#Trollboy

Comrades!

  TODAY is a  very exciting day, and that is not just because I've downed a Mountain Dew and an oatmeal creme cookie before lunch.  Man, I don't feel so good.  No, it's exciting because...The new music video is out!



I've assembled quite the special forces of promotion - the "social media spetznaz", as I call 'em.  (Interestingly, I think I spell that word, meaning Russian special ops, differently each time.  It was either Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson who said "I have nothing by pity for the man who only knows one way to spell a word" or something like that.)  These folks are posting the video on Facebook and Twitter, and sharing it with their friends.  Comrades, I salute you!  This Revolution sure is fun, and I get to "fight" alongside some great folks!

  Hey, I urge you to join in!  Share the link on your page, tweet it (join in the fun using the #Trollboy hashtag), blog about it, send it to your crazy Uncle, whatever!

Now, here's some inside scoop about the song, the vid, and the idea.

 I'm usually high strung, but have spent the last year especially freaked out.  I was talking to my mom one day, and I was fretting about something.  (Ha, guitar player pun!)  She said "Josh, I think everyone is freaking out.  If those guys we just saw would stop drinking for a second, they'd see they're in the same boat as you."

  I'd been struggling with songwriting, but that just seemed to click.  The song Desperate Situation emerged slowly, through much distracted pacing, ADD checking Facebook, face scrunching, and guitar jamming.  But  it was written, recorded, and then it was time for the video shoot.

  Have you ever thought about writing a music video?  It's trickier than it seems!   The idea was finally reached, and shooting took place on Easter Sunday:  My subconscious mind/fears/life splits off from me, calls me on my phone, and unsettles me at first, as I'm walking along.  I've been called "Trollboy" by family and friends before (for obvious reasons.)  This was the theme for that subconscious/fear/life person to be represented by a troll.  I took an old shirt, glued leaves and sticks all over it, put mud on my face (freaked out a neighborhood kid during the filming as I was digging in the leaves.  She was like "man, what the heck is going on!"  (didn't say anything, but must have been thinking it)) , and ran around crazy like as I called my "real self" on the phone.  A brief note about the mud:  I said to Noah "I'd like to put mud on my face."  "Where you gonna get mud?"  "I don't know, there's got to be some around here!"  "Why don't you dig down through the leaves, troll-like, and find some?  We'll camera it!"  "Ooo, great idea!"

 My brother Zakk was the body double wearing the other colored Chuck Taylors (the Troll wears black chucks, the Josh wears pink chucks.)

  In the second verse, my "real self" decided to call the Troll back and talk at him.  


My brothers were filming the video for me.  Noah was walking backwards with the camera, encouraging me to really get into the acting.  The idea took hold, and I started running - forwards.  Surprisingly, he was able to run backwards, keep his footing, and get the shot.  Look for it in the second verse.

There's an old pumphouse down the road from my house.  I had found it on a walk, and figured it would be a great location for the bridge.  Chucks don't really stop nails, but good thing I wasn't stomping around then, and felt the rusty spike before I stepped completely on it.  I spent the rest of that shoot gingerly stepping around while trying to look like I'm rocking out.  Noah really went to town with his artistic camera work, and I think it came out way cool!

  At the last part, the Troll runs out of the woods, chasing Josh up the hill.  I've always been accused of having a silly run, and seeing the footage, man, I say..."guilty as charged!"  Zakk portrayed Josh, I was the Troll, and poor Noah had to zip along running sideways like the biggest crab you've ever seen to get the shot.  It was hard at first, and then I said "OK, now let's try it running."  Everyone was like "whaaaaat?  I'm out of breath already!"  

  Josh continues to run up the hill, looking over his shoulder, and then the camera goes black.  We all are in a desperate situation, after all.  But, like the song says, we've gotta "See where we are to see where we wanna go."  and "We've got to do something!"

  It was great fun, and a rockin' way to spend Easter!  I'm lucky to have such a creative, talented, and supportive family, and all of you to share it with!  I hope you enjoy it, and I'd like to sincerely say - Thank you!  


Now, go do something with your life to make sure that troll stays far behind.  Better yet, call him up and talk to him.  And don't forget to tweet the vid.  #Trollboy

#Thankyou 
- Josh