The Misfits get touchy, swingin’ in suits, playing with Lego, 20th century dress-ups, a last supper, and a red dinosaur.
Continue reading December 2006: Misfits of Science, Mr Boinkin and the Kurnel MC, Pete Fountain, PNC, Sarah Brown, Stylus
Tag: Stylus
June 2006: Samuel Flynn Scott, Stylus, The Black Seeds, The Feelers, The Mint Chicks
Face photocopying, the goth life, a social network, nowhere, and the curious case of the street that wasn’t there.
Continue reading June 2006: Samuel Flynn Scott, Stylus, The Black Seeds, The Feelers, The Mint Chicks
February 2006: Rhombus, Rubicon, Solstate, Starlett, Stylus
Bicycles! Motorbikes! Cars! And a pleasant trip to Japan.
Continue reading February 2006: Rhombus, Rubicon, Solstate, Starlett, Stylus
Stylus “Incredible”
Stylus continue with their angry young rap-rock. Unlike the devilwoman rant of previous single “Backstabbers Incorporated”, this time it’s a feeling of general malaise that’s causing trouble.
Though there is no rap in this particular song, it is very much of the nu metal genre. In fact, both the song and the video have a strong Blindspott vibe. It’s encouraging that a young New Zealand band would take inspiration from another local group. Yay.
The heart of the “Incredible” video is Stylus playing the song in an empty room with forest green walls. That’s all pretty ordinary. Lead singer Matt has wrapped the microphone cord around his hand as he sings, which is a nice way of paying tribute to the Red Hot Chili Peppers while keeping your shirt on.
We also see Matt sulking in a living room where a young couple had just been arguing, moping on a single bed and feeling alone at a crowded party. Ok, so he’s not happy. There’s also a great slow-motion shot of a young woman hurling a vase full of flowers, which I’m sure symbolises inner turmoil or something.
The absolute highlight of the video comes at the end where Matt smashes up his bedroom. He rips the stupid posters off the wall, tips over his lame single bed, and smashes his guitar through his dumb computer monitor. And who’s going to clean that up, eh?
Best bit: the lava lamp on the bedside table.
Director: Adam Jones
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Next… a rooftop in Wellington.
Stylus “Backstabbers Incorporated”
Hell hath no fury like a rap-rock artist scorned? So, there’s the Stylus dude sitting on the couch playing video cames with his girlfriend who is played by Anna Jullienne, who would very soon go on to play nurse Maia Jeffries on Shortland Street. Hanging out with a hot gamer girlfriend – this sounds like a pretty sweet life for a young dude, right? Wrong. He’s upset.
He’s so upset that he puts down the game controller and picks up a View-Master. You know things are serious when old-school tech is involved. But instead of looking at 3D photos of scenic Amsterdam, he sees his girlfriend on a date with a gross dude.
The magical View-Master offers him other scenes where his girlfriend is being, like, a total bitch. “This will change the way we think of you forever,” warns the chorus. Yeah, that’ll teach her.
All the scenes with the View-Master and the devilwoman girlfriend are really silly. The strongest bit of the video is the band’s performance. They’re fierce and energetic and seem like they might be a good band to see live, even though that whole nu metal thing was getting a bit tired by 2004.
As for the magical View-Master, well, if it were me, I’d switch to the Austrian castles reel and lay off the Red Bull.
Best bit: the Baywatch scenario.
Director: Adam Jones
Next… 77 minty seconds.