A concept even more fresh today than upon its original debut, the music video for Jamiroquai’s "Virtual Insanity"—featuring mercurial bandleader Jay Kay navigating an endlessly shifting floor—has racked up 247 million views, even though it was posted 15 years after its MTV debut. Many newfound fans were introduced to the upper range of Kay’s powerful falsetto through the album featuring that single, Travelling Without Moving, whose cover sported a version of Jay Kay unmistakably inset into the Ferrari logo.
Supercars also set the rhythm for another of Jamiroquai’s breakout singles, “Cosmic Girl,” wherein Jay Kay exercises a Ferrari F40 and F355 GTS alongside an electric purple Lamborghini Diablo SE30 on a mountain road in Cabo de Gata, Spain. A bit of backstory, revealed by Jay Kay on a later episode of Top Gear, was that not only was Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason the pilot of the F40, but that due to damage in filming, the Diablo had no front windshield for most of the shoot. This explains the wind blowing in Jay Kay’s hair during many of the driving shots.
Five years and three albums after their big breakthrough, Jamiroquai enjoyed a genuinely global following, touring the world and headlining festivals. Though critics sometimes compare them with other UK-based acts in terms of sales, Jamiroquai’s lasting power and still-fervent fanbase proved the group has been far more timeless than contemporaries Oasis and the Spice Girls. For their September 2001 release, A Funk Odyssey, the group set about creating their most ambitious “sci-fi boogie” album yet. Jay Kay was advancing his automotive tastes accordingly.
A true connoisseur, eight months earlier, while shopping for a Bentley Continental SC, with its infamously leak-prone removable roof panel, Jay Kay happened upon this earlier Continental, coachbuilt by Park Ward. An icon of the post-war era, the Bentley and Rolls-Royce sister brands were promoted in tandem by British marketing juggernaut Mather & Crowther, who touted the road noise as being quieter than the onboard clock. This very Bentley was first purchased by marketing maven E.L. Mather, a pedigreed connection which could well have inspired the ad.
In any event, the classic Bentley charmed the neo-soul songwriter; Jay Kay chose this 1958 Bentley S1 Continental Drophead Coupé by Park Ward over the more modern Continental SC. Opting for the Drophead Coupe proved to be an intelligent decision almost immediately. As Jay Kay explains, “Well, Heidi phoned up—Heidi Klum—and said, ‘I’d really like to be in one of your videos.’ And so, we thought that video would be perfect for her. And it was perfect for this car.”
Once again, Jamiroquai returned to the Spanish hills for a scenic road. This time, the setting was outside of Almería, in the Sierra Morena mountains. This S1 Continental once again proved itself to be a wise purchase, not only because of its complete open-air atmosphere (ideal for filming) but also for its generous rear seat, which accommodated supermodel Klum with room to spare.
Riding in the front seat was one of the video’s delightful reveals: A purebred Afghan Hound. “When I first approached the back of the car, I thought we had only one blonde in this video until she turned her head and I realized she was a dog!” Jay Kay quipped, “And I’ve never seen anybody get brushed so much. Yeah, the dog was cool. It’s pretty decadent, isn’t it—S1 Continental, Afghan Hound…”
The video for “Love Foolosophy” begins at a palatial estate, centering on the Continental’s ‘Flying B’ radiator mascot. Even before the shoot moved into the hills, Jay Kay felt confident: “I think on the original shot as we first did, as she came round the corner on the gravel drive—as soon as I saw the film, I knew instantly we had chosen the right car. And it was a great shoot.”
Jay Kay’s love affair with this Bentley continued for two more decades after the video shoot. By any accounts, this Bentley was one of the longest-lasting members of his renowned fleet: “She’ll sit at 85-90 mph on the motorway no problem. I’ve taken her all the way down to Limbeth in North Devon—she’s never missed a beat. She’s gone around central London where, I have to say, at nighttime in central London, she’s quite a special thing. Of course, because of the color and just because of the way she looks. I’ve had some head-turning cars in my time, but this one beats the lot, I should think.”
With all the obvious affection expressed between the rock star and his beloved Bentley, one wonders why Jay Kay is motivated to sell. As he explains it, “I’ve had her now for, well, twenty-three years. It’s always about space, it’s not about love. And sometimes you have to let things go. And it’s time to let her go to someone else.”
A generous sentiment from a truly genuine public figure. But it would not be a true Jamiroquai ride without some tunes. One final parting gift to the new owner of this exquisite Bentley: A hand-lettered cassette tape of Jamiroquai singles and remixes. One can be certain that wherever this Drophead Coupé wafts next, it will travel with supremely positive vibrations.
