So, Fast Arrow has a new song, “Silent Times,” coming out on Wednesday. You knew about that, right? It gets me thinking back to some of the things we did in the past – like this crazy music video.
Wow. Has it really been 7 years?
In May of 2012, an amazing team of friends came together to help Brendan and I get a music video off the ground for “Ranks of Love,” the single off our EP, Alibi.
Originally conceived through production meetings between Brendan, myself, Doug Arney (director, editor, et al), and Precious Arney (choreography), the video was an effort to be a throwback to some of our favorite videos from the 80’s while pushing boundaries to see what we could accomplish with super limited funds at a local bar in one day of shooting. While there are some general themes, there isn’t really any plot whatsoever, just some weird imagery and vague relationships. On set that day, friends showed up in droves to see how they could help out. It’s hard to imagine that sort of thing happening anymore (are people just exponentially busier than they used to be???). Besides Brendan and I, the cast included Tim Miller, Todd Arney, Lauren Braden, Rachael Johnson, Tyler Johnson, Mack McCoy, and Cynthia Creasey. The crew was Doug Arney, Precious Arney, Tara Munoz, Olivia Mendez, Malaki Stahl, and Jeff Gardiner. Though he couldn’t be there that day, Jack Mitzenmacher was instrumental in getting us some great lighting equipment to work with. Doug did a killer job in editing it all together and putting the finishing touches on. Everyone was so wonderful to work with. Am I missing anyone?
We wore ridiculous makeup and did ridiculous dance moves and Brendan climbed across a pool table. I got to ride on a cart down a hallway with a fan blowing wind in my face. And lip sync to the camera in a bunch of really embarrassing ways.
It was so much fun, and we immediately wanted to do another video for the song “Alibi,” but sometimes things just don’t come together.
The set was especially notable – the Benbow Room in West Seattle, of course, which isn’t open anymore. We weren’t the first to film a music video there. Check out this Mudhoney video for “Suck You Dry.” We put a little easter egg in our video as an homage to Mudhoney. Can you spot it?
What do you guys think about music videos? Should we do more in the future?
Stay tuned this week because on Wednesday the new song, “Silent Times,” will be out!!
- Lesley
