Photo Credit: Bobby Bates
Today (26th March 2021) marks the release of ’68‘s raw, energy-fuelled third album Give One Take One, the follow-up to their 2020 EP Love Is Ain’t Dead. Ahead of the release, ’68 shared a very creative video for Bad Bite, which was hand-drawn and animated by vocalist/guitarist Josh Scogin. Keen to find out more about the song and accompanying video, which took fourteen months to create, we caught up with Scogin to discuss the writing process, themes and stories from behind the scenes…
Can you give us your quick elevator pitch on this track? Why does this one standout for you?
This is a rock and roll jam that you won’t be able to sit still through.
How did you tackle the writing process for the song? Was there anything unique about this track compared to your usual/previous approach?
I actually wrote the opening riff while on tour in Europe. I accidentally played it while sound checking one of my guitars. Since I didn’t have any way of recording it, I just kept playing it over and over and over. Eventually when it was time to do the full soundcheck (all instruments, drums and vocals) I just told Nikko to make up something to play to it. Over the course of that tour we kept playing it for our soundcheck song, I would just ad-lib random vocals and we would make up stuff as we went. By the time I got home I had the basics for the chorus and verse and the rest just fell into place. In fact the working title for this song (and what we still refer to it as) was Operation Sound Check.
Can you tell us how the song’s theme came about?
The song’s theme came about because plenty of people around the world like to hate anyone that doesn’t share the exact same shade of skin colour. So, sometimes it is nice to remember, we are all just bones and teeth.
Tell us about the video, do the themes of the single transfer to the video?
I wanted to make an animated video and the only rule I made for myself was that I could not fix any of my mistakes. In this day and age we use technology to cover up so much of what we deem as blemishes or flaws or mistakes. We can photoshop our faces to be “perfect” and we can auto tune our vocals to sound like a robot. Most bands don’t even record with drummers anymore, they just program the drums in with a computer and VOILA, no more pesky human element! It drives me crazy to think of the human element as something that people want to be removed. When I decided to take on the challenge of a completely animated video I wanted it to feel HUMAN. So at no point ever did I correct a line that went too far, or erase a mark that was made on accident. I left it all…I wanted it to shine in its beauty and splendor. It took me one year and a couple months to create but the end result is real and flawed and gorgeous. Maybe it can be a tiny reminder that we as humans should celebrate our differences and uniqueness. I might draw a line here and you might draw a line there, but if we just take a step back and look, we are all painting the same picture. The differences each person might give it only breathes more life and charisma. Celebrate.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories from the videos creation?
Since the video took literally one year and a couple months, I started writing (or drawing) little things from time to time, sort of like a diary. So there are plenty of little Easter eggs and treats if you look hard enough. Some of the stuff in there, no one but myself would understand, like how we couldn’t afford to buy honey at one point, even though we try to support local farmers when possible. Other things are more broad like some Star Wars references, because I was making my way through each and every movie during that year.
Anything else you’d like to add for our readers?
Mickey Mouse’s ears are forever facing you. Like, even when he turns his head, his ears never shift in the three dimensional field. Once you know this fact, it becomes very hard to watch anything with Mickey Mouse in it. Or at least, it becomes hard to take him seriously.
’68‘s new album Give One Take One is out now via Cooking Vinyl, available to stream or purchase HERE.
