![]() ![]() My directing refs were Sun Ra’s Space Is The Place, Blow Up, that psychedelic Jane Birkin film Wonderwall, and any Ken Russell film. I liked the concept of taking all these vintage refs and running them through an alien filter, which is why we used prosthetics and generally created an alternate dimension swingin’ 60s. Kemp: It ended up some Venn diagram of Pierre Cardin space age fashion, Ed Sullivan, Twilight Zone and 90’s MTV. I was also cutting out a lot of fashion campaigns and things like Moschino and other Nixon era references and wanted colorful bobs. I was playing the song over vintage 60’s footage for inspiration and found it lined up perfectly with Nancy Sinatra’s Boots, which is where the idea to have dancers came from. Jack: Thanks! Typically Kemp and I both throw out a lot of ideas and figure out what pairs best together, like cheap wine and lean cuisine TV dinners. The video is brilliant, What was the process in making the video, aliens, 60’s theme, color schemes etc.? I ended up rewriting the riffs and remixing it and wanted it to end up a satire on the War On Drugs, since it’s one of the largest agencies of corruption in our country and incredibly hypocritical in the context of big Pharma. That made me laugh too much to not use it. The lyrics were initially inspired by his stoner ex-girlfriend- but then David chipped in with a few zingers too, like “she’s blowing me, blowing my brain”, haha. It was our first recording session with another band and I wasn’t sure how the work flow would go, but I was super impressed that he stayed awake for two days with me running the patch bay while I operated ProTools as everyone else slept on the couch and the floor. ![]() Kemp: Haha, the demo was written with our friend Sam from the Warbly Jets. “Donna” in Italian means woman and I’m not sure what “Marijuana” is or means, but I can only assume, given Kemp said it was about me, means “gorgeous and talented”. ![]() What was the inspiration behind writing the new single Donna Marijuana? Smoke ’em if you got ’em, and enjoy Donna Marijuana below: Kemp’s unbridled creativity, enthusiasm, and sense of humour is gleefully on full display with Donna Marijuana, and it is a sight to behold, no matter your state of mind. Kemp has had a storied career as a model and songwriter (she and her partner Sean Lennon also perform as Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger), as well as a respected video director. The band orchestrates everything themselves, from the concept, to directing, to producing – resulting in grandiose, maximalist art. UNI, comprised of Charlotte Kemp Muhl (bass), David Strange (guitar) and Jack James (vocals), represents what happens when three artists unleash their combined talents with a DIY spin. The track is fun, funky, and free – the perfect soundtrack for a groovy record party…or a munchie run to the 7-11. From the spot-on 60s film grain and prisms, to the bizarre lyrics of the track itself, you will swiftly lose track of time, era, and space. The video cuts to batshit Busby-Berkley-meets- Laugh-In dance sequences with glam rock aliens in glittery go-go getups. In 1971, President Richard Nixon criminalized American narcotics use (the infamous announcement clip is included in the video). Nixon’s policy agenda spread across all levels of government, leading to exponential growth in incarceration…but yielding little effect on violent crime rates. In Donna Marijuana, the opening scene depicts decrepit doppelgängers of Ron and Nancy watching Tricky Dick, stuffing their maws with Big Pharma poppers and other perfectly legal drugs. The video celebrates the hedonistic pleasures of reefer madness… all the while poking fun at the War On Drugs. ![]() In this Brave New World, black holes are the new black, K-holes are the Blue Light Special at K-mart, and polymath wunderkind Charlotte Kemp Muhl’s brain-melting time travel video whips up a tasty mix of late-20th century Waldorf salad, with plenty of nuts. To escape this planet’s inhospitable viruses, we retreat into the bubbly plasticine iron maiden of our addictions, be they weed, social media, sodium, Skittles, or religion. Happy holidays, plant lovers! Turn on, tune in and drop out, for NYC-based glam-rock trio Uni has a treat for you in the guise of their groovy new single, Donna Marijuana.įrom the Cold War to War of the Worlds, Pierre Cardin’s space-age visors have never felt more appropriate. ![]()
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