Jack Bond’s cinematic journey began with a BBC apprenticeship and quickly ascended to prominence through audacious collaborations. His partnership with the visionary Jane Arden in the 1960s and ’70s yielded groundbreaking works like ‘Separation’, ‘The Other Side of the Underneath,’ and ‘Anti-Clock,’ films that pushed the boundaries of avant-garde cinema and psychological storytelling.

Following Arden’s tragic death in 1982, Bond shelved these works for decades, their haunting resonance unearthed only in 2009. Later, his contributions to The South Bank Show—featuring Werner Herzog, Patricia Highsmith, and an indelible portrait of Roald Dahl—cemented his reputation as a chronicler of artistic genius.

In the 1980s, Bond’s idiosyncratic style found a new canvas with the Pet Shop Boys, directing their surrealist feature ‘It Couldn’t Happen Here’ (1988). This surreal narrative intertwined the Pet Shop Boys’ music with enigmatic visuals, creating a cinematic experience that defied conventional genres. Stephen Dalton described it for the BFI upon its 2020 re-release as “a full English breakfast of kiss-me-quick kitchen-sink surrealism” reflecting its unique blend of British cultural references and avant-garde filmmaking.

Bond’s collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys marked a significant intersection of avant-garde filmmaking and mainstream pop. In addition to the film, Bond directed the music video for ‘Heart,’ released in March 1988. The video featured actor Ian McKellen portraying a vampire, adding a dramatic and theatrical element that complemented the song’s themes. He also directed the music video for the Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 reimagining of the Elvis classic ‘Always on My Mind.’

In a statement released on 22 December, The Pet Shop Boys acknowledged Bond’s significant impact on their visual presentation. They expressed sadness at his passing and reflected on their collaborative work, noting that Bond’s direction played a crucial role in bringing their artistic visions to life. They finished by emphasising that “He was a warm and funny man who we very much enjoyed working with and we send our love and condolences to his family and those close to him.”

After his collaborations with the Pet Shop Boys his cinematic wit continued to shine in ‘The Blueblack Hussar’, chronicling Adam Ant’s return to music, and ‘An Artist’s Eyes’, a portrait of painter Chris Moon.

Jack Bond’s death at 87 brings an end to a life of unyielding creative passion. His work includes groundbreaking films with Dalí, Jane Arden, as well as musicians, which underscores his remarkable adaptability and his gift for capturing and often subverting the zeitgeist. How work was much about exploring identity and modernity as they were about creating enduring art. Bond’s influence lives on, flickering in the haunting frames of his oeuvre.

Dirty Hit Limited are the private company behind Dirty Hit, the record label with whom The 1975 have released their entire discography. Healy was appointed director in December 2018 and was active in the role until his termination in April 2023.

Pitchfork were informed that the move was “administrative in nature” though neither The 1975 nor Dirty Hit Limited have commented on the change.

Fans are speculating over the reasoning behind Matty’s termination however, linking his controversial behaviour on social media and on tour to the change in role, though this has not been confirmed by either party involved.

One fan suggested Matty “pretends it’s a choice” following his social media accounts being banned in addition to no longer being a company director, but is ultimately scathing towards his recent actions.

imagine matty’s twitter was actually banned and now his insta is too and he was fired as dirty hit director but he pretends it’s a choice and all “new era of not being a fucking asshole”

— eva (@ratthealy) April 10, 2023

Another fan joked that this is simply due to tax reasons, owed to the timing of Matty’s termination.  

Matty ‘resigning’ from dirty hit at the end of the tax year? He’s just tryna commit tax evasion guys — niche internet micro celebrity land_sam02 (@land_sam02) April 6, 2023

The link between The 1975 and Dirty Hit runs deep, leaving fans questioning what this means for the band moving forwards. Matty has collaborated with multiple artists also signed to Dirty Hit, including No Rome, Beabadoobee and the Japanese House, in essence making Matty the face of the label.

Matty literally is Dirty Hit so like…I’m intrigued

— Emily (@Emily__483) April 6, 2023

Healy is no stranger to being at the centre of controversial news, recently facing backlash for his comments on women as a guest on The Adam Friedland Show, in addition to judging Harry Styles for his “queerbaiting” behaviour and mocking Scottish English.

This followed a string of questionable behaviour during The 1975’s At Their Very Best tour, which saw Matty doing everything from eating raw meat on stage to pulling fans up on stage to kiss them.

so matty healy just french kissed me pic.twitter.com/2v06jUZPBS — giulia (@dntyoumind) January 8, 2023

Matty’s behaviour has been questioned by fans and news outlets alike, ultimately leaving them questioning whether this truly is performance art or whether this show of personality is reason enough for his directorship to be terminated in the interest of PR.

The 1975 are set to play multiple festivals across the UK, with tickets available to purchase here.

07/06/2023 – St. Anne’s Park – Dublin

11/06/2023 – Parklife Festival – Manchester

02/07/2023 – Finsbury Park – London

09/07/2023 – TRNSMT Festival – Glasgow

Stream The 1975’s latest album, Being Funny In a Foreign Language, here.