The Boombox Back Story:
I remember arriving in NYC two days before the New Politics shoot, a little jet lagged and a little delirious from the creative forces NYC has to offer. I was walking the streets and thinking about the band. If only I could capture their contagious insanity, spastic charm, and physical prowess - we'd have gold. It was a lot of lightening to bottle.
So I'm walking the streets and I suddenly hear Daft Punk's "Da Funk" blasting from a cheap little boombox. I see these young dudes carrying the boombox with smiles as they pass me by. Their devious smirks reminded me of David, Soren, and Poul. The song and the boombox immediately took me back to being 13 or 14 and breakdancing. Somehow that moment was like a giant lightbulb. I knew I had to get a boombox for the video shoot the next day and immediately called my Art Director, Ashley. I specifically wanted an old boombox, cheaper the better. I knew it shouldn't be the cliche 80's fat boombox, but more of the early 90's vibe. And I knew it had to be painted matte white. A current obsession of mine is spray painting everyday objects matte white. Something about seeing this colorful graffiti street with a coat of primer was appealing to me. I guess you can say the rest is history.
Click hear to win the New Politics Boombox.
In 11th grade American History I wrote a 12 page paper on American Cinema of the 1960's. The film Easy Rider redefined what cinema could be for me. Hopper treated the camera like an old friend and we were along for the ride. He is a true American artist. Through his painting, writing, photography, and film work, he will live forever. Happy Memorial Day.