What do you get when an iconic gay bar and leading record company jump into bed together? They produce a very camp music video compilation. Peter Hackney reports.

What do Culture Club, Gloria Gaynor, the B-52s, Dannii Minogue, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Wham! and Sydney drag sensations Candy Box and Maxi Shield have in common? They’re all stars of The Campest Clips Ever! – the campest collection of music video clips you’re likely to find, well, ever!

The DVD, released through Central Station Records on July 18 in conjunction with the Stonewall Hotel and followtheadventure.com starts with the warning: “This video may contain some nudity, coarse language – and the occasional man in a dress”, which pretty much sets the tone for all that follows.

“If a bunch of camp clips from the ’80s and ’90s, and some camp dance anthems from today, sounds good to you – with commentary from a couple of drags along the way – then this one’s for you!” quips Sydney drag luminary Maxi Shield.

Her co-host, Stonewall sensation Candy Box says: “It’s a great disc to throw on while you’re getting ready to go out. Or if you actually want a great night in, with a few friends around and a bottle of wine or ten!”

“We provide some hilarious commentary to go with the clips, even if I do say so myself,” adds Maxi, who says the commentary can also be turned off: “You can just select ‘clips only’, but why would you wanna do that?”

Maxi nominates her favourite clip on the disc as Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, while Candy can’t go past the Wham! classic ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’.

They’re joined by a slew of clips from the genres of rock, pop and dance – the only rule being that the clip must be camp – hence Deborah Harry’s ‘I Want That Man’ rubs shoulders with ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by Nikki French, and clips as diverse as Alison Moyet’s ‘Whispering Your Name’, Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ and ‘I Touch Myself’ by Divinyls, make the grade.

Not on the compilation are two of the biggest icons of camp pop, Kylie and Madonna.

“Yes, we couldn’t get the licensing for them,” sniffs Maxi, in mock annoyance. “But there’s always later editions.”

Because if all goes to plan, this is just volume one of The Campest Clips Ever!

“We’ve already got plans for a volume two,” says Maxi. “And a three, four, five and six,” chimes in Candy.

The Campest Clips Ever! is in music stores everywhere – and available from the Stonewall Hotel, Oxford Street – from July 18.

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