UTG Time Capsule: The Wonder Years

UTG Time Capsule is a weekly feature in which we showcase a classic music video that we feel left a mark on the music world. When possible, the choices for each week [and the reasoning behind it], will come from a member of the music industry [artists, label people, publicists, journalists, etc] so that we and you at home [or wherever] can get a sense of what influenced the individuals who influence all of us. Also, we will be having bands pick their favorite videos from their own career to see what made that experience more memorable than the rest. If you are one of the people I mentioned earlier and would like to do a UTG Time Capsule, please email info@underthegunreview.net

-This week, Casey Cavaliere from The Wonder Years [whose new album, The Upsides, comes out this month] picks his favorite video-

Casey:

Playing in a pop punk band today, I’m sure it will be no surprise to anyone that one of my favorite videos comes from…. you guessed it…. Blink 182. The video for “Dammit” was nothing crazy in terms of production or special effects when it came out in the late 90’s. It was shots of the band playing in front of a green screen spliced into a simple storyline that followed the songs lyrics about an ex-girlfriend. It probably had a small budget and most likely took only a day or two to film. However, it had something that money or time couldn’t buy: personality! The video had a great sense of humor, and showed kids that the band wasn’t taking themselves to seriously. The band wasn’t trying to act like badasses or prove that they were “rock-stars,” they were simply having fun doing what they loved, and laughing at themselves the whole time. This video bridged the gap for me between arena rockstars and the shitty cover band that practiced in my attic when I was 13 years old, and it was a reminder that getting “famous” didn’t have to mean being fake. This video set the tone for the next decade of pop punk bands (everything from NFG’s – “Hit Or Miss” to All Time Low’s “Weightless”) that would emphasis a sense of humor and honesty in their videos to come.

For this, and many more reasons, I salute you Blink!

James Shotwell
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One Response to “UTG Time Capsule: The Wonder Years”

  1. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Under The Gun Review, Beartrap PR. Beartrap PR said: Casey from The Wonder Years contributes to Time Capsule at UTG – http://underthegunreview.net/2010/01/08/utg-timecapsule-thewonderyears/ […]