The Band Explains: Night Argent - 'Widowmaker' (Video)
Electrifying alternative pop/rock five-piece Night Argent talk us through all things 'Widowmaker' single and video.
Directed by Night Argent's lead vocalist Chase Manhattan and the band's friend and touring videographer Justin Frick , 'Widowmaker' was filmed by the band themselves. Shot in various locations across the US as they travelled to and from their performances at SXSW in Austin, TX. Throughout the course of shooting, the band hiked through a rainforest, spent the night on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, got detained by rangers, had free range of a wrecking yard for a day, went rock climbing, staged a fight on the top edge of a slot canyon, and ran through the Salt Flats during flood season
Nigh Argent is: Chase Manhattan (lead vocals), Jeff Stachofsky (guitar), Shane Santanna (keys), Evan Taylor (bass), and Zac Burrell (drums).
Night Argent Explains:
Where was the video filmed?We filmed the video at several locations over the period of a couple months. The first shots we got for the video were filmed around our hometown, we love to incorporate pieces of home wherever we’re able, without inhibiting the creative direction of our projects. The first out of town location we hit was the Hoh Rainforest in the Olympic National Forest. The last two locations we hit, were actually on the way home from our shows at SXSW in Austin, TX. We filmed at Coyote Buttes in UT and AZ, then the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
How does the video compliment the song?
Our goal was to create a cinematic music video where the song worked as a soundtrack to compliment the imagery and give the viewer subtle clues to the underlying story line. We also wanted the music video to capture the same energy that we put into our live show.
Any behind the scenes stories?
While we were wrapping up our shoot in the Olympic Forest, we actually got detained by a couple Rangers. They came up to see what we were doing, and our drummer (Zac) immediately let them know he had a registered handgun in the car. They responded by detaining us for over an hour. In the end they let us go on our way, but it was rough sitting there half-naked (we just shot the lake plunge scene), wet, cold, in the rain, without them explaining the real reason. Still, it’s good to know they’re out there helping keep our forests safe.
Tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The song 'Widowmaker' was written as an allusion to addiction, and we wanted the imagery/vibe to carry that feeling of intense urgency while giving us the freedom to take the storyline in a unique direction.
What is the message the video is trying to convey?
We tried to keep the music video as open to interpretation as possible, while still maintaining a unifying theme. Rather than strictly being about addiction we used the idea of the 'Widowmaker' as a physical manifestation of the demons we all face.
Interview feature by Karla Harris