Bastardo

The fantastic Jackie annual inspired video was directed by Edgar Wright. Staring alongside Hatherley are Julia Davies (Nighty Night), Alice Lowe (Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace), Lucy Davis (The Office), David Walliams (Little Britain), Lauren Laverne (BBC) and Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead). The video’s plot features David Walliams as a dodgy Latin lothario who steals Hatherley’s guitar mirroring the songs lyrics.

Director Edgar Wright on the video:

This video cost 6K and was the result of a lot of hard work and pulled favours. It took so long to complete that it still exhausts me to watch. But there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears in this rapid fire clip and I’m very proud of what we managed to achieve.

The following is an interview with Charlotte on the videos release in 2005:

Bastardo is going to be released in a few weeks time. Presumably you must be pretty pleased with how the video has turned out?
Without sounding too full of myself… I think it’s one of the best videos ever made! So, yeah I’m pretty happy.

The song does suit the photo story idea really well. Was the idea of the song in your own head in any way like how Edgar ended up making it look? I mean, were you actually imagining David Walliams with a dodgy moustache all along?!
The great thing about making videos is that you can bring the song to life in any way you want. The Jackie annual idea was never in my head when I wrote the song, but the narrative of the song completely suits it, and now that the video has brought a visual side to the story I can’t help thinking of Dave’s giant moustache when I sing about Antonio.

Had you read those magazines like Look-In, Jackie and My Guy as a kid? I may have been a bit too young for the Jackie’s and My Guy, I was all about the Bunty’s when I was younger. I inherited my two older sister’s annual collections when I was a kid, and used to love all the crazy stories about evil garden gnomes coming to life, and being trapped in third dimensions.

It must have been fun to go through all those different set-ups, get the makeover and everything. Did it make you feel nostalgic and want to appear in one of those “I Love the 1980s” TV shows, getting all misty-eyed about Space Hoppers and such?
Hmm, for all my 80s name checking I don’t really remember much about them! The first band I really loved was A-Ha and I had a brief Bros phase, but my love for music really came of age in the 90s. I was 15 when Britpop exploded, and that’s where my musical nostalgia comes from. I have a vast amount of knowledge on late 80s kids TV programmes though.

You also worked with Edgar on the video for Summer. What are the things that you’ve enjoyed most of all about working with him, and which video is your favourite?
With Edgar I have complete faith that he’s going to make something innovative and interesting. He has an impressive track record, and I’m grateful I can be part of it. He’s much more fun to work with than your average video director.

Did you have to do a lot of takes?
We had to do lots of takes of the same shot, each one with a different facial expression. I had to keep my head really still and mime along to the song whilst pulling angry, sad, happy faces, each one in succession. It meant that it took an age to make, especially when you’re trying not to crack up cos you’ve got David Walliams’ hairy chest in your face.

There’s that great bit with the guitar solo, where you play to the camera, then turn and sing into the mirror behind when the vocals come in. Where did that idea come from? I mean- did you find a mirror so you could do that exact shot, or did you see the mirror on set and get the idea?
We wanted to put one shot of the real Charly in her bedroom, so that it wasn’t all in photo story. The guitar solo was perfect for this, and it was brainy Edgar’s idea.

Did you get to collaborate much on the concept of the video, and work with either Edgar or the various artists and designers involved, or just sit back and enjoy the ride?
It was an idea that Edgar and I had. I was touring with Ash throughout the filming, so I went through all the ideas with Edgar and his brother Oscar before I left for the tour bus, and then left the development and casting up to them. The artwork was especially impressive, and that’s something that Oscar, i love dust and the 2000AD comic guys designed and got together. Then I would just turn up on a day off and do my bits!

Of course, through playing in Ash, and now getting your own record out yo’re pretty well known yourself, but what was it like to be working with the coolest comedy family, since, well, Monty Python probably? A bit surreal?
It wasn’t so surreal, as through Edgar I’ve known Dave, Simon, Lucy Davis and Lauren Laverne for a while. The comedy world is very incestuous, so everyone knows everyone else and it was a lovely comedy family feeling on set. I feel very proud to have so many talented and fucking funny people in the video for my wee song.