WHEN I GROW UP

LOVE the richness and imagination of this one by Fever Ray, the singer from The Knife.

Japanese Teddy Boys

A Peter Bjorn and John video.

Guy #3

My dad recommended Seth Godin's blog to me. Seth is known as a marketing guru, and has written many best sellers on the topic of innovative marketing. I love this video he posted on his blog in reference to being the initiator of a MOVEMENT. Here's his quote and the video:

"Paul just sent over this video of a dance tribe forming spontaneously at a music festival.

My favorite part happens just before the first minute mark. That's when guy #3 joins the group. Before him, it was just a crazy dancing guy and then maybe one other crazy guy. But it's guy #3 who made it a movement.

Initiators are rare indeed, but it's scary to be the leader. Guy #3 is rare too, but it's a lot less scary and just as important. Guy #49 is irrelevant. No bravery points for being part of the mob.

We need more guy #3s."

True Blood Bites

There is a new show on HBO in its 2nd season called True Blood...another version of the Twilight story...young girl has vampire boyfriend. I have only seen a few episodes, but my point here isn't the show, its the opening credits. Because of my love of conceptual music video often a really well done opening sequence is my favorite part of the show. The Sopranos raised the bar on artistically executed, viscerally stimulating, and evocative opening sequence. Tony in the car, driving from Manhattan to NJ with that song..."woke up this morning, got yourself a gun"
I love when they get the perfect composition of music, theme, cinematography stylization and editing to create a very specific vibe. Its the VIBE. Especially when its for a tv show and the opening sequence although its as short as a music video takes on more and more meaning and emotional resonance to the viewer as more seasons go by and they are emotionally attached and have a deeper understanding of the show's themes such as with the Sopranos. True Blood is my new favorite example of this. Brand new show but the opener is an instant classic.

Dance with Spike 101

Ok this one is an old classic you've probably seen before, but it makes me laugh out loud EVERY time! Spike Jonze is a big influence for me for the marriage of pop art, music, and humor. Spike masquerading as community dance troupe leader "Richard" for the official FatBoy Slim video "Praise You" has always inspired me that all you need is a vision, a camera, a sense of humor, and some friends to get a great piece.

ONE NIGHT IN BROOKLYN

One night in the winter of 2007 in the small, barely furnished 3 bedroom apartment I shared with a of couple artist friends I decided I wanted to challenge myself to make a video piece despite the fact I had virtually no resources to create the images that were floating around in my head. So I took inventory of what I did have available to me at that very moment: a camera, a chair, a white wall, a clamp-on lamp I borrowed from my roommate, and myself, and decided to make an exercise of making something from (virtually) nothing. This is the video that resulted, and as simple as it is, its been the one that people seem to have responded to the strongest.

ZOOT WOMAN

I'm really inspired by music videos that elevate this medium out of MTV and into an art form. I found a video that does just that as well as the 31st song for my "31 for 31" mix in 'We Won't Break' by Zoot Woman. See here: