If ever there’s ever been an artist with one foot in the past and one in the present it Blair Crimmins. Along with his band the Hookers, Crimmins plays music rooted in old timey ragtime and Dixieland jazz but with a level of energy that makes the music more palatable to younger audiences who may be accustomed to dancing to beats over a jazz band. Earlier this year the band released their new album You Gotta Sell Something!, a fitting title at a time when us Americans find ourselves increasingly having to speak out against injustice and prejudice.
Now the band has a fun new video for the title track of the album and today we are excited to premiere it on Glide Magazine. The video takes us behind the scenes of a lively film set while front man Blair Crimmins is herded from scene to scene unable to control the swirling chaos around him. While the long takes are impressive, equally impressive is the way Crimmins uses such a rowdy song as a piece of satire on commercialism in music. Anyone who’s been to a massive music festival or attempted to listen to Top 40 radio can relate to the saturation of branding and overall commercialism that is pervasive in the music industry these days.
Offering his own commentary on the song and the video, Crimmins says, “I wanted to poke fun at the industry for how dependent it’s become on advertising and product placement. So we decided to make the video into a series of advertisements and called up some of our favorite local businesses to be a part of it. Essentially, we’re making fun of commercialism while simultaneously engaging in it and hopefully making people laugh as a result.”
WATCH:
You Gotta Sell Something! is out now. For more music and info visit blaircrimminsandthehookers.com.
Photo credit: John Gillespie
