn Hat and that figure disguising big cloak, you could be anyone.........?
And Dazza, no I didnt have the curly buffont, most of the time it was either green or blue and very badly cut, sort of psychiatric patiant stylee....oh dear I thought I was sooo cool.
I thought colouring my hair was cool until I settled on white and it started falling out. I should have listened to my hairdresser friend who said that it would take 4 hours of strong peroxide to change me from a dark brown to white......Of course, I didn't listen and wouldn't settle for a blond.....oh, no, I wanted white. Now I spend most of my time either cropping it so short or even shaving it so that the white hairs I now have don't show.......Oh, the vagaries of Youth!!
Its funny old world.
Im off to photograph a 100 ton boulder in Shoreditch?
I really must get my eyes tested....I though you said you were of to photograph a 100 ton 'BUILDER'.
It is The Royal Herbert Hospital, which closed in about 1978 and was the place of my bith in the mid 60's.
My father worked in the hospital for twenty years and I spent a lot of time being spooked around all those wards and cellars.
I must let him see the video.
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