The official video for Bear’s Den new single Elysium was revealed on NPR yesterday. The song which focuses on the the redemptive power of friendship is given a whole new meaning by the video that accompanies it. There is a poignant story behind it which is also shocking and incredibly sad.
It was made by filmmaker James Marcus Haney, the song made him think a lot about his brother Turner and that transition from being a kid to adulthood. He wanted to capture on film that important transition and also ‘to get inside what it feels like to be a teenager today.’
With this in mind the video became a two fold project: to make a music video and to also capture the final college days of his brother Turner with his friends.
Shortly after filming started a man walked into Turner’s college and shot four students, one of whom died. The student that died turned our to be Turner’s friend and dorm mate Paul Lee.
Read the full story and James Marcus Haney’s words here on NPR
Elysium is backed by three live recordings of tracks from previous EPs Agape and Without/Within (Don’t Let The Sun Steal You Away, Isaac and Sophie, all recorded live at the Brixton Electric on 13th May 2014).
Bear’s Den are Andrew Davie (guitar, vocals), Joey Haynes (guitar), and Kev Jones (drums, bass).
http://www.bearsdenmusic.co.uk/