SHOT: Avril Lavigne - Wayne Isham, director

artist: Avril Lavigne
song: "The Best Damn Thing"
label: RCA 
director(s): Wayne Isham
production co: Merge @ Crossroads

NEWS: Davy Grolton Video Offshoots By Purple Cow

Foo Fighters have always been pretty darn savvy when it comes to music videos, so it's no surprise that they realize the new economics of the music video. Why just get a music video, when you can cleverly cut and set up different elements from the shoot into different promotional tools.

In an ideal world (for the Foos), "Long Road To Ruin" would have spun off an actual, yet goofy and tongue-in-cheek soap opera like the one parodied in the video. Instead, RCA had Purple Cow Post editor Brian Kushner isolate the band's performance as the "Davy Grolton Band" at a mall for use as a viral clip, in addition to several behind-the-scenes takes and parody spots for fictional Foo Gossip features that were featured on Entertainment Tonight and Pat O'Brien's show The Insider. --> watch the Davy Grolton mall performance of "Long Road To Ruin" and the "FF Exclusive" clips "A Night On The Town" (or via PurpleCowPost.com)

SHOT: Newton Faulkner - Paul Minor, director

artist: Newton Faulkner
song: "I Need Something"
label: RCA Records UK
director(s): Paul Minor
production co: Streetgang Films
rep: Free Agent UK / Lanette Phillips Management

NEW RELEASE: Mark Ronson "Valerie"

Is guest singer Amy Winehouse's absence from this video a purposeful creative decision or the result of her unavailability due to rehab or worse (yes, yes, yes)? Who cares. The point is she's not in the video and — even though I find the notorious Ms. Winehouse truly compelling — I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. Mark Ronson is one of those behind the scenes dudes who certainly deserves the spotlight and let's face it: There's no way to compete with Amy Winehouse and her gravity-defying beehive hairdo and overwhelming cult of personality. Ronson appears comfortable and cool on stage at what appears to be a posh, yet off-the-cuff performance when he realizes that his guest singer is not there to take the mic. So, he remains calm and pulls some girls — who all looks like pedestrian versions of Winehouse — from the audience to sing "Valerie" en masse. Whether any of these ladies will have a career path like the one that Courtney Cox enjoyed after her dark dancing with The Boss remains to be seen, but I think Mark Ronson will certainly continue to do just fine. --> watch "Veronica"

Mark Ronson "Valerie" (Allido/RCA)
Robert Hales, director | HSI, production co

BOOKED: Blake Lewis - Sanji, director

American Idol's beatboxing runner-up is set to make his proper video debut...

artist: Blake Lewis
song: "Break Anotha"   
label: 19/Arista 
director(s): Sanji
production co: Siblings
rep: Yell Productions

NEW RELEASE: Foo Fighters "Long Road To Ruin"

Gotta love when Dave Grohl gets into character, be it the swishy flight steward in "Learn To Fly," the Sid Vicious punk rocker in "Everlong," or the "Footos" commercial participant in "Big Me ." The video for "Long Road To Ruin" marks the return to that sort of comedic mimicry as Dave and his fellow Foo Fighters collaborate again with Jesse Peretz, who directed "Learn To Fly" and "Big Me," in addition to a few other Foo videos. The gag this time is a fake soap opera a la General Hospital with Dave as a Rick Springfield type trying to balance rock stardom, his soap career and a love affair with co-star Rashida Jones of The Office. Lots of little gags abound — I especially like drummer Tyler Hawkins' soap name of Les Groper — but the star attractions here are Dave Grohl's mustache and feathery hair which leave the rocker looking like the bastard child of magician Doug Henning. --> watch "Road To Ruin"

Foo Fighters
"Long Road To Ruin" (RCA)
Jesse Peretz, director | Hagai Shaham, producer | Black Dog, production co | Tom Richmond, DP | Fred Fouquet, editor

BOOKED: Daughtry - Martin Weisz, director

artist: Daughtry
song: "Feels Like Tonight"
label: RCA
director(s): Martin Weisz
production co: Weird Pictures
rep: Yell Productions

SHOT: Scary Kids Scaring Kids - Jay Martin, director

artist: Scary Kids Scaring Kids
song: "Faces"
label: Immortal/Epic
director(s): Jay Martin
production co: DNA

BOOKED: Foo Fighters - Sam Brown, director

In support of the new Foo Fighters album Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace, due out September 25 and produced by Gil Norton, who also oversaw the band's double Platinum smash The Colour And The Shape.

artist: Foo Fighters
song: "The Pretender"   
label: RCA
director(s): Sam Brown
production co: Collaboration Factory/Flynn Productions
rep: Laure Scott Management

NEW RELEASE: Mark Ronson/Lily Allen "Oh My God"

Mark Ronson's revamp of the Kaiser Chiefs hit "Oh My God" has the producer admiring a cartoon muse who's a stand-in for brit pop star Lily Allen. She teases and taunts men from a nightclub stage, blowing kisses and absorbing lustful stares. The interaction between the animated Lily — designed by FAFI — and the live patrons is nearly seamless. On an album of full of remakes, it's fitting that director Nima Nourizadeh revisits the Jessica Rabbit character from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. As for the cartoon Lily, she returns to Mark Ronson after her sultry routine, proving that she wasn't so bad after all. She was just drawn that way. (review by Craig Belcher) --> watch "Oh My God" in Quicktime or below...

Mark Ronson f/ Lily Allen
"Oh My God" (Allido/RCA, commissioned by Columbia UK)
Nima Nourizadeh, director | Partizan, production co | FAFI, animation

BOOKED: Natalie Imbruglia - Frank Borin, director

Remember her?

artist: Natalie Imbruglia
song: "Glorious"
label: Brightside/RCA UK
director(s): Frank Borin
production co: Shadow Screen Productions
rep: Yell Productions

NEW RELEASE: Mark Ronson "Stop Me"

DJ/producer Mark Ronson has an uncanny ability to recast nearly any song into a retro, yet very of-the-moment style that incorporates Two Tone ska, Motown soul and the kind of over-the-top music you'd expect in a vintage James Bond theme song. This track is a revamp of The Smiths tune "Stop Me If You've Heard This One Again" with vocals handled by international r&b star Daniel Merriweather. It's a delicate balance between the maudlin lyrics with an arrangement that's downright playful. That same dichotomy is evident in this video as well. The concept seems sad — a city's populace is in danger of drowning in their own tears — but it's depicted in a light, if not totally whimsical tone. Torrents of animated, day-glo tears emanate from all the characters, forming puddles and eventually flooding the whole city. --> watch "Stop Me" via YouTube

Mark Ronson f/ Daniel Merriweather
"Stop Me" (Allido/RCA)
Matt Lenski, director | Sebastian Kaufman, producer | Draw Pictures, production co | Ketil Dietrichson, DP | Click 3x, post effects

BOOKED: Katharine McPhee - Marcus Raboy, director

artist: Katharine McPhee
song: "Love Story"
label: 19/RCA
director(s): Marcus Raboy
production co: DNA

SHOT: Ross Copperman - Frank Borin, director

UK artist Ross Copperman performing on-top of a giant phallus plane named Lucky Lady. Indeed.

artist: Ross Copperman
song: "Found You"
label: RCA (SonyBMG UK)
director(s): Frank Borin
production co: Shadow Screen Productions
rep: Yell Productions

NEW RELEASE: The Strokes "You Only Live Once"

After a post-apocalyptic intro with another song off the last Strokes CD First Impressions Of Earth, first time video director Warren Fu launches us into "You Only Live Once" and his specialty of creating gorgeous, nonexistent other worlds. The band's music is sent to a far off planet — perhaps as the Earth's entry for some kind of galaxy-wide Eurovision music contest —  where it is 40,000 years in the future and music still plays on vinyl, perhaps to thwart the efforts of Bit-Torrenting aliens. The tune works quite well with Fu's serene visual references to 2001: A Space Odyssey and other sci-fi delights — surely informed by his design work on the Star Wars prequels, Lord Of The Rings and AI. What makes it even more enjoyable, however, is seeing that the time/space travel clip ends up at the wellspring of all things Stroke-ian: 1977. (review by Doug Stern) --> watch  "You Only Live Once" (new version)

The Strokes "You Only Live Once" (RCA)
Warren Fu, director/editor | Steve Jang, Chris Noviello, Warren Fu, producers | See Out Loud, production co | Peter Richardson, Aaron White, Warren Fu, DPs | Louis Katz, visual effects | Anthony Liu and PJ Richardson of Laundry Design, special visual effects

SHOT: Natasha Bedingfield - Mark Pellington, director

artist: Natasha Bedingfield
song: "Soul Mate"
label: SonyBMG RCA UK (Epic in the US)
director(s): Mark Pellington
production co: Merge @ Crossroads

BOOKED: Avril Lavigne - Marc Klasfeld, director

Normal people get His and Her towels. Celebrity couples operate on a different scale, however, so it's only right that newlyweds Avril Lavigne and Sum-41 frontman Deryk Whibley have videos in production with the same director.

"When You're Gone is shooting over three days in L.A.

artist: Avril Lavigne
song: "When You're Gone"
label: RCA
director(s): Marc Klasfeld
production co: Rockhard Films
rep: Robin Frank Management

BOOKED: Mark Ronson - Matt Lenski, director

While Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen provide the headlines, the architect responsible for crafting that retro, yet distinctly modern sound is DJ Mark Ronson. Incorporating everything from soul to ska to rap on his upcoming solo release Version, Ronson creates his own versions of songs from the likes of Coldplay, Britney Spears, Radiohead and Maximo Park with an equally impressive list of guest vocalists. The video for this revision of The Smiths classic "Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before" features singer Daniel Merriweather and shoots May 3 and 4 in Los Angeles.

artist: Mark Ronson feat. Daniel Merriweather
song: "Stop Me"
label: Allido/Columbia
director(s): Matt Lenski
production co: Draw Pictures
DP: Ketil Dietrichson

BOOKED: Velvet Revolver - Dean Karr, director

artist: Velvet Revolver
song: "She Builds Quick Machines"
label: RCA
director(s): Dean Karr
production co: Karma Kollective
DP: Christopher Probst

NEW RELEASE: Test Your Reflex "Pieces Of The Sun"

Forgive the bad pun, but this is a video with balls. Literally. Barely legal rockers Test Your Reflex perform at at the Caltrans building in downtown Los Angeles  — same location seen for the recent Maroon 5 "Makes Me Wonder" video — while orbs of energy pulsate and fky around the band them like little pieces of the sun. As far as the band's actual sound, "Pieces Of The Sun" strikes me as a slick, more tuneful and much more pop reimaging of Joy Division. In other words: It should be a hit. --> watch "Pieces Of The Sun"

Test Your Reflex "Pieces Of The Sun" (RCA)
Frank Borin, director/editor | Ari Weiner, producer | Shadow Screen, production co | Yell Productions, rep | Max Makhani, DP

SHOT: Kelly Clarkson - Joseph Kahn, director

artist: Kelly Clarkson
song: "Never Again"
label: RCA
director(s): Joseph Kahn
production co: Supermega/HSI
DP: Christopher Probst

PHOTO: Test Your Reflex "Pieces Of The Sun"

A little sneak peek at the upcoming Test Your Reflex video "Pieces Of The Sun," shot on location at the Caltrans building in downtown Los Angeles. The video is currently in post with director Frank Borin.

NEW RELEASE: Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend"

When it comes to teenybopper punk rock, the bad girl should always triumphs over the good girl  — even when the they are one and the same. That's indeed the case in "Girlfriend," as Avril Lavigne plays both roles in the narrative parts of the video: The good girl who's with the cool guy and the jealous punk rock chick who's intent on sabotaging their amusement park date. Lots of bratty high jinks ensue and the good girl gets left behind— despite the fact that she knows her way around a churro, if you know what I mean. Avril also plays herself — assuming that there is a true, authentic Avril Lavigne persona — in multiple song and dance set-ups, all of which accentuate the neon vibes of this song, which has much more to do with Toni Basil's "Hey Mickey" than Ashlee Simpson's semantically similar tune, "Boyfriend." --> watch "Girlfriend"

Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend" (RCA)
The Malloys, director | John Winter, producer | Black Dog, production co | Crash, DP | Tim Wheeler, editor

NEW RELEASE: Christina Aguilera "Candyman"

Christina Aguilera does her best to boost troop morale in this video tribute to WWII USO shows, sockhops and soda shops. The singer plays a variety roles — with each one sexier than the last — as director Matthew Rolston pulls off some beauty shots that split the difference between sexy/tough Rosie The Riveter posters and a more chaste tribute to the pin-up work of artist Alberto Vargas. All in all, a perfect match to a song that recreates the vibe and style of the swing era hit "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."--> watch "Candyman"

Christina Aguilera "Candyman" (RCA)
Matthew Rolston & Christina Aguilera, directors | Barbara Benson, producer | @radical.media, production co | Crash, DP | David Checel/Cut+Run, editor

BOOKED: Test Your Reflex - Frank Borin, director

artist: Test Your Reflex
song: "Pieces Of The Sun"
label: RCA
director(s): Frank Borin
production co: Shadow Screen
rep: Yell Productions

BOOKED: Kings Of Leon - Adria Petty, director

artist: Kings Of Leon
song: "On Call"
label: RCA 
director(s): Adria Petty   
production co: Pablocita
rep: Robin Frank Management

SHOT: Katharine McPhee - Liz Friedlander, director

First video from the American Idol runner-up...

artist: Katharine McPhee
song: "Over It" 
label: RCA   
director(s): Liz Friedlander
production co: DNA

IN DEPTH: Kasabian "Me Plus One"

The new Kasabian video "Me Plus One" is a fine illustration of how music videos — or any creative medium — can work on a couple levels, depending on the audience. "Me Plus One" appeals to sophisticated types with thought-provoking images, unusual juxtapositions and allusions to other works of art including, most prominently, Salvador Dali's appropriately titled "Human Skull Consisting Of Seven Naked Women's Bodies." Cretins like me, however, merely snicker like Beavis as we get to see some naked chicks on screen.

Anyway.

Director Scott Lyon was kind enough to share the thought process behind the video and some details on the shoot.

Scott Lyon: "The idea came from the mood that is set with the music rather than anything particularly to do with the lyrics.

My first thoughts were to do something that had a black magic feel, but it seemed a bit  alien to who the band are and I didn't want them to be playing characters.

This led to the idea of doing it as a subconscious thing, but it needed to come from somewhere. The obvious thing was that it should happen after a show when they are all hyped up and full of adrenaline in their dressing room and getting hammered.

The use of the Dali skull reference was as a device to get us into the next scene. A way of introducing the girls in the room that fit the situation.

From here the images followed what was going on with the music. As the eastern sounding section came in there needed to be a change in what we were seeing, so it felt right to introduce colour and have something dramatic going on with the girls. I wanted this to have the feel of a religious mural, like the Michelangelo painting on the Sistine Chapel.

The location was somewhere I wanted to shoot at for a while. It's a Masonic Temple that was discovered when an old hotel got renovated in London about five years ago. The door to the temple was sealed up behind a wall. It was undiscovered for about a hundred years and is in pristine condition."

--> watch "Me Plus One " in Quicktime or Flash

Kasabian "Me Plus One" (RCA)
Scott Lyon, director | Zeno Campbell, producer | Factory Films UK (Oil Factory in US), production co | Dan Landin, DP | Tom Linsay, editor

BOOKED: Christina Aguilera - Matthew Rolston, director

artist: Christina Aguilera
song: "Candyman"
label: RCA
director(s): Matthew Rolston
production co: @radical.media

NEW RELEASE: Daughtry "It's Not Over"

Editor Brian Kushner of Purple Cow Post splices together performance footage directed by Dean Karr and a narrative by director Jay Martin in this video for American Idol rocker Chris Daughtry. Fans familiar with his background will undoubtedly find connections with the video's tale of a man getting a second chance to right his life through hard work and a committed relationship. --> watch "It's Not Over" (AOL video link)

Daughtry "It's Not Over" (RCA)
Dean Karr & Jay Martin, directors| Arthur Gorson, producer (performance) | Muriel Samuel, producer (narrative) | Karma, production co (performance) | DNA, production co (narrative) | Heidi Gregory, rep for Dean Karr | Vance Burberry, DP (performance) | Jaron Presant, DP  (narrative) | Brian Kushner, editor

SHOT: Daughtry - Dean Karr, director

Director Dean Karr and American Idol alumnus Chris Daughtry on location at a downtown NYC courthouse for the debut Daughtry clip, "It's Not Over." Narrative elements were shot in L.A.

artist: Daughtry
song: "It's Not Over"
label: RCA
director(s): Dean Karr
production co: Karma
rep: Heidi Gregory Management

PHOTO: On The Set With Landon Pigg

DP Yon Thomas, director Steven Murashige and RCA solo artist Landon Pigg on the set of his video, "Can't Let Go." Murashige is signed with The Artists Company and repped by Laure Scott.

NEW RELEASE: Christina Aguilera "Hurt"

Christina Aguilera stars as an old-time circus performer on ther verge of a nervous breakdown in the video for "Hurt." An unexpected telegram sets off a flood of memories about the supportive, well-meaning father she abondoned once she attained her big top fame. -- watch "Hurt"

Christina Aguilera "Hurt" (RCA)
Floria Sigismondi & Christina Aguilera, directors | Joanna Shaw, producer | Revolver Film Co, production co | Stompbox Media, rep | Jonathan Sela, DP | Martin Ahlgren, additional cinematography  | Jarrett Fijal, editor

BOOKED: Landon Pigg - Steven Murashige, director

artist: Landon Pigg
song: "Can't Let Go"
label: RCA
director(s): Steven Murashige
production co: The Artists Company
rep: Laure Scott

SHOT: Christina Aguilera - Floria Sigismondi, co-director

artist: Christina Aguilera
song: "Hurt"
label: RCA
director(s): Christina Aguilera & Floria Sigismondi
production co: The Revolver Film Co.
rep: Stompbox Media

NEW RELEASE: Kasabian "Empire"

Kasabian
"Empire" (RCA)
WIZ, director | Laura Kanerick, producer | Oil Factory, production co | Tom Townend, DP | Tom Lindsay, editor | Description: There is a World War I poem by the late English writer Wilfrid Owen that ends with the Latin saying "Dolce dulce et decorum est pro patria mori." Roughly translated, it means, "it is sweet and right to die for your country." The poem, however, claims the immortal phrase to be nothing more than "the old lie." [poem and notes at warpoetry.co.uk]. This Kasabian video ends with the same phrase and sentiment. Shot in Romania, the band members are cast as battered and alienated soldiers in a long ago war. After witnessing one too many horrors — especially the death of a young messenger — they decide to take up arms against their own pampered and shielded generals. -- watch "Empire" at a Kasabian video player, or in Quicktime at OilFactory.com (click on the appropriate link under Recent Work)

BOOKED: Citizen Cope - Paul Dektor, director

artist: Citizen Cope
song: "Back Together"
label: RCA
director(s): Paul Dektor
production co: Dektor Films
rep: Laure Scott

SHOT: Ben Kweller - Michael Palmieri, director

artist: Ben Kweller
song: "Sundress"
label: ATO/RCA
director(s): Michael  Palmieri   
production co: The Revolver Film Co.
rep: Stompbox Media

SHOT: Anti-Flag - Kevin Kerslake, director

Over 500 punk rock kids attended a top-secret Anti-Flag performance at the little Mexican bar La Cite  in downtown Los Angeles for this clip. Kevin Kerslake shot and directed the video; Steven Johnson of Factory Features produced. Kerslake is repped through Merge @ Crossroads by Tommy Labuda of Labuda Management.

artist: Anti-Flag
song: "This Is The End (For You My Friend)"
label: RCA
director(s): Kevin Kerslake
producer: Steven Johnson

SHOT: Flyleaf - The Brothers Strause, directors

artist: Flyleaf
song: "Fully Alive"
label: Octone/RCA   
director(s): The Brothers Strause
production co: Tight Films
rep: Laure Scott

NEW RELEASE: Christina Aguilera "Ain't No Other Man"

Christina Aguilera
"Ain't No Other Man" (label)
Bryan Barber, director | William Green, producer | F.M. Rocks, production co | Jonathan Sela, DP | David Checel, editor | Description: Christina Aguilera returns in this jam-packed video which mixes styles from the 1930's and the modern day. Most performance takes place in a posh cabaret, where she shows off her chops amid some bombastic choreographed dance routines. -- watch "Ain't No Other Man" (AOL Video link)

BOOKED: Kasabian - WIZ, director

artist: Kasabian
song: "Empire"
label: RCA (commissioned by Sony BMG UK)
director(s): WIZ
production co: Factory Films UK @ Oil Factory

NEW RELEASE: Imogen Heap "Goodnight And Go"

Imogen Heap
"Goodnight And Go" (RCA Victor)
Arno Salters, director | Craig Fleming, producer | Spy Entertainment, production co | Description: Former Frou Frou singer Imogen Heap follows up her slow burning hit "Hide And Seek" with this playful video for "Goodnight And Go." Heap appears here as just another wind-up toy on a TV set filled with various antique toys and objects.  Things really come alive during the song's bridge when the singer lifts up her billowing dress to reveal a dollhouse filled with creepy dioramas that depict even smaller versions of Heap and other toys.  -- watch "Goodnight And Go" in Quicktime, Real or Windows Media

BOOKED: Christina Aguilera - Bryan Barber, director

Christina Aguilera will return to the spotlight with a performance video being shot at timeless club that mixes elements from both the '30s swing era and the current day. This will be the first video off the singer's upcoming album, Back To Basics.

artist: Christina Aguilera
song: "Ain't No Other Man"
label: RCA
director(s): Bryan Barber
production co: F.M. Rocks

NEW RELEASE: Kelly Clarkson "Walk Away"

Kelly Clarkson
"Walk Away" (RCA)
Joseph Kahn, director | Maryann Tanedo, producer | HSI, production co | Chris Probst, DP | Description: Listeners all across the city totally disregard what they're supposed to be doing and instead start dancing and singing along to a radio performance by Kelly Clarkson and band. Some of the most affected fans include a hair stylist, a woman at a corporate office, and a guy who should be mopping the floor instead of acting like an American Idol. -- watch "walk Away" in QuickTime, Real or Windows Media.

NEW RELEASE: Foo Fighters "No Way Back"

Foo Fighters
"No Way Back" (RCA)
Nick Wickham, director | Emer Patten, producer | Splinter / Anonymous Content, production cos | Description: Is there a better music video formula than"rock band on the road?" Foo Fighters finally succumb to this most basic, yet almost always compelling video archetype with "No Way Back." A variety of film textures and speeds are all used to show the drudgery and the triumph experienced by the band on a European tour.

SHOT: Anti-Flag - Charles Mehling, director

artist: Anti-Flag
song: "The Press Corpse"
label: RCA
director(s): Charles Mehling
production co: Streetgang Films

BOOKED: Kelly Clarkson - Joseph Kahn, director

Shooting today and tomorrow in L.A.

artist: Kelly Clarkson
song: "Walk Away"
label: RCA
director(s): Joseph Kahn
production co: HSI

BOOKED: Bo Bice - Ryan Smith, director

artist: Bo Bice
song: "The Real Thing"
label: RCA
director(s): Ryan Smith
production co: Merge @ Crossroads
rep: Labuda Management

SHOT: Heather Headley - Diane Martel, director

Heather Headley recovers from a bad breakup in this video for the title track from her upcoming CD, In My Mind.

artist: Heather Headley
song: "In My Mind"
label: RCA
director(s): Diane Martel
production co: DNA

NEW RELEASE: The Strokes "Juicebox"

The Strokes "Juicebox" RCA
Michael Palmieri, director
Rachel Curl, producer
A Band Apart, production co
Description: Is it perverted to get sexually aroused watching an elderly socialite clean up after a Great Dane? Probably, yes, but thankfully we live in an age where titillation is easily obtained no matter how bizarre the fetish. While The Strokes perform this muscled-up rocker in a radio studio, we see a steady stream of people partaking in their pleasures and/or pornographic endeavors. David Cross plays a goofy radio DJ who enjoys flipping through skin mags and watching  footage of the aforementioned cleaning lady scrub the floors and wink lustily at the camera. Elsewhere, a pair of women grope each other atop a rooftop — all for the delight of a film crew — while a lucky pedestrian on the street below gets a mobile phone snapshot of a man vomiting from a cab door. Each act segues nicely to the next, culminating in a dirty text messaging exchange that leads to a homosexual encounter in the bathroom (involving Leo Fitzgerald aka Telly from the film Kids).
    This may be the "slickest" video from The Strokes yet, but there's an ironic and self-aware sense of humor to the whole endeavor that keeps it from being merely sexually exploitative. In fact, the whole structure belies a cleverness and perhaps even a societal commentary that most people will either miss or ignore. Also, David Cross is funny as hell here. So, head on over to the "News" section of thestrokes.com and watch "Juicebox."

NEW RELEASE: Kelly Clarkson "Because Of You"

Kelly Clarkson "Because Of You" RCA
Vadim Perelman, director
Rhonda Vernet, producer
Tate USA, production co
Description: Kelly Clarkson and her man are on the verge of an irreconcilable split when time suddenly stops to her a chance to think about her own past and how this break-up would affect their child. The storyline is woven into a series of performance segments in which Clarkson gets downright emotional and teary.

NEW RELEASE: My Morning Jacket "Off The Record"

My Morning Jacket "Off The Record" ATO/RCA
Jake Schreier, director/editor
The Board @ Plum Productions, production co
Matthew Santo, DP
Description: It's a game of telephone in this new video from My Morning Jacket. What starts out as a playground secret soon spreads to a teacher and then on to grown-ups all around the city. Presumably the tale gets more and more exaggerated with each retelling, thus explaining the panicked reactions, but that may not be the case. The video ends with the cops swarming the scenes and taking everyone who knows the secret into custody.

BOOKED: David Gray - Rainbows & Vampires, directors

artist: David Gray
song: "Hospital Food"
label: RCA (commissioned by Atlantic UK)
director(s): Rainbows & Vampires
production co: Oil Factory

BOOKED: The Strokes - Mike Palmieri, director

Director Mike Palmieri will be in NYC on a two-day shoot with The Strokes for their new video, "Juicebox."

artist: The Strokes
song: "Juicebox"
label: RCA
director(s): Mike Palmieri
production co: A Band Apart

NEW RELEASE: Stellastarr "Sweet Troubled Soul"

Stellastarr "Sweet Troubled Soul" RCA
Adria Petty, director
Jonathan Lia, producer
Mad Dog/Adria Petty Design, prod cos
Stompbox/Revolver, rep
Peter Sluszka, director of animation
Ivan Abel, DP
Holle Singer @ Creative Film, editor
Description: Director Adria Petty plays out an ode to film noir with a cast of what look to be larger, more detailed versions of Guatemalan worry dolls. The basic plot incorporates elements of Rear Window, with its scenes of apartment window surveillance, and even Blue Velvet and its mysterious, severed ear. Stellastarr's performance is the only live action element in this stop motion escapade, although that footage is treated with a chopped effect to match the pace of the doll storyline. You can watch the video courtesy of RCA Records in either Quicktime, Real or Windows.

NEW RELEASE: David Gray "The One I Love"

David Gray "The One I Love" RCA
Motion Theory, directors
Scott Ludden, producer
Motion Theory, production co
Description: Music video is not a medium that lends itself easily to a meditation on the inevitable death of a loved one. Motion Theory handle it with grace and beauty, however, in this video for David Gray. The singer/songwriter performs in various pastoral settings where we see people going through life's milestones. A subtle, but very effective effect makes many of the walls and surfaces in the video translucent, thereby allowing the viewer to see the usually hidden things that loom beyond the surface. Watch "The One I Love" in Quicktime, Real, or Windows.

SHOT: I Nine - Christopher Mills, director

Southern rockers I Nine catch a big break thanks to their inclusion on the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's new film, Elizabethtown. The video will revolve around the movie's plot, in which Orlando Bloom undetrakes through the South after receiving a scrapbook from Kirstin Dunst.

artist: I Nine
song: "Same In Any Language"
label: RCA
director(s): Christopher Mills
production co: Spy Entertainment

Pitured on set with the band: RCA's Lorin Finkelstein (far left), director Christopher Mills (third from left) and producer Craig Fleming and manager John Eshank in the back row.

SHOT: BRMC - Plates Animation, director

Plates Animation is in post on a live action clip for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The entire video will be b&w, shot on a combination of HD & Super 8 cameras.

artist: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
song: "Weight Of The World"
label: ATO/RCA (commissioned by Echo in the UK)
director(s): Plates Animation
production co: Plates Animation

SHOT: Jem - Steven Murashige, director

artist: Jem
song: "Wish I"
label: ATO/RCA
director(s): Steven Murashige
production co: The Artist's Company
rep: Laure Scott

PODCAST: Foo Fighters "DOA"

Foo Fighters "DOA" RCA
Michael Palmieri, director/editor
Rachel Curl, producer
A Band Apart, production co
Matt Uhry, DP
Description: This video for "DOA" may make you nauseous. Foo Fighters perform while strapped onto the floor of a room that was designed to slowly rotate a full 360 degrees. Director Michael Palmieri has fun with the camera's perspective, often letting the band seem right side up while their shoelaces and necklaces dangle in an askew fashion, thereby revealing that they are actually sideways or upside down. Cut into this topsy-turvey set is an even weirder segment on a train. Not only is the train also spinning around in circles, but the band members act out a bizarre scene in which muffins are offered and then refused. These are just some of the random and silly touches that make "DOA" constantly surprising and entertaining. Because technology does not (yet) allow for Video Static to offer you muffins, we instead present a Podcast (listen to MP3 or subscribe via itunes) of  Michael Palmieri discussing how they made this video. Palmieri describes how the band members were strapped into the "barf ball" and why the Coriolis Force required them to shoot the room rotating both clockwise and counter-clockwise.

NEW RELEASE: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Ain't No Easy Way"

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club "Ain't No Easy Way" RCA
Charles Mehling, director
Jason Botkin, producer
Streetgang Films, production co
Ken Mowe, editor
Description: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club work up an organic bluesy swagger in "Ain't No Easy Way." The band's performance takes place at a party house where women enjoy both sin and salvation (or perhaps the salvation of sin?). Women entertain at a gathering of foreign army officers while they explore sexual boundaries with each other and take part in a communal meditation service. As BRMC fans could probably guess, the hazy and presumably opiate-fueled vibe meshes quite nicely with the band's sound.

PODCAST: Mark Pellington on Foo Fighters "Best Of You"

Video Static is pleased to welcome you back from Labor Day with the first of what we hope will be a regular series of podcasts. Our first installment is an exclusive commentary by director Mark Pellington on his Foo Fighters video, "Best of You." Pellington discusses a discarded treatment for the video and the emotions that inspired his vision. Options aplenty:  Download an MP3 of the podcast, or subscribe to our podcast xml feed.

Video Static is not smart enough to offer much technical assistance, but if you are using the new version of iTunes, you can subscribe to the podcast thusly:

1. In iTunes, go to the "Advanced" menu up top and select > Subscribe To Podcast
2. A window will appear asking you to enter a URL. Enter the following URL: http://www.videostatic.com/vs/rss.xml
3. iTunes will download the current Video Static podcast and will also automatically download any podcasts we add in the future.

NEW RELEASE: Dave Matthews Band "Dream Girl"

Dave Matthews Band "Dream Girl" RCA
Dave Meyers, director
Janice Biggs, producer
Radical Media, production co
Description: "Dream Girl" is a videos that is essentially a dream within a dream within a dream within a dream. Adding another of obfuscation is that everything takes place within a movie that Dave Matthews watches on the big screen. Actress Julia Roberts is the focal point of the movie/dream, as she moves through various locations and flashes between her childhood and present age. In every scene she's frightened by a shadowy man in a suit. In the end she finally confronts the mystery man only to find that it's the love of her life, played by Dave Matthews himself. All the members of DMB have cameo roles throughout the video, holding their own in scenes with the movie star.

Post production company Kroma provided the visual effects in the video, including the impressive masking effect that erased  Matthews' face so he could play the "mystery man" role.

BOOKED: Foo Fighters - Mike Palmieri, director

A visit to a sushi restaurant becomes a wild underwater experience for the Foo Fighters in this upcoming video.

artist: Foo Fighters
song: "Resolve"
label: Roswell/RCA
director(s): Mike Palmieri
production co: A Band Apart

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE: Jake Schreier and My Morning Jacket

Director Jake Schreier gets squeezed between My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James and keyboardist Bo Koster on the set of the band's new video "Off The Record." Schreier is signed with The Board At Plum Productions and repped by Heidi Gregory.

BOOKED: My Morning Jacket - Jake Schreirer, director

artist: My Morning Jacket
song: "Off The Record"
label: ATO/RCA
director(s): Jake Schreirer
production co: The Board at Plum Productions
rep: Heidi Gregory Management

SHOT: David Gray - Motion Theory, directors

artist: David Gray
song: "The One I Love"
label: RCA
director(s): Motion Theory
production co: Motion Theory

SHOT: Foo Fighters - Mike Palmieri, director

Foo Fighters perform "DOA" in a setting that rotates and gets more visually complex with each revolution.

artist: Foo Fighters
song: "DOA"
label: RCA
director(s): Mike Palmieri
production co: A Band Apart

NEW RELEASE: Kasabian "L.S.F."

Kasabian "L.S.F." RCA
AV Club, director
Anne Johnson, producer
The Directors Bureau, production company
Jesse Green, DP
Guy Harding, editor
Description: Get galactic with Kasabian in this video for "L.S.F." The band members have an ethereal glow as they perform amidst some other-worldly locales. Mixed in with everything are trippy motion effects and a variety of zodiac and religious symbols.

NEW RELEASE: Mario "Here I Go Again"

Mario "Here I Go Again"  3rd Street/J Records
Ray Kay, director
Lou Miguel, producer
Rockhard Films, production company
RFM, rep
Description: R&B star Mario alternately confronts and romances a sexy woman in "Here I Go Again." The couple's tumultuous relationship plays out in such locations as the streets of New York City, on a rooftop, in a taxi and on a watery stage in front of a truck. Also included are a few choreographed dance set-ups.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE: Danny Clinch and crew

Remember when I mentioned that the new Mike Doughty video would take place on a "strange street corner?" Well, I think this photograph kind of explains what I meant.

Video director Danny Clinch (fourth from left) mixes it up on the set with the video's fabulous dance team (lead by their pregnant choreographer Mindy) and make-up artist Carl Giant (far left).

BOOKED: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Charles Mehling, director

Scheduled to shoot this week in Kiev, Ukraine...

artist:  Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
song: "Ain't No Easy Way"
label:  Echo/RCA
director(s):  Charles Mehling
production co:  Streetgang Films

BOOKED: Mike Doughty - Danny Clinch, director

Former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty will perform this tune on a somewhat strange street corner in NYC for his new video.

artist: Mike Doughty
song: "Looking At The World From The Bottom Of A Well
label: ATO/RCA
director(s): Danny Clinch
production co: Partizan

NEW RELEASE: Kelly Clarkson "Behind These Hazel Eyes"

Kelly Clarkson "Behind These Hazel Eyes" RCA
Joseph Kahn, director
Danyi Deats-Barrett, producer
HSI, production company
Description: Kelly Clarkson is on the precipice of having a fairy tale wedding when she suddenly realizes that her man is in love with someone else. She runs through the forest and gains the courage to leave the guy at the altar.

NEW RELEASE: Foo Fighters "Best Of You"

Foo Fighters "Best Of You" RCA
Mark Pellington, director
Norm Reiss, producer
Merge @ Crossroads, production company
Eric Schmidt, DP
Nathan Cox, editor
Peter Benson, production design
Tara Chame, costume design
Description: A truly mammoth performance video. Larger than life footage of Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters is interspersed with a rapid-fire barrage of imagery that runs the gamut from kids at play to when animals attack.

NEW RELEASE: Dave Matthews Band "American Baby"

Dave Matthews Band "American Baby" RCA
Dave Meyers, director
Scott Cunningham, producer
@radical.media, production company
Description: Director Dave Meyers shows the great diversity of America and American citizens in this new video for the Dave Matthews Band. The camera spotlights typical people in such places as schools, churches, hospitals, universities and various cities and places across the country.

SHOT: Kings Of Leon - Patrick Daughters, director

artist: Kings of Leon
song: "King Of The Rodeo"
label: RCA
director(s): Patrick Daughters
production co: Black Dog

BOOKED: Kelly Clarkson - Joseph Kahn, director

Scheduled to shoot next week in Toronto...

artist: Kelly Clarkson
song: "Behind These Hazel Eyes"
label: RCA
director(s): Joseph Kahn
production co: HSI

SHOT: Avril Lavigne - The Malloys, directors

Avril Lavigne perform and cause some chaos on a white cubed set for her video, "He Wasn't"

artist: Avril Lavigne
song: "He Wasn't"
label: Arista/RCA
director(s): The Malloys
production co: Black Dog

SHOT: Jem - Laurent Briet, director

A kid sits in his bedroom and dreams that Jem is floating aboard a space station.

artist: Jem
song: "They"
label: ATO/RCA
director(s): Laurent Briet
production co: Little Minx @ Black Dog

SHOT: Velvet Revolver - Motion Theory, directors

Motion Theory delivered a wild mix of animation and performance for this video from Velvet Revolver. "Dirty Little Thing" starts airing on FUSE and VH1 this week.

artist: Velvet Revolver
song: "Dirty Little Thing"
label: RCA
director(s): Motion Theory
production co: Motion Theory