While in college during the early 2000s in Athens, Parker Gispert helped found garage rock band The Whigs. The band went on to record five critically acclaimed albums and book hundreds of tour dates until pulling back in 2017. However, this didn’t slow down lifelong musician Gispert. Following his 2018 solo debut, Gispert is set to release the introspective yet gruff Golden Years under New West Records on Sept. 2. Ahead of this release, Gispert premieres the music video for his single “Evil Euphoria” today.
“I’d been watching a lot of news in the summer of 2020, and I wanted a song that spoke to the evil I was witnessing on a daily basis. No longer are acts of evil something we might hear about or read about; they’re now captured in videos or photos we’re able to see with our own eyes via social media and in the news broadcasts in the comforts of our own homes,” says Gispert, speaking on his inspiration behind the single. “I felt like more than ever, evil had a tangible face, and I could objectively see it or those who commit it, with my own eyes. In addition to evil acts, it seemed like specific evil actors were intentionally sewing societal discord and leaving us pitted against each other, left to debate issues where we couldn’t even agree on a basic set of facts to support our respective arguments.”
Nashville director Joshua Shoemaker produced and shot the music video in his backyard in East Nashville. Known for his “one shot” video style, Shoemaker poured a variety of condiments on Gispert as the artist sang “Evil Euphoria” at double speed. Because of the unique nature of this one shot performance, the psychedelic color changes were left to special effects, but the liquids themselves were organic. The result is a kaleidoscopic display that leaves the watcher focused on Gispert’s brief yet impactful lyrics and the electric guitar driving them along.
One week from now, but one week before the album release, Gispert will celebrate the release of the new album at the 40 Watt Club on Friday, Aug. 26 with a full band appearance. For more information, visit 40watt.com.
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