as it was released to MTV a whole week before the single was released on radio. Radio stations were anxious at the time because they were concerned that channels like MTV might supplant them in the promotion of singles. The video, filmed in part in sandhills near Cronulla, features the band being tracked through the Australian desert by a half-man, half-snake creature. They eventually take a lift beneath the sands into what appears to be an underground cathedral (scene shot in the Great Hall of the University of Sydney), where the snake creature and other bizarre characters interact with vocalist Le Bon. The band's other members make only brief appearances in the video. The use of expensive sets, costumes and makeup foreshadowed the over-the-top nature of videos to come, including a 17-minute epic video for "New Moon on Monday", the massively expensive video for "The Wild Boys", and the extravagant concept/live film Arena. B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes The B-side to "Union of the Snake" was the atmospheric piece "Secret Oktober", a collaboration between keyboardist Nick Rhodes and singer Simon Le Bon. Forty-eight hours before "Union Of The Snake" was due to be pressed in the US, the band were informed that they didn’t have a B-side for the single, neither did the band have any material that was appropriate for the B-side. So Rhodes, Le Bon and late producer Alex Sadkin set out to work on "Secret Oktober" at 301 Studios in Sydney, Australia (where the Seven and the Ragged Tiger album was being completed); it had been written, recorded and mixed within the 24-hour period they had to meet the deadline. Also included on the 12" single was an extended remix of the single, titled "Union of the Snake (Monkey Mix)". Track listings and formats 7" single: EMI / EMI 5429 United Kingdom "Union of the Snake" – 4:24 "Secret Oktober" – 2:48 12" single: EMI / 12 EMI 5429 United Kingdom "Union of the Snake" (Monkey Mix) – 6:27 "Union of the Snake" – 4:24 "Secret Oktober" – 2:48 7" single: Capitol Records / B-5290 United States "Union of the Snake" – 4:20 "Secret Oktober" – 2:44 12" single: Capitol Records / 8567 United States "Union of the Snake" (Monkey Mix) – 6:22 "Union of the Snake" – 4:20 "Secret Oktober" – 2:44 "Union of the Snake" (Monkey Mix) is also known as "Extended Mix" or "Super