Sometime last year, Helms Alee announced that they might be doing a music video for their song "8/16", given that their fans and supporters sent them some money to make it happen. Some weeks later, their campaign ended, leaving them with enough funds to make the video.

About two weeks ago I found myself in internet conversation about them. Hmm, wonder what happened to that video? I'd really grown to like "8/16" and had become rather curious about how they were going to make a song like that work visually. To my surprise, I was only a few days from its debut.

Midnight February 15th, "8/16" began streaming on Vevo.

At 12:10am I gave it a low-expectations sample, because that's how I roll. My consciousness sprung to life the moment I saw the Metallica impression and immediately recognized it as a Metallica impression. I giggled. The subsequent Red Hot Chili Peppers parody was DEAD ON, to the point that I wondered if it was a clip before noticing the differences. Slash - ha! I've never seen the Ozzy video but, had I, I probably would have snickered at the least of it. And of course, who doesn't like bad Beavis & Butthead dancing? Is it physically possible for a human being to dance like that?

For the spoofs I missed, I looked up as others posted which clips were spoofs of which old videos. Helms Alee are obviously close to my age, though perhaps slightly older. I recall seeing some of the videos live, while others I had missed because I was just young enough at the time to not give a shit about music videos. I didn't know Temple of the Dog had a video, for one.

After watching "8/16" (a dozen times), I have to wonder what kind of video I'd produce had it been up to me and my taste, history, and song. Obviously, "Prison Sex" would be on there. The Madonna video where she's squirming around in a white wedding dress is part of my subconscious, as is the one where she's a peep-show stripper. Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" and TLC's "Waterfalls". The Smashing Pumpkin's zero-shirted vampire crap. NIN's "Closer". Red Fang's beer can basement. Kyuss' "One Inch Man". As is, though, the Helms Alee video clearly has a theme, and it works, and I really enjoy it.

Kudos!

Why You Do This is a music documentary focusing on the band Car Bomb's touring journey through the later 2000s, asking questions about why they, and others, play music.

I watched mainly for Gojira, as I missed most of Car Bomb's set when they played here in 2009, and that alone paid off. There's a few interviews with Joe, and during one of them there's a clip of the Hawthorne Theatre show (see: glow-in-the-dark green paint). I'm there, obscured in the dark or perhaps hiding behind someone's head.

My one-of-a-kind Gojira shirt is still in great condition, and that show still ranks as one of my favorite favorites, despite all I've been privy to or experienced since. Perhaps it was the unexpected element of meeting the band. Perhaps I truly care about Gojira's music in a self-reflective, emotional kind of way and the show was that much more effective for me. Perhaps it was simply because nobody was around to fuck the show up for me, all eyes in front of me were faced forward, I didn't have to deal with anyone's contradictory mood, and I got the feeling of a "whole" crowd. Or perhaps it was just the headlining Gojira show experience. Whatever the case may be, being visually reminded of that which is May 19th 2009 was fucking lovely.

I can't vouch for Car Bomb, but the documentary brings up some good and interesting points, some things I'm even going through right now. As a fan rather than a musician, why have I craved the live experience? 2-3 hours minimum stuck on a bus, eating awful food and suffering for it because nothing is open after concerts get out, alcoholics and bingers, cokeheads, obnoxious assholes who only go to shows to be seen/heard, long bathroom lines, not being able to sleep after from being so wired or emotionally charged, full body soreness, minimum full day recovery per show despite always trying to take it easy, spending top dollar for mediocre shows (who knows which will be the mediocre ones beforehand?), glorification of things I don't believe in, writing after-material that nobody reads unless they have something shitty to say to me, being subtly excluded, alienated, or treated as overly precious... I have my "what's the point?" moments often, even under the best circumstances. But the rare show or concert moment or album or band happens, standing above it all, and I'm like "yep, that's why I still actively pursue music".

Here's another old video some of you will appreciate, even if you don't care for the music. Watch it closely enough and you'll see what I mean.

If you miss the narrative happening here: one of them gives a "why so serious?" expression, the singer sees it in the monitor and laughs, and this results in everyone acting like a dick whenever the camera hits them. It's beautiful.

Also beautiful? The singer. Eeesh.

This appears to be the end of a film, Wenn die Conny mit dem Peter. I've never seen it. This video, however, showed up on an irrelevant youtube search, and I was curious.

I have never heard german sung before. It sounds strange. At first it sounds like english due to the common words/pronunciations, but then they do a little scat kind of thing that's clearly german and wha...? I did not learn these words in my two years of german.

Facial expressions!

I also found a video of some german guys dressed like cowboys and pretending to be western. That's fucking ridiculous.

I haven't watched it yet... but I said I'd post it as soon as I saw it. You're welcome, ye who don't have facebook and therefore didn't see this hours ago.

Edit #1: heh, that screenshot makes you really want to watch, huh? I didn't know they were into gay porn.

Edit #2: Drunkte's scares me. These scenes will burn into my mind and I may never go back again. Also, this should be the new Portlandia intro.

SeeingtheDark.com has gradually evolved from a song-a-day blog since its start in October 2007 to something a little more nebulous. With a heavy rock and metal focus, I share music that I find interesting along with my personal musical journey and experiences. While narcissistic, in the end I hope you make up your own mind.

Send emails to cyberspaceship (at) gmail (dot) com. Questions & updates are fine, sending me unrequested demos or putting me on your label spam list isn't. I will not review your crap.

02/20 witch mountain - south of salem CD
02/18 music video of the year.
02/16 masters degree in dumbass.
02/13 videos of audios.
02/09 the force around that makes the planets be.
02/02 jeff the brotherhood - cool out
02/01 how many times can you breach something?
01/31 the video.
01/31 teenager melodie.
01/28 things that are new.
01/27 what was it doing in the bag in the first place?
01/26 red fang - hank is dead (video)
01/25 a history of drunks.
01/23 warning, danger, etc.
01/23 we're living in an arcane shade of mold.

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