Ryuichi Sakamoto's passing in 2023 has left an enormous void in the world of music, film, and beyond. Here at NF HQ, we were comforted by bittersweet arrival of a tape from the archives that includes Sakamoto's Man Ray inspired video for “Risky,” which features the inimitable croon of Iggy Pop. This "New Sounds" episode also highlights songs from ex-Go-Go's band House of Schock, The Smithereens, Pop Will Eat Itself, and more. Stick around for a New Filmmakers Showcase featuring a musical saga about a small-time hustler called Honky Tonk Bud (Scott Laster, 1986) the urban folk legend.

In 1965, as leader of the NY Band: The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed became Rock's first leather-clad social outcast. At the age of 20, Reed took violence, drugs, sadomasochism, and sang about them in a rock context creating music as painful as it was compelling. He set the stage for the punk revolution. Night Flight tells the story of Reed with music videos, live footage and amazingly candid interviews discussing his love for performance, writing and his unique approach to recording.

Afro Beat: A look at Africa's music and politics. It's no secret that Rock and Roll is based on African Rythyms. Africa created tempo and 4/4 time, the basis for all our generation's popular dance music. Today, another sound is coming from Africa as the world turns to the political abuses on the continent. African-born musicians are crying out for their civil rights. Featuring preeminent pan-africanist Fela, Senegalese brothers Toure Kunda, Nigerian Juju music leader King Sunny Ade, South African Apartheid activists Juluka (with Johnny Clegg) and much more. This is Night Flight at it’s absolute finest: musical, cultural and historical.

A spoof of educational films about gravity.

We get set for the New Year in 1984 as Lisa Robinson previews a video art star studded PBS broadcast, discusses the secrets behind a new The Go-Go's album, and music videos from Prince and John Cougar Mellancamp.

An underachiever is fired from his construction job.

Delivered straight from the Night Flight archive, tonight we embark on an hour long special which kicks off with Night Flight's "Take Off to Irish Rock," which features videos by U2, Sinead O’Connor, That Petrol Motion and the Pogues, who we recently featured in an excellent documentary. Then, about 25-minutes in, we arrive at our video profile of the work of songwriter, actor, playwright and authentic American troubadour Tom Waits, which features key Waits deep cut videos and a candid back seat interview with the man himself, where he describes the “showbiz” family that raised him and his vision of God, (“God's a short guy… he started in the mailroom and worked his way up, invested well”).

Welcome to Night Flight’s New Sounds! This original ‘80s episode format featured a curated mix of videos from emerging artists. Tonight's episodes features The Proclaimers, Richmond, Virginia’s rock duo House of Freaks, The Christians, and to kick things off... Moz! Yep, Morrissey's immaculate post-Smiths debut single “Suedehead” and it's accompanying James Dean tribute video.

We were saddened to hear about Leslie West of Mountain passing away in late December of 2020. His Night Flight interview is an underrated gem of the library. A down to earth and spirited guest, West talks about his success in frank terms while musing about eating bagels behind the stage at Woodstock, watching Cream play on acid and more.

This installment Heavy Metal Heroes features mind-melting video classics from the likes of April Wine, Alcatrazz, Girlschool & W.A.S.P. Videos of the finest vintage from David Bowie, The Clash, Fleetwood Mac, Blondie & The Police are served chilled direct from Night Flight vaults.

Comedienne Renee Taylor's parody of the Fellini films of the 1960s.

The sun has risen on the Aquarian Age. Tonight we return to 1988 for an intergalactic sojourn through the New Age movement. “A fascination with the eternal truths permeates New Age music…” Pat Prescott tells us, before jumping into an eclectic mix of Philip Glass, Ravi Shanker, Kitaro, and Yanni. Prepare your Pan Flutes, and ready yourself for New Age hour on Night Flight.

One of the more popular animated short films that aired during Night Flight’s '80s heyday was Wes Archer’s cult fave Jac Mac & Rad Boy, Go!, a wonderfully frenetic cartoon about two party-bound teens who inadvertently destroy a city on their way to hell, which Archer admits he may have also been inspired by his own wayward youth in Houston, Texas. Note: Wes went on to have an amazing career in animation and is currently the supervising director on Rick and Morty.

“Here’s a look at the second British Invasion of America…” says Pat Prescott ahead of this brand new arrival from the vault featuring music videos from Adam Ant, Heaven 17, and Eurythmics. The first British music invasion was of course lead by The Beatles in 1964, so we start the show tonight with a rare performance from a 1982 documentary called The Compleat Beatles.

Directed by Don Swaynos. A late night horror show host is having a bad day.

In this revealing 2002 interview with David Bowie, he reflects on his storied career and various musical styles and personas, as well as his latest album, Reality.

Welcome to Night Flight "Goes to the Movies," where we'll go behind the scenes with Rob Reiner's The Princess Bride and other films from '87. The This is Spinal Tap director takes us the set of his large-scale fantasy adventure film or as Reiner calls it: a slightly "bent fairly tale.” Featuring interview clips with Reiner, Wallace Shawn, and Carole Kane. This episode's side B features a Flash Tracks section that includes Mick Jones's Big Audio Dynamite, dance reggae act Amazulu (above), and Thrashing Doves.

Sports! Tonight, we're kicking off with a 1988 “Take Off” to Sports Rock and Roll that is pure Original Night Flight. Almost every popular sport, from Basketball to Boxing get’s it’s ‘80s anthem in this 50 minute classic segment. You could say that Wrestling is over-represented in this episode, but that really all depends on how much you love or hate ‘80s wrestling. Here at Night Flight, based on our selection of specifically that genre, you could say we love it. A lot. With slam dunks like Dazz Band’s “Let It All Blow,” Pro Wrestling’s supremely weird “Land of 1000 Dances,” Kurtis Blow’s “Basketball,” Manfred Mann's Earth Band’s “Runner” and of course, the timely Chicago Bears’ “Super Bowl Shuffle," we really can't recommend this enough.

“She was born Norma Jeane Baker in 1926,” Pat Prescott says at the start of tonight’s new Video Profile, “but as Marilyn Monroe, she became a sex symbol that millions of women modeled themselves after and millions of men dreamed about.” Night Flight’s tribute to the icon features Monroe’s 1950 original screen test with Richard Conte for 20th Century Fox’s “Cold Shoulder" and a mix ‘80s musicians that carried the torch: including the Night Flight-staple "She Went Pop" from Synth Pop from Iam Siam in the Zbigniew Rybczyński-directed video (below), 'Blitz Clubber' and Boy George associate Marilyn's single "You Don't Love Me," and more.

“Rock ’n’ Roll has always had a strong political perspective,” says Night Flight host Pat Prescott introducing a politically-charged "Take Off" episode from 1985. The quintessentially '80s video mix starts with a puppet caricature of Reagan from the British TV series "Spitting Image," leading into a compilation of music videos (with some definitely carrying a stronger political resonance than others.) Featuring Culture Club's "The War Song," Eurythmics' "Sex Crime" theme from the film 1984, the socially conscious montage of Bruce Cockburn's "If I Had A Rocket Launcher," and The Specials' (then known as Special AKA) anti-apartheid anthem "Free Nelson Mandela." Concluding the episode is a brief cooking segment featuring our beloved (and oft-mortally wounded) friend, Mr. Bill!

This 1986 episode of New Sounds brings you a survey of Great Britain’s music geographies of the 1980s. The lineup includes Two Minds Crack, who rose from the industrial ashes of South Wales in 1981 to create some of Britain’s freshest techno-pop, video-vèrite innovators Cabaret Voltaire, Gene Loves Jezebel, Joe Strummer’s Sid and Nancy track “Love Kills,” and The Housemartins' “Happy Hour.”

Tonight, we "Take Off" to iconic solo careers and the band's they left behind in this 1994 special Syndication episode of Night Flight. Ahh, the solo career: the proving ground for artists who uncouple from the bands that made them or simply want to blow off some creative steam. Hosted by Tom Juarez, we take a journey through the solo songs of Mick Jagger, Phil Collins, Stevie Nicks, and finally Morrissey (see below for our additional offerings from The Smiths this week) all while giving credit to the original bands that made them.

Welcome to Night Flight's 1986 exclusive video profile of Black Sabbath. "They were the most successful and controversial metal band of the mid ‘70s. Hated by critics, adored by their fans, Black Sabbath mixed a taste for the occult with bone crushing volume,” Pat Prescott proclaims. This special episode features Night Flight’s iconic interviews with both Ozzy and Tony Iommi, and covers over a decade of the band's output and individual members' solo careers. Absolute essential viewing for Night Flight and Sabbath fans alike!

Episode 266. An episode of Radio 1990 from 1984 featuring Billy Joel, the president of CBS Records and a Summer movie preview.

Welcome to Night Flight goes to the movies, a. Tonight we look at the growing emergence of black leading men in a variety of film genres including Carl Weather's "Action Jackson" and Spike Lee's "School Daze" including interviews. This episode also previews "The Return of Ruben Blades," now come full circle and streaming on Night Flight Plus.

Welcome to a very special Night Flight Video Profile! In 1966, a seventeen year old sweet-voiced blonde schoolgirl became British rock's first authentic pop princess, only to lose that aristocratic status when she was caught with The Rolling Stones in a sensational drug bust. Nearly 20 years later, Faithfull sits down in the Night Flight studios for a candid conversation with Lisa Robinson about her comeback. Songs like "Broken English," "Sweetheart," "Truth, Bitter Truth," set the mood for a candid conversation with Robinson about the trials and tribulations of Faithfull's storied career.

A classic episode of Radio 1990 (from 1984) arrives on Night Flight Plus. Lisa Robinson interviews Mick Jagger, Kathryn Kinley looks at the Hot Sports Illustrated of the Year and music videos (then known as video music) from Elton John, Bob Seger and The Rolling Stones.

Welcome to part 1 of Visions of Platinum! We look at the top selling artists of today (1985!). You'll see videos from best selling artists Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, ACDC, and Kiss. We also speak to the producers behind some classic records Nil Rodgers producer of David Bowie and Duran Duran, Phil Ramone, the main producer of Billy Joel and Julian Lennon, and Madonna's producer Jellybean Benitez.

In this original episode of Night Flight, we have an episode of 1950s Sci-Fi show "Space Patrol" and a profile on infamous Sex Pistols manager and artist Malcolm McLaren. Original Air Date: 5-2-85

Night Flight salutes the Women of Rock in this original episode from June, 1988. "Today," Pat Prescott tells us, "women's voices are more powerful than ever in new music, neo-folk and down & dirty Rock n Roll." Featuring Sinéad O'Connor with MC Lyte, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and Annie Lennox.