Fresh from the Night Flight vault: a white hot half hour of heavy metal madness featuring Europe, Great White, Rough Cutt, and more. From arena-sized bangers like “The Final Countdown” to the Sunset Strip’s signature swagger, this episode captures ’80s metal at its loud, unapologetic peak.

“Take Off” to Animation is one of the most beloved original Night Flight formats, as true today as it was in the 1980s. Like our other animation specials, this 1987 arrival from the vault is a one-of-a-kind time capsule from an era when music videos and animation technologies were evolving side by side. Featuring Grace Jones’ multi-media visual spectacle, vibrant cel animation for Wally Badarou’s “Highlife,” and David Bowie’s rotoscoped video for “Underground” from Labyrinth (also streaming on Night Flight Plus), the episode highlights hybrid formats and emerging tools like early 3D computer animation at the height of the cultural zeitgeist.

In this essential Night Flight interview, John Waters reflects on the transgressive ethos that defines his filmmaking. He recounts his humble beginnings touring prints from the trunk of his car, the neighborhood Baltimore crew of collaborators including Divine (“I don't trust anybody that hasn't been arrested at least once”), and a career built on offending multiple generations. A timeless snapshot of a Night Flight icon, and the perfect way to celebrate ten years of the streaming channel!

“Rock music continues to have a close connection with contemporary politics,” host Pat Prescott says at the top of this newly restored "Take Off" episode. From Bob Dylan’s political symbolism to Nena’s apocalyptic pop, this 1984 episode traces the music and politics across a rapidly shifting global landscape.

Episode 267. An episode of Radio 1990 from 1984 featuring Missing Persons, Bruce Springsteen and more.

You can truly appreciate the value of our library as you see in our April 13th, 1983 episode, Lisa Robinson talks about a secretive Talking Heads film in the works, a certain "concert film." Of course, that title in question is 1984's Stop Making Sense. Revisit this time capsule covering '80s fashion trends and music from Eddie Rabbitt, The Waitresses, Blancmange, Lords of the New Church, Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty. 

This quick batch of music videos focuses on food, from Weird Al's love of Rocky Road ice cream to the Fat Boys. Also featuring an exclusive interview with the Fat Boys by TV 20000 host Joie Gallo!

Two "expressionistic wackos" argue over a glass of juice.

This almost 2 hour special episode of Night Flight includes a documentary on filming Pink Floyd's The Wall, "They went to the stars" an excursion through 1950s space adventures ("They Went to the Stars"), videos from The Residents, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, Bob Marley and so so much more...

In "Take Off to Comedy IX," enter Jackie Mason's mind with the brilliant compilation “The World According To Me,” Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi get Brian Wilson out of bed to go surfing in a long forgotten clip that was one of our most popular stories on the blog last year. Other gems include Divine’s “These Lips Were Made For Kissing,” Dweezil Zappa, Weird Al Yankovich and an original segment with comedian Ritch Shydner’s hilarious bit in the Night Flight studios.

Metal? Mostly. “You asked for a Metal night in your letters, so now you’re going to get it,” Tom Juarez announces before an episode that is mostly Metal. Metallica, Megadeth, and White Zombie represent the evolving sound of the early '90s, but Butthole Surfer’s Who Was in My Room Last Night? steals the show. You’d be hard pressed to call the Surfers Metal, so we’ll just assume the late-era Night Flight original producers were just looking for an excuse to play Wes Archer’s insane animated trip of a video. We’re not mad at it!

Episode 278. An episode of Radio 1990 from 1984 featuring George Clinton, Tony Carey, Tracey Ullman, and more.

“If we combine the modern new wave elements with the old, beautiful melodies, that might be an intriguing mixture,” says Taco discussing his hit cover of “Puttin’ on the Ritz” in this exclusive Night Flight interview. Later on in this brand new Night Flight Short Cut, Falco talks about translating rap music influences into his German-language hits.

Well folks, the Night Flight library never ceases to amaze us. It is literally a treasure chest of nostalgic gold. This week we’re incredibly excited to share a full, uncut interview with Mark Hammil conducted by Lisa Robinson in 1986. He dons a rare mustache for his theatre production role in Room Service. In the interview, Hamill talks candidly about knowing from his first reading of the Star Wars script it would be a success (“at least as popular as James Bond”), how not being allowed to read Comics as a kid lead him to obsessively collect them as an adult, the 33 1/3 birthday party he celebrated and much, much more. Watch this tonight! It’s an absolute joy.

This edition of Night Flight Goes to The Movies looks at the holiday new releases for 1987 including "Throw Momma From The Train", "The Last Emperor" & "Overboard". Latin Sounds features sizzling South-of-the-border inspired music videos from Miami Sound Machine, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Madonna and more!

Only Night Flight could find a way to program classic Devo cuts with soothing mystical New Age. Relive that original programming style tonight by climbing into Night Flight's video vault for a Devo retrospective featuring some of the best Devo videos using the pioneering experimental video techniques they did so well. For part 2, sit back and relax as we explore angelic hymns and soothing visuals from Kitaro, Jean Luc Ponty and Private Music. Revisit the much lampooned genre as it was earnestly presented, Night Flight style.

Tonight we bring you a July 1989 episode of Hit Parader Magazine's Heavy Metal Meltdown! Visit a Sunset Strip tattoo parlor with L.A. Guns, get up close and personal with Badlands' lead vocalist Ray Gillen, go on the road with Winger and step inside the Elektra Records office for a little Metal Business Advice. Get ready for the meltdown!

TV 2000 is Night Flight's spin on the top ten countdown format from 1985, hosted by comedian John Kassir & Joie Gallo. In Episode 2 of TV 2000, Bryan Adams takes us to heaven, the Eurythmics ask: "Would I lie to you?" and Lisa Robinson goes on location with Boy George and Marilyn at the "hottest new club in New York," Palladium! Commercials are included.

Return to March 1986 for a full 2-hour episode of As Aired Night Flight. This broadcast was brought to you by 501 Levi’s Blues, Sun Country Wine Cooler, Lee Press-On Nails, Hostess Pudding Pies and so much more. How do we know? The commercials are still in the master tape! Enjoy the full immersion.

Tonight, we’re opening Night Flight’s closely guarded vaults and dedicating a full hour to Video Classics. “The diamonds, emeralds, pearls, gold, frankincense and myrrh of video history” host Tom Juarez explains in one of his interstitial antics. Catch the episode in our 1990’s Syndication Episodes row!

"Boy isn't heavy metal a lot of fun!" says Mr. Bill at the start of Night FLight's special "Take Off" to Heavy Metal Comedy, (before an untimely death by anvil.) And Mr. Bill is right: Heavy Metal is a reliably comedic genre, intentional or not. This episode kicks off with Alcatrazz's "God Blessed," a satire of MTV that doomed its chances of airplay on that channel, (but of course got play on Night Flight), Keel's "Right to Rock", Accept's kaleidoscopic video for "Midnight Mover," Japanese rockers Loudness and Ireland's Mama's Boys.

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!

"Take Off To Animation" takes a colorful look at the use of animation in music video over the previous few years in styles ranging from experimental camera technique to 'Saturday morning cartoon'. Many of the videos compiled for this episode first became well-known due to their repeat exposure on Night Flight. Bona fide Night Flight classics here include Tom Tom Club's "Pleasure of Love", Randy Andy's "The People (Livin' in the USA)", Machinations: "Pressure Sway" & Will Powers: "Adventures In Success". Night Flight's innovative "Take Off" series dispensed with playlists, bland VJ set-ups and the usual tired video countdown format and instead cleverly programmed music videos and performance clips by theme. The series regularly featured hits from Eighties pop icons juxtaposed against obscurities from not-ready-for-MTV cult favorites. Original Air Date: 2-17-84

In this 1983 Video Gallery, Night Flight Take’s Off to Politics. “Rock Music has always had a strong political connection,” Pat Prescott says. This tour of rock politics takes us through the '60s with Bob Dylan, Hendrix, and The Plastic Ono Band’s “Give Peace A Chance.” After this tour of protest rock Night Flight, takes on Politics in the Nuclear Era with campy twist, fast forwarding to the ‘80s where we find ourselves enjoying the incredible experimental animation of Donald Fagen’s “New Frontier,” Men at Work’s ominous tune “It’s A Mistake,” and a little known promotional clip for the 1982 film WarGames by Crosby, Stills and Nash.

A spoof of educational films about gravity.

Welcome to Radio 1990! Today Lisa Robinson concludes her exclusive interview with Gene Simmons of Kiss, Kathryn Kinley brings news on the Pointer Sisters, the fashions of MarcBouwer, and music from Toni Basil, Ratt and more!

"Rockabilly is a strange brew," Pat Prescott announces, "part Rhythm & Blues, Country & Western, Gospel and even Pop. It's a style that takes us back..." Continuing with our recent theme of looking at the history of rock and roll, this week we've got Night Flight's 1984 Take Off To Rockabilly. With Jerry Lee Lewis, Stray Cats, Robert Gordon, The Blasters and X, this episode is pure americana music history, Night Flight style.

This 1987 relic of pride and passion for America features videos from Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Brown, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band and more.

The Doors Are Open is a 1968 black-and-white documentary first aired in the United Kingdom on 4 October 1968 and shown regularly on Night Flight. Combing footage of the Doors playing live at London's Roundhouse venue, interviews with the band members and contemporary news snippets of world current affairs. Watch Night Flight's original broadcast tonight!

Watch the director discuss "tired" comparisons to Hitchcock, the importance of beauty in horror, and the potential pitfalls of directing music videos all while seeing pivotal scenes from Carrie, Phantom Of The Paradise, Body Double and more...

Lee Umstetter (Academy Award® nominee* Nick Nolte, 48 Hrs., Warrior) is serving 'life without possibility' at San Quentin - a life sentence, with no possibility of parole. While other men might give up hope, Lee puts pen to paper and writes a play about living behind bars. Performed with his fellow inmates it causes a sensation, winning him the heart of a local drama critic (Rita Taggart, Mulholland Drive) - and a pardon. Now a free man, Lee reunites his prison buddies to perform the story of their lives across America. With the harsh and brutal reality of a criminal's life behind them, Umstetter and his troupe get a new chance to experience a world they never dreamed possible. Music by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks).

Welcome back to Viewer’s Choice, where you get the videos you asked for. “We’ve got some wild requests tonight...” Pat Prescott proclaims as she lists of: Zappa, The Cure, Falco (“Jeanny!!!”), Whistle, Ultravox, Shriekback and Phil Collins. Another snapshot of pop music in the '80s from the perspective of the fans, preserved forever in an episode of Night Flight. “Ska is a pre-reggae Jamaican dance rythym first popular in the 60s…” Pat Prescott explains, while introducing this very special Video Vault. Tonight we all dance to a Ska beat when the vault opens to the leaders of Britain’s ska revival of the 80s featuring Special AKA, Madness, Fun Boy 3, The English Beat and more.

Night Flight’s full episode from June 30th, 1984 kicks off hot and heavy with a bold “Take Off” to Sex. “Music videos use phallic and vaginal symbols,” Pat Prescott tells us as she introduces videos from INXS, Berlin, Mary Jane Girls and of course, Prince. Then we get into a Heavy Metal Half Hour with Ratt, Divinyls and Def Leppard. Dig into more music videos from Rush, The Go Go’s, Nick Lowe, and a strange short film called The Speed of Light, starring Sally Norvell (later cast by Wim Wenders as “Nurse Bibs” in Paris, Texas).