Wintersleep ‘super proud’ of U.K. video nomination
Loel Campbell said it was a “total shock” for his band to get nominated for a UK Music Video Award.
“It’s a pretty high profile thing,” said the drummer of Wintersleep, who originally hails from Stellarton.
“It puts us on the world stage a bit more.”
The Montreal-based band received the nomination in the International Best Rock/Indie Video category for their song Amerika.
“Getting nominated gives the video so much more exposure, so many more people are checking it out. It’s really cool, nice that people enjoy it.”
Campbell said the awards judge the videos on art, the concept of the video and the song.
“It feels good because we’re super proud of the video to have it recognized.”
The song, with lyrics written by Paul Murphy, is a commentary on what’s happening on the world, but he said the song is not meant to be a direct political statement.
Directed by Scott Cudmore, the video was filmed in Hamilton, Ont. Campbell said the band gave Cudmore a lot of freedom, and together they came up with the concept.
“It’s kind of a dark video with apocalyptic imagery in it,” he said.
Campbell said the song and the video pair together very well, and it’s timely with the American election going on. It also includes a “snippet” of a speech by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in it.
“We didn’t plan for the timing for the song to come out, but it’s hitting home.”
Campbell said he and his band mates – Murphy, Tim D’eon, Jon Samuel and Scott Remila – are big fans of the other five acts they’re competing against for the honour. This includes de Staat, Hinds, Radkey, Tame Impala and The Dead Weather.
Wintersleep is on tour now in Germany, doing the last few shows in the U.K., and then will take a few weeks off before coming home to play several dates in Canada, with the possibility of an East Coast tour in January or February.
The band will be in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 20 when the UKMVAs will be handed out in London, and while it hasn’t been decided yet, Campbell said they might attend the awards gala since they’ll be relatively close by.