Like The Beatles’ classics “Eleanor Rigby” and “Penny Lane,” Andrew Gower’s newest single “Underground” brings to life the strangers we encounter on public transit with catchy lyricism and a stirring quantity of empathy for his or her untold struggles. The monitor marks the third single launch for Gustaffson’s debut album Black & White Film, which is formally out there to pre-order right now.
“Underground,” which options the lyrics “it’s like a black and white film,” seems like an ideal single to mark the event with, because the monitor and its gorgeously-shot music video completely meld collectively Gower’s passions for movie and music. Gower’s eager means to attach together with his co-stars from previous tasks and discover methods to collaborate with them in his new enterprise with Gustaffson additionally comes into play with the music. “Underground” sees Gower reunite together with his Ellis co-star — the multi-hyphenate and three-time Olivier Award-winning singer — Sharon D Clarke.
“Sharon had [already] been solid in Ellis. I had the assembly come up that they are curious about me for Chet Harper, her right-hand man,” Gower shared about their first assembly, earlier than he was formally solid within the sequence. “I used to be recording the album within the studio with the Elbow guys on the identical time, so I needed to leap on the prepare down from Manchester, again right down to London. I met Sharon and had my display screen take a look at along with her, [she] was so humble, asking me questions in regards to the album, so intrigued by it, the way it took place. That was sort of our begin of not simply an incredible working relationship, however an actual friendship.”
Telling tales about music and singing saved the pair heat throughout chilly, wet shoots in Belfast, the place Ellis was filmed. “The knowledge she handed on was unbelievable. I simply really feel so fortunate that we have landed her on this video in a wholly totally different context, taking part in Sister Mary.” Clarke performs one of many 4 characters that Gower’s lyrics remodel from anonymous faces on a crowded prepare into figures that listeners can resonate with.
“Underground” Is Concerning the Folks We Cross by Each Day
“Life is not at all times black and white.”
There’s poetry and exquisite irony in the way in which that “Underground” has come collectively for Gower. The tune, as he sings, is an ode to the Underground, which he has been driving since he first moved to London at the beginning of his performing profession. “I write quite a bit on trains — that features the Underground prepare,” Gower stated. “These are imagined variations of principally real-life variations of those characters I met; nevertheless, I’ve had some inventive license with them, however principally, these are individuals I’ve met in my 15 years in London. In essence, they’re the protagonists, possibly even generally villains of their very own lives. They’re fantastically flawed characters. The monitor itself sort of encapsulates the report — life being like a black and white film, each the home windows of the underground wanting like a black and white film, but in addition in life, that life is not at all times black and white. It is in regards to the gray in between.”
It goes even deeper than that when you think about how all the things has led Gower thus far in his profession. As together with his earlier music movies for “On Broadway” and “Flowers,” Gower has introduced his previous co-stars alongside for the trip. Gower met Matthew McNulty (Brother John) on the set of Working Bare, which can be the place he first met Elbow’s Craig Potter, who produced Black & White Film; Kiran Sonia Sawar (Daughter Jane) and Gower met on the set of Netflix’s hit anthology Black Mirror; and he labored alongside Waj Ali (Physician Mo) on the short-lived Carnival Row.
“That is why I wish to speak to you about movie and music as a result of I believe there’s a large bridge — particularly with chart music, with a band — the place this album, this report, can hopefully bridge the hole between music and movie, and convey individuals who take pleasure in them simply as a lot individually, collectively. It was our intention from the start with the report, and it’s our intention with every 13 tracks being their very own little particular person movies. “Underground” is, hopefully, for the viewers, its personal little movie in its personal entirety.”
“Underground” Taught Andrew Gower Necessary Classes About Filmmaking
“I take my hat off to all guerrilla filmmakers.”
“Underground” marks the primary time that Gower has been his personal character inside one of many band’s music movies for Black & White Film, which lends itself to the autobiographical nature of the monitor. Whereas he does seem in “On Broadway,” he isn’t a true character inside it, not less than not in the way in which he’s right here. It was the music video’s director, Metin Huseyin, who he labored with on Outlander, who pushed Gower to be on the prepare with Sister Mary, Brother John, Daughter Jane, and Physician Mo.
“Metin is an incredible director and likewise a part of my firm and any individual who I’ve wished to direct. I at all times had him in thoughts for this video,” Gower stated. “It was each of our concepts that you just kinda have to see my relationship with these individuals to make the monitor full circle — to pay homage to the actual fact I have been there for fifteen years — and I did meet these individuals. But additionally, the truth that I believe it is at all times good to see characters by way of any individual else’s eyes. It makes that reference to this one.”
The BAFTA-nominated director shared his enthusiasm about collaborating with Gower on the challenge, saying in an announcement, “I like this tune. When Andrew requested me to be concerned and I heard the tune for the primary time I used to be blown away and have continued to be with every subsequent hear. It’s uncommon issues that elevate us and it is a uncommon factor; elevating the spirits and warming one’s chilly extremities each bodily and emotionally.”
Gower and Huseyin labored alongside a proficient workforce, together with photographer Martin Parr whose work they check with within the music video. “He’s an incredible photographer whose images is intimate and satirical with brilliant colours. With this, he wished to really feel virtually Ken Loach-style, that you just’re within the tube carriage with these individuals, and I’m there, however I am not.”
By design, “Underground” required entry to London’s magnificent Underground, which proves to be its personal character within the music video. “So far as the video goes, that is essentially the most guerrilla we have finished,” Gower revealed. “It was good that we had the studio to go to. We bought the stunning pictures in Elbow’s studio in Manchester, the large room the place they’ve recorded a few of their most well-known tracks, and so it is good we’ve that. However the shoot was nice. It was thrilling. Fortunately, myself and Metin had loads of prep time earlier than to know what we wished to shoot. We went out two at a time with every actor, so it was Waj and Sharon out collectively and Kiran and Matthew.”
The expertise gave Gower a brand new perspective on filmmaking too. “Every movie we’ve shot has had its personal totally different journey of creating it with my firm, Oneboat Productions. This one was thrilling however undoubtedly a special type to the others. I take my hat off to all guerrilla filmmakers and unbiased filmmakers who movie like this.”
The music video is cleverly shot to keep away from capturing different passengers, a lot in order that it virtually seems as if Gower and the workforce shot on vacant platforms and trains. However that wasn’t the case, truly. There have been different individuals round whereas they have been filming, and it become sudden advertising for Gustaffson. “We had our sound engineer, Jordan Milliken, with us.” Gower defined, noting that the pair labored on Outlander collectively.
“He is finished some superb stuff through the years’ time, a great deal of stuff. He got here out with us, and we have been taking part in the music, and we stated, ‘Sorry,’ if any individual was on the carriage, ‘We will be taking part in the music.’ However truly, the response to the music was actually optimistic. Folks have been vibing with us and vibing with Jordan and saying, ‘Do not flip it off!’ It was very nice. It was a very liberating expertise. I believe generally we could be on these large backlot units with hundreds of crew members, which is fantastic, but in addition, the guts of filmmaking generally is what we did with a small crew on that day.”
Naturally, Gower is hopeful that Transport for London will see “Underground” as an ideal tune for their very own advertising campaigns. “Hopefully, a tune for TFL sooner or later to make use of if you’re happening. They’ll use a snippet.” Ought to the TFL be studying, Gower does have his favourite stations — as all of us do.
“My favourite underground station is a humble station referred to as Warren Road. It is equidistant between Euston, King’s Cross, and Oxford Circus. The platform is at all times empty. It is fairly lovely. It is sort of the nook of Regent’s Park, as properly. I at all times say the platform is at all times empty. We movie Daughter Jane — Kiran Sonia Sawar — at Warren Road station. It is my favourite platform. If it is advisable discover me getting on the Underground, you will see me at Warren Road, carefully adopted by the enduring Piccadilly Circus, however only for the identify. It connects me to Manchester and up north. However yeah, if I had to decide on, gun to the top, it is Warren Road Station. Victoria Line and Northern Line crossover.” Conveniently, Euston Sq. is cornered in by Gower Place and Gower Road, although the Gower in query didn’t point out that.
What Lies Forward For Gustaffson?
“I believe all artists love to go away one thing of themselves on the earth.”
In 2022, Gustaffson debuted their first EP The Jacaranda, which featured 4 tracks, adopted by their 2023 single “Northern Child.” However recording an EP stands in stark distinction to the trouble and dedication that has gone into recording and producing their thirteen-track debut album. “It has been such an incredible — dare I say — baptism of fireside,” Gower stated of the expertise main as much as the album’s launch.
“The workforce we have constructed and the individuals we have collaborated with have simply given me the vitality to maintain going. I’ve realized a lot. We discuss movie units — I believe me and you might have an excellent chat in regards to the workings of movie units and stuff, and that is over the previous fifteen years, one thing that I began out not understanding something about. I really feel very at house on a set or with a name sheet on a job. Nevertheless, the music trade for me — three years in the past — I knew nothing about it. It has been so joyful. I really feel like, as I stated initially to you in interviews, I stepped into this trade to lastly use my very own voice as a author and collaborate with individuals who I’ve at all times wished to work with. I believe it has been actually liberating at a time after I’ve nonetheless been filming, and I get loads of questions — ‘So what are you? An actor or a musician?’ I am like, ‘Properly, I am doing each.’ They’ve actually complemented one another.”
Followers should be ready to get their fingers on the vinyl for Black & White Film, however Gower has already gotten his fingers on the take a look at presses, and it’s put all the things into perspective for him. “I’ve spearheaded this, and I have been fortunate to accumulate some superb, superb workforce members, and lengthy might that proceed. However the greatest factor now’s all the things that is occurred — the music movies, the only, the album.” He went on to say:
“Every time, it seems like a win. However the imaginative and prescient now’s, come the twenty first of March when the album lands, [and] I get a tangible vinyl in my hand — I’ve bought the take a look at presses in my home now — that tangible feeling of getting the art work and understanding the one who made the art work, and every tune means one thing, it’s a very, actually, actually thrilling factor. That is what I wish to do. I believe all artists love to go away one thing of themselves on the earth. As we spoke previous to this chat, that is what the world wants now, whether or not it’s possibly a couple of risk-takers and this has undoubtedly been a danger, nevertheless it’s been the most effective danger. Day-after-day, it pays me again in ample quantities of pleasure.”
With Black & White Film set to reach on March 21, 2025, Gower is already waiting for his subsequent musical endeavor. “The thrilling factor is, when it is your personal challenge, you may already take into consideration who you wish to collaborate with subsequent. That is the thrilling factor with music. You kind of plan a yr forward, actually, and all of these conversations are already occurring. My checklist is so long as my arm of who I wish to collaborate with subsequent.”
Watch “Underground” within the participant above, hearken to it in every single place you stream music, and remember to pre-order Black & White Film right now.