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St. Cloud State University
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Minnesota welcomes 'Cold' video shoot
By John Behling
Published:
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Saturday at the Bancroft Elementary School in Minneapolis there was a stage blocking the principal's reserved parking spot. In the small gymnasium, radio DJs lounged, makeup artists, wardrobe designers and production assistants worked casually amid signs on the walls blueprinting exercise routines and extolling the virtues of physical fitness.
Across the courtyard, extras packed into a smaller auditorium, most of them highschool-aged, dressed in black and bearing hats with a white spider insignia. The band sat humbly at a table signing autographs. This is a portrait of a music video shoot.
Hailing from Jacksonville, Fla., alternative metal practitioners "Cold" made their mainstream debut in 2000 with "13 Ways to Bleed on Stage." The albums singles "Just Got Wicked," "No One" and "End of the World," netted the band a decent following in the Midwest and also nationwide. Their videos have also earned them a reputation and play on MTV. "Stupid Girl," is the first single of their upcoming album "Year of the Spider," and the first video from that album.
"I just told them to pick a place where it snows," vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Scooter Ward said. The original concept for the video was the band performing on a frozen lake. That was changed; however, Minnesota was selected for its fan base and climate.
At 11 a.m. about 100 fans danced and pumped their fists as the band performed in the school's courtyard underneath a giant banner bearing the band's spider trademark. Although it was early and the weather was bitterly cold, the extras were teaming with enthusiasm. Despite a couple mood-wreckers, the crowd had the demeanor of a typical metal concert, jumping up and down and even crowd surfing. At one point they were asked to be careful so that no one would slip on the icy ground.
"I've been here since about 7:30 this morning. I left my place at about 4:30 a.m. just to get here. As soon as I heard about this I knew right away that I had to go." said James Drager, a fan who brought a plush skeleton for the band to sign.
The song, "Stupid Girl," was co written by Weezer guitarist and songwriter Rivers Cuomo. The two bands toured together briefly in 2001.
"When I went to sing the track in the studio I couldn't come up with a melody for the verse because I kept thinking it sounded like a Weezer tune so I called up Rivers. He sent me back the track a week later and it was done," Ward said. The song reflects a stylistic change that comes partially from Rivers' involvement and also from the band's sound progressing.
"Year of the Spider," is a very personal album, taking a departure from the vague lyrics of their previous work, Ward said. "There was a lot of stuff going on like my sister was battling with cancer ... There were just some really bad things happening when we were doing the record ... It's really about my life and who I am."
The album was produced by Howard Benson who worked with the band on the single "Gone Away," which was featured on the WWF Tough Enough soundtrack.
" It's a step up vocally and musically," Ward said. Judging from the fan response to the "Stupid Girl," the band's new sound should be received well upon the album's release, which is scheduled for April 29.
