Egg n Chips & Billie Jean

A Trip Through the Eighties written by Steve Barron

Throughout the 80's, when the music scene was at its most vibrant and exciting, and the pop video was king, there was one man that every artist wanted on their side. Michael Jackson, Madonna, A-ha, Dire Straits, the Human League and a hundred more - all called on Steve Barron to bring his creative genius to their videos, making Barron one of the most sought after and successful video makers of the decade. In this vivid and highly entertaining memoir he lifts the lid on life on both sides of the camera, to bring you the definite insider’s guide on the most tumultuous period in pop music — Mick Brown, Author of Tearing Down the Wall of Sound - The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector.

Born in Dublin, Steve Barron began in films as a camera assistant on the classic movies Richard Donner's Superman (1978), Richard Attenborough's A Bridge Too Far (1977) and Ridley Scott’s first movie The Duellists. He began directing music videos in the early eighties for The Jam, Human League, and Adam & the Ants, with his work helping to inspire the formation of MTV. In 1982 he conceived and directed the award winning Billie-Jean, the first single from Michael Jackson's incredible Thriller album. More seminal videos followed, and at the 1986 MTV Awards Dire Straits' Money for Nothing won Best Video, with A-Ha's Take On Me awarded Best Director. His second movie as director, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), stunned the industry by becoming the first independent feature to break the $100 million theatrical mark. Steve would go on to direct more features, including Coneheads, Rat, Mike Bassett: England Manager, and TV network mega-series Merlin, Arabian Nights, Dreamkeeper, and Treasure Island, all garnering him a slew of awards including 27 Emmy nominations, 5 Gold Globe nominations, and a DGA nod.