The accompanying video collection for Cherry Red's 'Pillows & Prayers' was awarded 'Best Short Film' at the Italian Film Festival of 1984. Now reissued on DVD it remains a very unique pleasure, complimenting the British charm of the original audio collection. Essentially the film version features seven promos but instead of running seamlessly between one song and the next, director Christopher Collins inserted vintage TV clips and adverts which fit in well with the sweetly innocent videos. So whilst Kevin Coyne looks suitably bemused at Alice In Wonderland's tea party, Fantastic Something walk off into the summer sun after the garage attendant is too busy to fix their car and a very serious-looking Eyeless In Gaza enjoy the pleasures of barge travel on the canal. Most effective of all is the film for Jane's acapella 'It's A Fine Day'; a woman stares wistfuly into the distance as contrasting images appear of her and her pilot husband enjoying family live whilst World War II planes fight for the British cause. Only Monochrome Set's typically aloof 'Jet Set Junta' looks out of place largely because the rest seem like postcards from summer holidays.
The advent of the DVD also offers the opportunity of bonus material so there are three additional promos (of which Medium Medium's punk/funk 'Hungry So Angry' sounds as it could have been released this year), pictures of album artwork and an interesting interview with Cherry Red originators Iain McNay and Mike Alway. In forty five minutes the enthusiasm from the men who have put twenty-five years of their lives into Cherry Red is undeniably infectious. Alway is one of the few A&R men who could come up with a statement like "we replaced money with imagination" without even a hint of irony. Clearly a labour of love from start to finish, 'Pillows & Prayers' serves as a wonderful tribute to the most idiosyncratic of record labels.