WATCH IT: The Pretty Reckless "My Medicine" (Meiert Avis, dir.)

Former Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen makes sure you get the point that she's a rocker now: Smoking? Check. Porn star in the video? Check. All sorts of insinuations of inebriations and sexual indiscretions? You bet. Safe for work? Probably not. Time for the rock 'n' roll doubters to start taking Ms. Momsen and The Pretty Reckless seriously? I hope so, since there's not much further she can push the envelope without becoming Wendy O. Williams. --> watch "My Medicine"

The Pretty Reckless
"My Medicine" (Interscope)
Meiert Avis, Stefan Smith, Taylor Momsen, director | Jeremy Alter, Meiert Avis, producer | Pusher Media, production co | Labuda Management, rep

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IN PRODUCTION: Ariana Grande - Meiert Avis & Jeremy Alter, dir.

• artist: Ariana Grande
• song: "Put Your Hearts Up"
• label: Universal Republic
• director(s): Meiert Avis & Jeremy Alter
• production co: Pusher Media
• rep: Labuda Management
• commissioner: Kim Garner

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WATCH IT: Evanescence "What You Want" (Meiert Avis, dir.)

There's something spooky going on with Evanescence singer Amy Lee in this comeback video, even if it never gets revealed. An NYC underground performance is contrasted with an aboveground storyline where surveillance footage follows Lee leaping off the Brooklyn Bridge and then strolling into the Atlantic Ocean. --> watch "What You Want"

Evanescence "What You Want" (Wind-Up)
Meiert Avis, director | Jeremy Alter, producer | Pusher Media, production co | Bill Richards, commissioner 

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WATCH IT: Social Distortion "Machine Gun Blues" (Jeremy Alter, dir.)

Social Distortion frontman Mike Ness doesn't have to stretch his usual look and attitude to transform himself into a Depression-era gangster for this short film of a music video. --> watch "Machine Gun Blues"

Social Distortion "Machine Gun Blues" (Epitaph)
Jeremy Alter, director | Jeremy Alter, Meiert Avis, Anton Pardoe, producers | Pusher Media, production co | Charles Papert, DP | Cameron Alex Braden, Mike Evans, editors | Philip Duffin, production designers |  Matt McGreevey, Shane Trulin, exec. producers 

WATCH IT: Crystal Bowersox "Farmer's Daughter"

While you might associate the typical American Idol single as something on the level of a treacly greeting card, this debut track from 2010 runner-up Crystal Bowersox is unlikely to get much play on Mother's Day since it's essentially an autobiographical and angry kiss-off to an unfit mother from a newly liberated daughter. Director Meiert Avis nevertheless finds a heart in this, creating a visual motif that borrows the idea behind "Undone (The Sweater Song)" and transforms it into a metaphor in which Bowersox takes the lessons from her own upbringing to make herself a better mom to her own kid. --> watch "Farmer's Daughter"

Crystal Bowersox
"Farmer's Daughter" (Jive/ZLG)
Meiert Avis, director | Jeremy Alter, producer | Pusher Media, production co | Labuda Management, rep  | Charles Papert, DP | Mike Evans, editor | Philip Duffin, production designer | Janet Kleinbuam, commissioner

WATCH IT: The Pretty Reckless "Make Me Wanna Die" (M. Avis/C. Ledoux, dir.)

Before you get snarky about former Gossip Girl starlet Taylor Momsen's segue into the world of rock n' roll, it's worth remembering that lots of same barbs were hurled at Jared Leto, another actor turned rocker, whose band 30 Seconds To Mars is now firmly entrenched as a core commercial alternative hitmaker. What that says about the nature of the music star here in the 21st century — Is it just another stage/screen role best left to professional actors? — is beyond my paygrade. Whatever you say, there's no disguising the fact that Momsen and The Pretty Reckless know how to get attention, and this video's striptease routine through a city of fire is guaranteed to attract some rubbernecking. --> watch "Make Me Wanna Die"

The Pretty Reckless "Make Me Wanna Die" (DAS/Interscope)
Meiert Avis + Chris Ledoux, director | Jeremy Alter + Meriert Avis, producer | Pusher, production co | Labuda Management, rep | Michelle Ann, commissioner 

SHOT: The Pretty Reckless - Meiert Avis, dir.

Fronted by Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen...

• artist: The Pretty Reckless
• song: "Miss Nothing"
• label: Interscope
• director(s): Meriert Avis
• production co: Pusher Media
• rep: Labuda Management
• commissioner: Michelle An

SHOT: Micheal Buble - Meiert Avis, director

• artist: Michael Buble
• song: "Hold On"
• label: 143/Reprise
• director(s): Meiert Avis
• production co: Pusher
• rep: Labuda Management

WATCH IT: Paramore "Bit By Boring Brick"

Fairy tales without happy endings aren't worth remembering. So, Paramore singer Haley Williams prepares to lay her childhood demons to rest in this fantastical video for "Brick By Boring Brick." Director Meiert Avis keeps the clip memorable with an elaborate retelling of the lyrics tale, referencing Alice In Wonderland and other fairy tales, but with a look that's most reminiscent of the burnt-orange narco-dreamworld of the Nirvana "Heart Shaped Box" video. --> watch "Brick By Boring Brick"

Paramore "Brick By Boring Brick" (Fueled By Ramen/Atlantic)
Meiert Avis + Chris Ledoux, director | Jeremy Alter, producer | Pusher, production co | Craig Kief, DP | Labuda Management, rep | David Saslow + Cathy Pellow, commissioners

BOOKED: Boys Like Girls - Meiert Avis, director

• artist: Boys Like Girls
• song: "Two Is Better Than One"
• label: Columbia
• director(s): Meiert Avis
• production co: Pusher
• rep: Labuda Management

BOOKED: Flyleaf - Meiert Avis, director

• artist: Flyleaf
• song: "Again"
• label: Octone/A&M
• director(s): Meiert Avis
• production co: Pusher Media
• rep: Labuda Management

WATCH IT: Rise Against "Hero Of War"

Rise Against does a better job describing this powerful, fearless and unflinching video about the Iraq War and its collateral damage than I probably could.

Rise Against: "Hero Of War" is the story of one soldier, not all soldiers, as he battles not just the war around him, but the war that rages within. Inspired by true events, we were given the choice to either document the tribulations of these times as they unfold around us, or ignore them. To ignore these problems, in our opinion, is letting down the brave men and women who risk everything. "Hero Of War" is our attempt to lift the stigma that surrounds everything from the skyrocketing suicide rate of troops, torture, internal sexual abuse, an under-funded VA, and the growing number of military personnel fighting Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as they return home. We hope this song and this video help the simmering dialogue about these problems evolve into a rolling boil. [source]

--> watch "Hero Of War"

Rise Against "song" (DGC/Geffen)
Meiert Avis, Jason Lehel, Chris Ledoux, directors | Jeremy Alter, producer | Pusher, production co | LaBuda Management, rep | Nicole Ehrlich, commissioner

BOOKED: Ben Harper/Relentless7 - Meiert Avis, director

To support White Lies For Hard Times, the debut album from Ben Harper's new group, Relentless7... Video shooting in NYC.

• artist: Ben Harper & Relentless7
• song: "Fly One Time"
• label: Virgin/Capitol 
• director(s): Meiert Avis 
• production co: Pusher 
• rep: Labuda Management

BOOKED: New Found Glory - Meiert Avis, director

artist: New Found Glory
song: "Listen To Your Friends"
label: Epitaph
director(s): Meiert Avis
production co: Pusher Media
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Chris Cornell - Meiert Avis, director

artist: Chris Cornell
song: "Ground Zero"
label: Interscope
director(s): Meiert Avis
production co: Pusher Media/Miss Jones
rep: Labuda Management

Video ties-in with the new ABC series Life On Mars...

BOOKED: Bryn Christopher - Meiert Avis, director

artist: Bryn Christopher
song: "The Quest"
label: Polydor/Interscope
director(s): Meiert Avis
production co: Pusher/Miss Jones
rep: Labuda Management

NEW RELEASE: H.I.M. "Kiss Of Dawn"

Any sociologist student in need of a good thesis subject could do worse than traveling to Finland and figuring out what drives the thriving Finnish metal scene. My theory is they love the black metal to compensate for that Midnight Sun phenomenon where the sun stays visible at midnight. While most of Finland's musical exports are either too weird — see the symphonic metal band Nightwish, for a good example— or just too darn scary  — Satanic Warmaster, anyone? —  H.I.M. has been having some mainstream success in the U.S. with an a Gothic and Romantic version of hard melodic alternarock. The video for "Kiss Of Dawn" — a song title which  isn't probably  a reference to the aforementioned Midight Sun, or a reference to a chick named Dawn —  accentuates all those spooky castle elements that are probably required in any H.I.M video while keeping the focus on singer Ville Valo, who comes across as the brooding Goth love child of Jim Morrison and Morrissey. Director Meiert Avis also delivered a series of virals for other songs off the band's new opus, Venus Doom. --> watch "Kiss Of Dawn" plus some virals virals virals virals

H.I.M. "Kiss Of Dawn" (Sire/Warner Bros.)
Meiert Avis, director | Kris Eber , producer | Pusher, production co | Labuda Management, rep |  Danny Hiele, DP

New Release: Bad Brains - Shavo Odadjian, director

Bad Brains are one of those classic bands better known for who they inspired than their actual music. Traces of their hardcore punk and dub reggae hybrid can be heard throughout many of the bands that typified the alternative rock explosion of the early '90s, especially Jane's Addiction and Fishbone, just to name a couple. Two Bad Brains disciples play prominent rolls in this comeback effort to bring the greatness of the band to the masses: Beastie Boy member Adam Yauch produced the new album Build A Nation and System Of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian directed this video for "Give Thanks And Praises/Jah Love." The clip covers two songs that typify the Ying/Yang of the band's styles: The hardcore frenzy of "Give Thanks And Praises" gets matched with a close-up club performance shot in Portland, OR, while the blissed-out dub of "Jah Love" is set against gorgeous (pardon the pun) b&w footage of the band's appearance at the  Sasquatch Festival at The Gorge in George, WA. --> watch "Give Thanks And Praises/Jah Love" in Windows Media or at YouTube

Bad Brains "Give Thanks And Praises/Jah Love" (Megaforce)
Shavo Odadjian, director | Meiert Avis & Brett Carlson, producer | Pusher, production co | Danny Hiele, DP | Nicholas Wayman Harris @ Union Editorial, editor

SHOT: Bad Brains - Shavo Odadjian, director

The legendary and influential all-black hardcore band Bad Brains is back. If you're a young'n and have never heard of them — or if you doubt my choice of adjectives  — consider this: Their new comeback album Build A Nation was produced by the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch and the video for "Give Thanks And Praises" was directed by System Of A Down bassist Shavo Odadjian. That is respect.

The photo shows Odadjian and DP Danny Hiele literally putting their heads together as they plan the next move during one of the three days in Portland, OR and the nearby Sasquatch Music Festival.

The video was co-produced by Meiert Avis (with Brett Carlson) through his own Pusher production company.

artist: Bad Brains
song: "Give Thanks And Praises"
label: Megaforce
director(s): Shavo Odadjian
production co: Pusher
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Jack's Mannequin - Meiert Avis, director

Director Meiert Avis was on hand to document a studio session between Jack's Mannequin and rock legend Mick Fleetwood performing the John Lennon cut "God." The video will support the forthcoming Warner Bros. album Instant Karma: The Campaign To Save Darfur, benefiting human rights group Amnesty International's efforts to bring an end to the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

The CD is due June 12 and will consist entirely of John Lennon songs performed by the likes of Green Day, R.E.M., Christina Aguilera, Jack Johnson, Snow Patrol, Regina Spektor and The Postal Service. All proceeds — including the publishing royalties, which have been donated for this project by Yoko Ono — will go to Amnesty International. More information is available at InstantKarma.org.

Photo credits, from left: DP Craig Kief, Jack's Mannequin member Bobby Anderson, Mick Fleetwood, gaffer Ryan Lynch, editor Noah Caddis and Jack Mannequin's Andrew MacMahon. (click to enlarge)

artist: Jack's Mannequin
label: Warner Bros.
director(s): Meiert Avis
production co: Pusher Media/Factory Features
rep: Labuda Management