Montreal’s The Stills may not be from the US, but they spend a lot of time here. In fact, they were in NYC during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an event that not surprisingly has stuck with them. In the wake of those tragic events, band member Dave Hamelin penned “Lola Stars And Stripes,” a song that captures the confusion, skepticism, and uncertainty of our times. Next week, Atlantic records will put their major label muscle behind this track in hopes of getting The Stills their first taste of widespread radio airplay in this country. The song is already a Top 40 hit in the UK and a chart-topping video for MTV UK and NME.
The video for “Lola” was directed by Olivier Gondry, who has worked closely with brother Michel on videos for Radiohead, Björk, and The White Stripes and by himself on videos for the Vines and Jack White/Loretta Lynn.
“When I did read the lyrics, the first image I got in my mind was them walking in a happy area, then them walking in an area devastated by war,” said Gondry. “Later, I decided to try to make it happen in a one-shot sequence. I’ve been impressed by the 9/11 video footage of guys shooting the tower and running and still shooting when the towers fell. That’s what I wanted the footage to look like.”
I’ve been championing this band since the release of their very first EP on Vice Records, who also released their debut full length, Logic Will Break Your Heart. The Stills are incredible musicians and, as you can see, socially conscious as well. They are making every effort to make a difference and positively impact the world around them. Simply put, I like that.
“The events of Sep 11 sparked a new concern and gave our generation a tangible moment to make our own,” said Dave Hamelin, writer of “Lola.” “This post-9/11 period is OUR time: it is us middle-class kids with nothing to immediate or concrete to worry about that have to seize the moment and incite change. The bombs will be on our side of the pond very soon if we do not do something about it. It is about more than romance this time, it’s about the fate of the world.”
Vice was kind enough to pass along some links to the new video. Have a look.
Related:
