Justin Stewart Cotta is an artist we’ve championed over the years at the AU. A poet, actor, singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist, he is a man of many talents. Last month, he released his latest single, the take-no-prisoners “Was You”. We’re thrilled to be premiering the video today, a cinematic marvel that was filmed on the streets of New York, by Marlo Irani.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Marlo Irani is an Iranian-French Canadian filmmaker whose style emphasises creativity and emotion. He was given the opportunity to utilise his creative skills in the clip for “Was You”. It’s full of drama indeed. The concept for the video is credited to Marlo and Ethan Horgan. The clip itself is taken from the short-film, Rats of Decorum.
About the clip, Justin told the AU: “Filmed in the gritty streets of the lower east side in Manhattan NYC, a desperate rat humanoid scavenges for food. A chance meeting and subsequent invitation from a human restauranteur takes a psychotic and treacherous detour. The music video may or may not be taken as the writer’s trojan horse for the plight of immigrants in a strange new America, or it could well be that it is simply an exploration of what it is to be “other”. Through any lens, the music video snaps and gnashes its way to a pesto frothing climax, and is a wonderful companion piece to the lyrics and song. Marlo Irani is an inspirational director, and a rare creative beast.”
The track was recorded at Beacon Street Studios in Boston MA. The studio has no equipment in it made beyond 2009. That undoubtedly brought challenges, but one that was nonetheless embraced. It was the first time that Justin wrote, performed, engineered, produced, mixed, and mastered every level of a release.
About the influences behind the track, Justin writes: “Given that I was in both VAST and memento, it makes sense that this track feels like a lovechild of the two. Having said that, I have always been mesmerised by Bowie, and the host of melodic synth 80s bands sprinkled throughout my child hood/teen years. The vocal production in the verses of WAS YOU encompasses the claustrophobic approach taken to U2’s Achtung Baby (Brian Eno, Daniel Lanios), while vocally the pre-choruses find themselves in a 70s Supertramp pop world.. which is quite satisfying as a songwriter to then be able to organically launch into the really aggressive Tool/memento vibe chorus vocals. Really pleased with how organic the production is, given that it gears through multiple genres.”
You can keep up to date with Justin on his Website, Spotify, Facebook and Instagram
Images supplied by the artist
