Old people. They get a pretty bad rap. Shrivelled up versions of the people they once were, we’re all guilty of writing them off as boring and never making an effort to visit. Well, enough is enough says the Northern Beaches surf rock four-piece Space Monk. Releasing an ode to the forgotten grandpas and grandmas in the form of a shiny new video for their latest crusty single, aptly titled Dead, it shows us that old people just want to have fun too. Produced by the talented crew at Manly’s GCImagery, the charmingly goofy clip weaves sunny rock riffs with morbid black-humoured lyrics and lots of wrinkled senior citizens, which makes for a pretty ripper video.
You know what they say kids, respect the elderly, especially if they’re skating down a hill in a man thong. Embrace the golden years with Space Monk in Dead.
A melancholic guitar riff heralds in the retro-filtered flashback of Torey Hutchinson (drums) sticking a Space Monk poster to a fence. Finding ourselves back in the blue-hued present day, Torey, now old and grey courtesy of some amaze makeup, slouches over the decades old poster. Reminiscing about the yesteryear whilst wearing his grandpa dressing gown, a bright drum beat and upbeat lyrics “I think I found myself today!” burst through. Seizing his vintage rotary dial phone, Torey calls up his band mates- old Rory Mitchell (vocals/guitar) is on the dunny, old Jack Davies (vocals/bass) is asleep in his bed and old Lachlan Body (vocals/guitar) is in the pool wearing the obligatory old man hat.
Deciding to take their walking frames for a whirl, they escape their old people’s homes and meet at the local Amcal. While old Lachlan is coughing up viagra, we swirl to a sepia-coloured flashback of Space Monk in their heyday. Decked out in groovy getups, the flower power groupies are loving their feel good vibes. But, as the sun-drenched melody soars, we head back to old Rory sporting a mankini and cape. Cruising down the coastline on his longboard, the fellas egg him on whilst chugging down cold ones and feeling young again. One epic slam later, the oldies are playing to an imaginary crowd as the white-coated aged care workers storm in and bloody well ruin all their fun. Repeatedly shouting protest lyrics, “We’re better off dead!” you really start to feel for these old fogey fugitives.
Ending with an old man cough, this clip truly does have it all. Chock-a-block full of catchy as hell guitar lines and drum beats that zip around like a runaway grannie on a scooter, the morbid lyrics are ironically sunny, which makes the clip all the more fun. Capturing their infectious goofy style, these Chewbacca loving pals clearly don’t take themselves too seriously, which is both entertaining and endearing. On a side note, they also make me think I should really pay my Grandma a visit. With the fellas’ debut single Analysis Paralysis out now and follow-up Dead out 31st July through Chiefly Sounds, make sure you catch them on their upcoming galactic Sydney tour.
Thursday 6th August – Brighton Up Bar, Darlinghurst with Prints, Wash & Ruth Carp & The Fish Heads
Friday 21st August – Hotel Steyne, Manly with Los Tones
Saturday 22nd August – Modus Operandi, Mona Vale with Crocodylus & Larkah
Friday 28th August – Hotel Steyne Manly with Food Court
Friday 11th September – The World Bar, Kings Cross
