“We blew all of our money on a few minutes of footage that capture the essence of what it means to be the cowboy”
If there’s one thing The Wisconaut knows how to do, it’s setting their careers ablaze, and that’s exactly what they did in their latest music video for “Can’t Kill A Cowboy.” We have to admit, it takes a special kind of audacity to go up in flames just for a few minutes of footage, but hey, it captures the essence of being a cowboy, right?
Directed by Sam Fisher, who has a knack for chaos and restraint, the video is a mesmerizing two-minute journey told in reverse. It’s a delicate balance of pyromania, self-deprecation, and an unwavering determination to not die.
The Wisconaut, also known as Andrew Idarraga, explained that they blew all their money on this fiery spectacle, all in the name of capturing the essence of the cowboy. I guess when you’re fueled by Midwestern self-hatred and loathing, you’ll go to great lengths to express it.
Hailing from Brooklyn by way of Milwaukee and Syracuse, The Wisconaut and Sam Fisher go way back. They first crossed paths during a charity show in the basement of a Milwaukee Unitarian church, of all places. And now, here they are, spending their hard-earned cash to light themselves up in the middle of nowhere. It’s a beautiful friendship, really.
The Wisconaut’s journey has been an interesting one. After declaring themselves dead as a band, they accidentally gained a resurgence of interest on TikTok in 2020. Thanks to videos showcasing the lack of personal space at their basement shows, people were suddenly nostalgic for their local scenes and unintentionally revived the band.
The irony of being pronounced as a dead band, only to unintentionally gain a TikTok following, and then release a music video with a survivalist theme at the center of it is not lost on us.
With their single “Cherry Soda (and the happy medium)” surpassing a million streams on Spotify, The Wisconaut is riding a newfound wave of momentum. They’re playing more shows, releasing more music, and proving that maybe they were too dumb for New York and too ugly for LA, but they’re just right for wherever they end up.
So, here’s to The Wisconaut, the self-deprecating, fire-starting troubadours of the Midwest. They may have survived their fiery escapade, but they’re not done yet. Brace yourselves for more shows, more music, and more moments that’ll make you question their sanity. But hey, that’s what being a cowboy is all about.
