Story Matters
Journey turns a classic rock tune on its head for the holidays.
by Sam Voelkel
http://storymatters.com/shop-talk/behind-music
It all began with a violin.
In late summer after only a few weeks on the job, our intern, Hannah, brought her instrument to the office for a casual Friday afternoon sing-along. It was the final straw. The number of latent Journey musicians had reached a critical mass, and it was time to do something about it.
That random thought arrived suddenly, but decisively. Within two weeks we’d organized the players and chosen a song by Journey to cover for our company's virtual Christmas card, a tune ideal for client service: “Any Way You Want It.”
Knowing we couldn’t beat the original power ballad at its own game, we took a different direction with the musical arrangement, slowing the tempo, steering clear of 80’s instrumentation and delaying the familiar chorus. We also dropped the key by a fifth so we could actually sing it. (I’m not fully convinced Steve Perry isn’t really a woman.)
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It was time to make a music video.
http://storymatters.com/showcase/merry-christmas-2013
Our final product had to be professional grade for the effort to succeed. iPhone voice recorders wouldn’t do, so we contacted our friend Alex De Jong at White Star Sound to plan some studio time. Like true rookies, we grabbed every instrument in the building and considered layering it into the song. Xylophone? Ukulele? Hand bells? Alex reined us in.
As the recording took shape, we had a realization: the song wasn’t funny. It was beautiful. And that presented a problem. Our song choice screamed spoof, but our arrangement suggested sincerity. How was this whole thing supposed to be received? We considered changing the lyrics to lighten things up, but ultimately chose to trust that the video would determine the tone.
And that’s where we stalled for a few weeks. The team brainstormed dozens of video concepts, but each one had its own drawbacks. Script a short film? None of us can act. Organize a pancake breakfast for clients and their families? Too many logistics. Use slow motion clips of the team throwing things left-handed? Hilarious, but too random.
In the end, we decided to create our video around a gingerbread house design competition. A Christmas theme would provide some warm visuals, ridiculous holiday sweaters would ensure a light-hearted tone, documentary-style filming would remove the need for acting, and the design element would provide a subtle link to our actual work. We loaded up with gingerbread, peppermints and icing, gathered the team and completed the filming. After a couple weeks of editing, we launched the video into the Twittersphere.
What happened next came as a surprise: People watched the video. Even more surprising, though, were the responses. Clients emailed to express gratitude. Former employees called to catch-up. Friends shared with other friends. Family members sent affirmations. People laughed. At least one person cried.
It seems that the tension we felt throughout the process – that balance of parody and sincerity – made its way into the final product. Two men wore onesies, but the laughter was authentic. We swayed awkwardly by candlelight, but the camaraderie was real.
So whether you smile, choke-up, or sing along, we hope you'll receive our Christmas music video as a gift to be enjoyed – any way you want it.
Credits:
Josh Bryant (developer) - keys, trumpet, bass
Zack Bryant (strategic director) – saxophone, percussion
Lindsay Gilmore (designer) – vocals
Hannah Jordan (intern) – violin
Jon Thompson (account executive) – guitar, banjo, mandolin, vocals
Sam Voelkel (business development director) – vocals
Recorded at White Star Sound
Produced by Alex De Jong
Video Production by Chris Tyree