Cobra Verde “Riot Industry”

Cobra VerdeArtist:
COBRA VERDE
Label:
MUSCLETONE RECORDS
Video:
“RIOT INDUSTRY”
Director:
Cobra Verde
Add Date:
November 24, 2003

 

Hello everyone – it’s Andy Gesner and the staff from HIP Video Promo with a special thanks to all of you who have been a part of what we do over the last three years. It’s so great when your friends are the people you work with! November 2003 marks the beginning of our fourth year together and we appreciate all the support you shower on the artists we champion. It’s how we are able to keep fighting the good fight.

We are starting off our fourth year with a very fun (and funny) video from Cleveland garage rockers Cobra Verde. “Riot Industry” is as entertaining a mini-movie as you are likely to see this year, with guest stars galore, lots of sonically bruising hooks and a “stick in your head” chorus/sing-along that is instantly hummable.

It’s always a treat to watch a vid like this, where the performers (and the director) aren’t afraid to cut loose and have fun and don’t take themselves too seriously. “Riot Industry” wraps an energetic performance vid in a kitschy, quirky, demented pastiche of channel surfing the cable system from Bizzarro-World.

Mike Watt (of Minutemen, Firehouse, and, most recently The STOOGES) settles in for a healthy bowl of high fiber breakfast cereal and switches on the telly…and away we go! We’re treated to an Egyptian belly dancer, full-contact bowling, angling with George Wendt (NORM! From Cheers), and finally Mike’s own appearance on the reality show for reality show junkies,Idle American. Rudy Ray Moore even puts in an appearance as Dolomite in this satirical send up of the entertainment industry in post-millenial America.

Musically, the song owes a lot to mid-70s glam rockers like David Bowie and T-Rex, but it’s gritty rather than lush; echoes of icons Iggy Pop and Joey Ramone resound throughout. John Petkovic’s lyrics are literate, a bit raunchy and lustily delivered. Reminiscent of underground heroes like the New York Dolls and Gun Club, Cobra Verde captures the glory days of rock (The Replacements, Velvets, Television), while managing to make it sound new and refreshing. The sendup is an anthem that has an arena-rock feel crammed into a small nightclub setting. Start to finish, “Riot Industry” is riotously good fun.

To celebrate this star studded clip, any programmer that adds the “Riot Industry” video in November enters a drawing to win the complete Muscle Tone records catalogue, including copies of the MC5 DVD documentary(Wayne Kramer of MC5 runs the label). The grand prize will also include a “Riot Industry” poster autographed by George Wendt and Mike Watt (George and Mike are big fans of the band)! Each programmer that adds the video will also receive a Cobra Verde prize package including t-shirts, stickers and copies of their new CD Easy Listening. The drawing takes place December 22nd. For more info contact Andy Gesner at 732-613-1779 or e-mail info@HIPVideoPromo.com.

Visit Muscletone Records Visit Cobra Verde
Visit Muscletone Records Visit Cobra Verde