Supergrass "St. Petersburg" CapitolBorkur Sigthorsson, directorsFactory Films UK, production coDescription: This video gets a lot of mileage out of smooth camera movements that let the viewer see close this Supergrass performance from a wide variety of angles.
Rise Against "Swing Life Away" GeffenEstevan Oriol, directorSteve Stone, producerSoul Assassin Studio, production companyPablo 2000, DPNicholas Wayman-Harris, editorDescription: Rise Against singer Tim McIllrath gets inspired with a new song while getting off Chicago's El Train. He quickly heads home to write the lyrics and record a demo. After meeting his bandmates to play them this melancholy, yet very catchy acoustic track, they all head to a bar. Unfortunately, Tim bumps into a bully who crushes the demo tape, thereby forcing the frontman to go back and re-record this hit.
The Kids Of Widney High are a group of students from a special education high school in Los Angeles with musical ambitions.
The group has caught the attention of Mike Patton (who released some of their recordings on Ipecac Records) and Howard Stern. They are also slated to appear in The Ringer, an upcoming comedy produced by The Farrelly Brothers.
artist: The Kids Of Widney Highsong: "Pretty Girls"director: Michael Medagliaproduction co: Prettypictures
Watch the video at Prettypictures.com
Youth Group "Skeleton Jar" EpitaphMathematics, directorMathematics, production companyDescription: Varying film speeds, a reddish hue and some skeleton bodysuits add a discordant touch to what could have just been a video with performance on a pier. Also added into the mix are a ping pong game and a song that mines the anthemic sounds of U2 for darker purposes.
Youth Group "Shadowland" EpitaphMathematics, directorMathematics, production companyDescription: A creepy CG fairytale. This video starts in the forest and then transitions to a city where part human/part animal creatures and the band members stay inside and look out their windows.
Currently streaming at allhiphop.com...artist: Mobb Deepsong: "Cobra"label: Infamous Recordsdirector(s): Akwesiproduction co: The I Factory @ Lynx Digital (UK)
Mike Jones "Back Then" Swishahouse/Asylum/Warner Bros.Dr. Teeth, directorTracey Hicks & Keith Pashall, producerFilming Company, production companyZeus Morrand, DPQuick, editorDescription: This funny clip shows the suddenly wealthy and successful Mike Jones rebuffing the advances of women who previously treated him like a scrub.
The High Speed Scene "The IROC-Z Song" Star Trak/InterscopeGeoff Oki, directorJoe Montalbano, producerNylon Motion, production companyNick Jeon, Tom Kyster, Tony Ortiz & Matt Oldfield, animatorsMari Inukai, backgroundsGudrun Cram-Drach, production artist
Keane "Everybody's Changing" InterscopeNorm Riess, producerMerge & Whitehouse Pictures, production companySteve Rees, editorSunset Edit, Editorial companyDescription: A mix of tour footage with performance shot against the projected backdrop of a red sky.
VHS Or Beta "Night On Fire" AstralwerksBen Dickinson, directorAndrew Hasse, producerWaverly Films, production companyDescription: VHS Or Beta let this rocking new wave tune take center stage here. "Night On Fire" starts as an extremely bare-bones performance video, but then static (video static, perhaps?) hits the backdrop and each individual band member.
As Passover winds to a close, I hope all of you caught VH1 Classic's Matzo & Metal. Besides retelling the story of the Jews exodus from Pharaoh's land in its own unique fashion with Popsicle stick characters, the special also featured a Seder with a variety of Jewish metal icons. Among the attendees were Anthrax's Scott Ian, Twisted Sister's J.J. French and Mountain's Leslie West. The host was Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider (who is only half-Jewish, for the record) and the show was sponsored by the kosher winery Manischewitz.
The Features "Blow It Out" UniversalChad Denning, directorBrett Darken & Matt Nahay, producersPeace Frog, production companyChad Denning & Brian Wilson, editorsDescription: The Features perform this pop/rock tune in a cozy recording studio.
