DESCRIPTION:
From the upcoming double album BOLLYWOOD HULA BARD. Shot and directed by Chris Cassidy, art direction by Niamh Byrne. I have worked almost exclusively with these guys, making videos, short films, docs and live events as Vic Thrill and the Bogmen. Most of what we do is on a whim and made better by the occurrence of small miracles, happy accidents and cosmic coincidences. We have come to expect them at this point. Maybe they are gifts from the Universe given to those with no budget and so little time to complete their mission?

The night before David Bowie died, Cass said "do you want to shoot a video tomorrow or the next day? I have an idea, something really simple but effective." I said, "sure!" He texted Niamh and said "you around the next couple of days to shoot a video?" and she said "sure!" The next morning Cass sent us a link to the David Bowie video "Heroes" and said "take a look at this for some inspiration, I obviously don't want to do THIS, just something simple and powerful in the way this is..." I wasn't able to check email until much later that night, like 3-4am. I was driving back to Brooklyn from my mom's on Long Island and got a text from a friend saying "Have you heard yet? David Bowie died, 69 yrs old." I turned on WFMU and they were playing all obscure Bowie songs and performances. I pulled up to my place, parked the car and cried. I looked up to him as an artist and I am grateful for his existence, he is one of the ones that liberated me! Anyhow, Cass sent that email before Bowie died and went to bed before the news had come out. It wasn't until I texted him that night and said, "wait, did you know that he died today? I assume that's why you sent me a Bowie video, right?" Then he tells me that he had planned on projecting somewhat abstracted images from the "Ashes to Ashes" video on my white suit, which if you pay close enough attention, you will see Bowie's lips moving on my chest!

The Spirit of Creation always seems present when we get together and make something - I live/work in the basement of an old factory in South Williamsburg where we shot this. We had just started shooting and Niamh and Cass were looking for the right balance of light and smoke to match the spiritual vibe of the song and at that point all we had was some canned smoke that Niamh had picked up at the store and she had to work very hard to get the air looking just right and it would only last a minute...in walks Gregory Morgan, the newest member of my musical family and he says "I have a smoke machine in my room if you need it, seems like an awful lot of work to do it with the can!" Then Cass or Niamh said "Wow, are you serious? You wouldn't happen to have a strobe light in there as well, would you?" "As a matter of fact I do!", said Greg, who himself radiates light and is always looking to make things BETTER.

The song itself - I dreamed I was being given a ride by the spirit of GOD, which had taken a form that was several football fields in length and moved like a water snake to propel itself through outer space. I was being given a tour of the universe by the One who made it and an opportunity to see everything how IT did. I was singing "Through the eyes of the Creator!" just like you hear it in the song. I woke up and sang it right into my iPhone, went back to bed and woke up again in the morning where I finished the rest of it at breakfast.

I hope everyone finds happiness, I haven't yet but I believe it's right under our noses,
Vic Thrill