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Trail of Dead Shout Out Hologram Tupac, Spoof Election Politics in ‘Catatonic’ Video

Trail Of Dead Hologram Tupac 'Catatonic' Video politcs

In the video for …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead’s latest single, “Catatonic,” singer Jason Reece plays a crooked politician on the campaign circuit. “Rich Dobney” sets out to glad-hand his way to an election victory, but instead winds up indulging in just about every career-sinking sin a public servant could imagine. While the Autin band lays out fiery back-to-basics prog-punk, Dobney begins his downward spiral into booze, drugs, violence, group sex, and possible vampirism. He even knocks an ice cream cone out of a little kid’s hand. Also, in a news ticker running along the bottom of the screen during the newsy shots, someone slipped in a reference to our Coachella pal, HoloPac: “Holographic Tupac wows holographic fans.” Burn.

Bassist Autry Fulbright II, who co-directed the clip, had a few more choice words: “‘Catatonic’ is physically defined by extreme rigidity or laxness in the limbs. I think that’s a perfect metaphor of what we’ve seen in the American political sports arena. We often witness a sharp contrast between the hyper conservative public persona of many politicians and their wild antics behind closed doors. It’s important to not let voluntary ignorance of current events, issues, and actions further obscure the realities of the world scene or the motives of those who attempt to represent, regulate, and control us. This satirical video is intended to mock moral hypocrisy as well as the lust for power — two classic political party favors. I don’t think we over-exaggerated all that much.”