AUSTIN, TX. (Republic/ Universal Records) -
Pat Green has always been one for melting down influences and pouring them together - and when he was ready to create a clip for "Don't Break My
Heart Again," the lead single from his Lucky Ones - due Oct. 19, he sought out one of America's most cutting edge directors:
David Hogan. The award-winning director has been behind the lens for recent Gretchen Wilson,
Shania Twain and Big & Rich, in addition to clips for groundbreaking pop, rock and rap acts the
Dave Matthews Band, Sheryl Crow, Enrique Iglesias, Melissa Etheridge,
Shawn Mullins and the like.
"I just like the innovative free thinking approach to anything. If you're gonna go outside the box and not go to the typical elements that make up a country video, like it or not, it's not gonna be something you're gonna see every day," explains the plain spoken journeyman. "I read the treatment - and it just knocked me out."
With Green's performance anchored by a gnarled old mesquite tree -- one that evokes the Sissy Spacek's speech in "Badlands," also a catalyst of inspiration for the song -- the clip captures the jagged tides that repel and pull people together. Clearly mired in want, fear and rejection, the couple in question break each other's hearts, wrestle with regret and in an almost perfect O. Henry reality miss each other on the brink of reconnection.
"That's just the way life is sometimes," says Green. "You want something so much… It gets off track and you're worrying keeps it from righting itself. You push and you sweat, you stress. It doesn't change anything… and it also doesn't get you what you really want."
On a more metaphoric plane, the back hoe that digs this huge hole could almost be endemic of the above - representing the strife we create in our lives by digging holes rather than reaching for what we want and trying to be conciliatory rather the blame- and desire-shifting. Not that Green sees it that.
"I don't know if we put THAT much thought into it, but it does kinda work like that, doesn't it?" says with the triple Grammy nominee with an expansive smile. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. How if you don't stress and strife, but just let things take their course, they have a way of broadening. If those two people could just admit they love each other and try a little harder, they could both be where they really wanted to be... And that's my thing. We're all here to love each other and help each other."
Lucky Ones hits stores Oct. 19th. The follow-up to his gold Wave On Wave, yielded the country No 3 with the title track, was again produced by Don Gehman, known for his work with John Mellencamp, REM, Tracy Chapman and Nanci Griffith.
Featuring guests Brad Paisley and Amanda Wilkinson, in addition to featured musicians guitarist David Grissom (Joe Ely, Storyville, the Dixie Chicks musical director), fiddler Lisa Germano (Mellencamp), piano/B-3 man John Hobbs (the Notorious Cherry Bombs) and steel player Mike Daly (Hank Williams, Jr) supplementing his road band, this is Green's most eclectic album to date.
