We are incredibly proud to share the official alternative video to our new single song “Revolution In The Garden” (Blackbird Record Label) directed by our dear friend Henry Mortensen! Henry, who directed the forthcoming documenary ‘Skating Polly: Ugly Pop’ from Perceval Pictures, shot the video between Northern Idaho, Denmark, the Thousand Islands region of New York, the wilds of Yosemite and finally the sun-dappled ocean breeze of Venice, California, mixing images of the Garden of America with the cartoon influences of an American Youth past.
Glide Magazine premiered the video November 20, writing that the band “never let their boots down and their new single ‘Revolution in the Garden’ is equally poignant, resilient, and powerful. The band combines absolute rockish thunder and a punkish raw noir that mixes shades of Patti Smith with The Germs.”
In Henry’s version the animation of Revolution’s chorus became a collaborative effort with all hands on deck, including Kelli Mayo of Skating Polly, Louis Perez III and even Exene Cervenka of X whose handwritten artworks are all seen in the video. The hand of Viggo Mortensen also appears; Henry’s father signed on for a guest spot pushing a stick around in frame. We are told that his hand was paid scale. It all was in an effort to fulfill Henry’s vision for the film, which was of a true garden, its defenders, of justice and hope, even in the face of intense conflict.
The first video for “Revolution In The Garden”, which was shot and directed by our own Frankie Lee Drennen, was premiered via American Songwriter (October 21) with a piece by Paul Zollo who noted that “the new passionately incendiary single by the acclaimed Americana-plus band Dead Rock West, led by Frank Lee Drennen and Cindy Wasserman...is a great song and remarkable record, expansively produced by David J Carpenter, and delivered with urgency by Frank and Cindy together, bringing back the dual spirit of John Doe and Exene in X.”
We’re incredibly proud to have collaborated with Henry on this, and hope that you all enjoy his vision come alive!
DRW xo