The Band Explains: Baneful Town - 'Flare Gun Eyes'
We chat to Marshal Herridge of indie folk outfit Baneful Town about the band’s sweet animated music video for ‘Flare Gun Eyes’, which depicts a love story gone sour.
How did you come up with the idea to animate the video?
I’ve always been a fan of animated videos since I was a kid and I thought that it would be a good aesthetic for our brand. With the title of the song too it just seemed fitting because we could clearly animate and depict the female character having “flare gun eyes” (eyes that were on fire).
How does the video connect with the song?
I wanted a melancholy love story of a couple to match the lyrical content and vibe of the track. The characters used in the video were also the types of people I would imagine in this song so it was nice to see it come to life.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
The song was written in a messy Montreal bachelor pad on a gloomy fall evening. I spend a lot of time writing songs lying on my bed at night staring at the ceiling and this was one of those songs that came to be in a few hours because it was a very natural one. I also tend to write more fingerpickyish subdued love songs and it is becoming a theme of the band.
Can you tell us about the ideas/themes/imagery used?
Originally, this song was written for that feeling you get when you’re on a date with a girl and she leaves you dumbfounded and speechless. I gave a few ideas to the animator including this one and he viewed the song differently which is why he interpreted the flare gun eyes as being “angry eyes” and added the couple fight element to the music video. I think both are applicable and I like that the song can take on different meanings depending on how it hits the listener/viewer.
Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
The message of the video is however you interpret the metaphor of “flare gun eyes.” It’s no secret that there are a lot of mixed emotions when you are in love or infatuated by someone and so it’s a combination of any and all of these things. A rollercoaster ride of good to bad good to bad and hopefully back to good again in the end.
Interview by Karla Harris
Baneful Town’s new single ‘I Did The Laundry Today’ is out now.