The Band Explains: My Forever - 'Cure' (Video)
Leeds alternative rock out My Forever talk to us in depth about the ideas behind their single and gritty, cinematic visuals for 'Cure'.
Taken from the band's new EP, 'Clarity', 'Cure' is an explosive and unforgettable 4:18 seconds of atmospheric guitars, tight drumming, subtle synth and soaring emotive vocals as the band explore the withdrawal stages of breaking away from an intense relationship. The realisation of finding out that one person you were dependant on is actually bad for you and confronting the fact that "the one" is most definitely NOT the one.
Where was the video for 'Cure' filmed?
The video was filmed around various different locations, some spots in Leeds UK, (where we're based), some spots in a full white studio based in Thirsk, North Yorkshire (JD Photography Studio) and then the rest, well, we can't give the secret locations away can we ;).
How does the video/ footage compliment the song?
'Cure' is about dealing with the breakdown of an intense relationship that you once believed was good for you but in actual fact it was the one thing destroying you. It's about reaching a low point and dealing with an aftermath of a relationship. The person you once loved was your addiction, your fix and you believed they were the “cure". The whole song takes you on a journey of withdrawal from that individual.
Visually we wanted the video to be dark, uncomfortable at points and really highlight the underlying pain of the story. We used the vacant car park because there's something quite sombre, eerie and empty about that image. The use of the black bike, black clothing, black helmet, black visor and the black liquid throughout the video help to tie in with the obscurity.
The bike scenes were used to portray escape, a way for Dave to get away from the world and think. His pain can be seen in the elevator as he tries to come to terms with his situation. Falling further into darkness he walks around the city and drinks, a way to distract himself from the torment. The black liquid represents all these emotions. It is the “cure" and Dave is getting his constant fix by attaching himself to an IV bag. If you look closely in the bar scene, he's not drinking alcohol but instead the black liquid. As he walks the city he feeds himself the fluid via the IV line. Upon returning to the car park his supply is low and panic sets in. Running back into the lift, he frantically presses the button to return to where he left his bike.
At this point the story takes another twist. Exiting the elevator the doors open the to a roof top. With no sign of his bike, he’s confused and instead is faced with a single chair, in the middle of the rooftop with an IV line / drip. Needing his fix he runs over and attaches the IV line to his arm. The liquid enters his blood stream, he slumps back in relief, feeling the negative emotions enter his system. Again, portraying the feeling of addiction.
The image of someone finding a broken mirror during the dead of night seemed really freaky & quite haunting to us. Dave notices the mirror, walks over and writes ‘I I I’ on the frozen glass (the bands logo). As he does, he see’s his own reflection and suddenly it hits him. This is the first moment he realises that the thing he believed was his "cure", (the black liquid) was actually killing him. Frantically he rips the IV line out of his arm, pushing it away and in anger stamps on the mirror, breaking the glass and destroying his reflection.
From this point onwards the audience can interpret this in their own way. What really happens at the end? Is it a recap of the story? Was the whole story a dream? Did Dave really go to the roof top and find the IV line or did he lose consciousness in the lift & dream the whole scene? We leave it to you to decide....
The video overlays and edits tie in with the power and fast pace of the track, especially in the choruses where the scenes change between each member. The road overlay is meant to represent the feeling of a constant search for the light at the end of a tunnel, which your trying to reach. Throughout the entire video this scene is repeated during the performance sequences, to represent dark patches in our lives. It's only when we hit the end section of the song that we actually find the light. This is the point where healing has begun. The final hand scene represents letting go of the person you believed was good for you. You finally let go of the "cure".
Any behind the scenes stories?
Lee our drummer smashed a bunch of the light bulbs whilst he was playing in the performance scene. The glass exploded all over him but luckily he was ok.
The rooftop scenes were filmed at the beginning of January, so as you can imagine in the U.K. it was bloody freezing. It was - 2 in fact. In-between takes Dave would put on about 10 layers to stay warm, including his rather uncool dressing gown, which we do have video and photo evidence of.
Tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
When we started writing the story line we looked at a lot of images that you might see in dreams or flash backs. The video has dark undertones, which come from certain images we found from horror films and thrillers. We particularly looked at ideas used in a show called ‘American Horror Story’ and watched many theme related trailers. We also looked at images of abandoned mental asylums, hospitals & researched subjects on addiction and withdrawal. The black liquid represents the ‘Cure’. We based the entire story around the city, as there's something quite dark & grungy about it.
What is the message the video is trying to convey?
Its about dealing with the breakdown of an intense or unhealthy relationship.
‘CURE’ can also be related to many things, not just to the breakdown of a bond but also those difficult times we all face personally. The message we want to convey is one of hope.
It's about fighting your inner demons and rebuilding yourself, finding your inner strength to let go, to move on & to keep fighting. Always believe that no matter how hard life gets and no matter how much pain you feel, things will eventually get better. You will heal and you will recover. Never give up. Never lose hope.
Interview feature by Karla Harris
