WATCH IT: Gangrene "Vodka & Ayahuesca" (Jason Goldwatch, dir.)

"Vodka And Ayahuasca" is a dangerous combo, as is a moron and a weapon and lots of other idiotic/genius found footage that direcor Jason Goldwach collated into a series of  pre-release virals to trumpet the latest output from producer Alchemist and rapper Oh No's project, Gangrene. This proper music video makes use of some U-Haul abuse clips, incorporating newly shot footage Gangrene getting down in the back of a truck as it goes on a destructive ride. --> watch "Vodka & Ayahuasca"

Gangrene
"Vodka & Ayahuesca" (Decon)
Jason Goldwatch, director  | Decon, production co | Labuda Management, rep | Rob Benevidis, DP

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IN PRODUCTION: Mystikal f/ Lil Wayne & Birdman - Gil Green, dir.

• artist: Mystikal f/ Lil Wayne & Birdman
• song: "Original"
• label: Cash Money/Universal
• director(s): Gil Green
• production co: 305 Films
• rep: Labuda Management
• producer: Judd Allison
• exec. producer: Jeffrey Panzer

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IN PRODUCTION: The Knux - Evan Dennis, dir.

• artist: The Knux f/ Natalia Kills
• song: "1974"
• label: Interscope
• director(s): Evan Dennis
• production co: Artists & Derelicts
• commissioner: Mark Bridges

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WATCH IT: Electric Guest "American Daydream" (Jorma Taccone, dir.)

The vocalist for Electric Guest is Asa Taccone, and he looks familiar because his brother is Jorma — famous for being on boats and pants soiling for SNL/Lonely Island. With that pedigree, this video may at first seem oddly downbeat and not obviously funny. It starts out seeming to be about savage jealousy at a party, but as things play out, it becomes clear that a serious jonesing for accessories of all kinds is the cause. And in my mind, watching the singer attack people for their scarves and ironically cool fur hats is really funny - and possibly a commentary on materialism as it applies to our American Daydream. Not sure what the political implications are of the billiard related zabiba he picks up at the end. --> watch "American Daydream"

Electric Guest
"American Daydream" (Downtown)
Jorma Taccone, director | Sean Moody, producer | Caviar, production co | Brandon Trost, DP | George Stahl, production designer | Jacob Ritley, colorist

IN PRODUCTION: The Shins - Jamie Caliri, dir.

• artist: The Shins
• song: "The Rifle's Spiral"
• label: Columbia
• director(s): Jamie Caliri
• production co: Jamie Caliri Productions
• rep: RW Media

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WATCH IT: Mark Lanegan Band "Gravedigger's Song" (Alistair Legrand, dir.)

There's a haunting in this old farmhouse that becomes clearer and creepier with every enigmatic (yet clearly creepy) lyrical turn from the mighty Mark Lanegan. --> watch "The Gravedigger's Song"

Mark Lanegan Band
"The Gravedigger's Song" (Beggars)
Alistair Legrand, director | Jack Richardson, producer | The Masses, production co | Doomsday Ent, rep | John Frost, DP | Roger Trust, commissioner

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IN PRODUCTION: Dry The River - Raul Fernandez, dir.

• artist: Dry The River
• song: "New Ceremony"
• label: Sony UK
• director(s): Raul Fernandez
• production co: The Masses
• rep: Doomsday Ent
• producer: Jack Richardson

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IN PRODUCTION: Lumineers - Ben Fee, dir.

• artist: The Lumineers
• song: "Ho Hey"
• director(s): Ben Fee
• production co: The Masses
• rep: Doomsday Ent
• DP: Elliott Sellers
• producer: Colin Shane, Judy Craig

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IN PRODUCTION: The Dream - Marc Klasfeld, dir.

• artist: The Dream
• song: "Roc"
• label: Radiokilla/IDJMG
• director(s): Marc Klasfeld
• production co: Rockhard
• exec. producer: Nicole Acacio
• commissioner: Margo Wainwright

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WATCH IT: Perfume Genius "Hood" (Winston H. Case, dir.)

Although this clever Perfume Genius video stars a hardcore gay porn star Arpad Miklos (safe link, btw), it's about as tender a music video as you could imagine, even if the visuals do add a whiff of parody to lyrics that are mired in sad self-loathing.

The bigger story and the more controversial element is that Matador Records was all set to run some pre-roll trailers on YouTube with clips from the video, but was denied for "promoting mature sexual themes" and being "not family safe." 

The video has no nudity. There's no direct sexual references. There's nothing really inappropriate about it. And, an important point is that web advertising is targeted: Unless the plan was to run the ad as pre-roll before Jerry Falwell clips (which would be genius, but a total waste of money), it's unlikely that the ad would be seen by people who get the willies from watching one man dote on another. So, go figure...

PS: The pre-roll ad I saw when I watched the video again today was promoting a Bridgestone Super Bowl campaign entitled "Performance Balls and Puck" and claims that they are "the rulers of rubber." I was offended.

--> watch "Hood" 

Perfume Genius
"Hood" (Matador)
Winston H. Case, director/editor | Greg Finch, Nils Bernstein, producers | Palo Duro, production co | William Colby, DP | Stephen McNally, post/vfx | Michael Garber, colorist

IN PRODUCTION: Nickelback - Nigel Dick, dir.

• artist: Nickelback
• song: "Lullaby"
• label: Roadrunner
• director(s): Nigel Dick
• production co: DNA
• commissioner: Rick Ernst

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IN PRODUCTION: Jeffree Star - Robby Starbuck, dir.

• artist: Jeffree Star
• song: "Prom Night"
• label: KonLive/Popsicle Records
• director(s): Robby Starbuck
• dp: Greg Ephraim
• production co: RSM
• producer: Robby Starbuck

WATCH IT: Red Hot Chili Peppers "Look Around" (Robert Hales, dir.)

The notion of four distinct personalities for a rock quartet goes all the way back to The Beatles — although special props to Led Zeppelin who created special symbols for each band member, a move later one-upped by having individual narrative arcs (including one for their manager and road manager) inserted into their Song Remains The Same concert flick — but director Robert Hales uses a modern trick to let each Red Hot Chili Pepper have a room of ones own. A special quad-camera set in the center of four open-faced rooms filmed the band members concurrently, with the sometimes overlapping footage then stiched together and given a rotational effect. Each room is unique to each personality with lots of personal touches, including family members, friends and decorations. --> watch "Look Around" plus a making-of that shows off the quadcam apparatus

Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Look Around" (Warner Bros.)
Robert Hales, director | Paul Laurens, producer | HELLO!, production co | LARK CREATIVE, rep  | Allejandro LaLinde, DP | Doobie White @ Therapy, editor | Marcus Lutyens, production designer | Kerri Kleiner, exec. producer | Devin Sarno, commissioner  

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WATCH IT: Blink 182 "After Midnight" (Isaac Rentz, dir.)

One clear predecessor for Blink-182's newest video is The Breakfast Club, but set in a adolescent psych ward rather than a suburban high school's detention hall. Director Isaac Rentz has worked with Blink before (perhaps they are his Molly Ringwald?) and he definitely captures the bittersweet, reflective vibe of the band with practiced skill. It almost seems like Blink has entered that 'Aerosmith/Alicia Silverstone' stage of their career where they leave the storyline action to a younger crew (who certainly resemble Carey Mulligan and Joe-Gordon Levitt). No more banana suits or boy-band impressions; I guess this is growing up. --> watch "After Midnight"

Blink 182
"After Midnight" (Interscope)
Isaac Rentz, director | PJ Sodaski, producer | More Media, production co | LARK CREATIVE, rep | Morgan Susser, DP | Mandy Brown, editor | Mat McCarthy, production designer | Stephen Buchanan, exec. producer 

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IN PRODUCTION: The Weeknd - Lamar Taylor, dir.

• artist: The Weeknd f/ Drake 
• song: "The Zone"
• director(s): Abel Tesfaye, La Mar Taylor and DropxLife
• production co: Vision Ent
• exec. producer: Geoff McLean

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