David Bowie has gift-wrapped a new video for “Valentine’s Day” — the fourth single and video from his latest album “The Next Day.”
The Thin White Duke is front and center in the clip, where he spends the entirety in a cavernous, industrial site with only a red headless electric guitar to keep him company.
The clip is directed by Indrani and Markus Klinko, who previously collaborated with Bowie on the artwork for his critically acclaimed 2002 album “Heathen.”
There’s no “Valentine’s Day” massacre. It’s a clean video, with a single location and one actor – Bowie. And it’s in “safe” territory, following the two controversial Bowie clips which came before, “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” and “The Next Day.”
“The Next Day” became a particularly hot talking point when it was briefly removed for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service. The clip was reinstated, with a spokesperson explaining to Billboard that it was taken down by mistake. On that occasion, he managed to offend a leading Catholic advocacy group, which blasted his “mess” of a video with its corrupt cardinals, philandering priests and a Christ-like Bowie figure.
Catholic League Mocks David Bowie’s New Video, Calls Him a ‘Switch-Hitting Senior Citizen’
David Bowie celebrated his 66th birthday earlier this year by dropping a new single “Where Are We Now?” and he announced news of his first album since “Reality” ten years ago. “The Next Day” went on to be a global hit, arriving at No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the U.S.
“Valentine’s Day” will be issued as a limited-edition picture disc from Aug. 19, with the track “Plan” on the b-side.
There’s still no word on whether Bowie will hit the road for a tour in support of “The Next Day.”