Analysing Music Video - The Strokes - Last Nite

Artist

The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998, consisting of Julian Casablancas (lead vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), Albert Hammond, Jr. (rhythm guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), Nikolai Fraiture (bass) and Fabrizio Moretti (drums, percussion). Lead singer-songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarist Nick Valensi, and drummer Fab Moretti started playing together while attending Dwight School in Manhattan. Bassist Nikolai Fraiture befriended Casablancas while the two attended the Lycée Français de New York.

Later, when Hammond came to New York to attend New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, he shared an apartment with Casablancas. The roommates started a band, first performing at The Spiral—followed by the Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side of New York, and then at Manhattan's popular Mercury Lounge. Ryan Gentles, the Mercury Lounge's booker, quit his job to become the band's manager. The band sent a demo to the newly reformed Rough Trade Records in the UK, sparking interest there (the UK), and leading to their first release (via the website of the UK magazine, NME, who gave away a free mp3 download of "Last Nite" a week prior to the physical release as part of The Modern Age EP in 2001.

Record Label

The Strokes have been signed to 4 record labels in total, Cult Records, RCA Records, Rough Trade Records and Sony BMG Music Entertainment. Out of all 4 of those labels, the only one which significantly stands out as an indie rock label is Rough Trade. Other similar bands who are/have been signed to Rough Trade Records are The Smiths, The Libertines, Morrissey and even War Paint.

The Director

The band were originally unwilling to appear in a music video, but eventually agreed to a simple format, performing the song live on a brightly lit stage. The resulting video, filmed with simple panning shots and few edits, was directed by Roman Coppola. Roman also directed several other of The Strokes songs, along with Green Days 'Walking Contradiction' and Arctic Monkeys 'Teddy Picker'.

The Video

As mentioned before, The Strokes originally did not want to appear in this music video, however it turned out they were solely the whole entire video. This music promo is a performance video, meaning that it consists of the band miming and performing the song on a stage. Because of this style of video, I have decided not to create a video timeline, but instead just comment on all of the aspects of the video instead.

Mise en Scene

Setting and Location 

Julian Casablancas told producer Gordon Raphael he wanted the song to sound, "like a band from the past that took a time-trip into the future." There is no doubt that the setting of the video portrayed this idea. The band are stood in the middle of the stage which looks similar to a game show, there are white curtains at the back which occasionally change colour from blue to red with coloured lights and the colours manly consist of red and blue . The setting is very plain and simple as the main focus of the video is the band and the lyrics.

Costume
Each member of the band are sporting the messy hair look, this suggests their laid back and care free nature; they are all wearing dull, colourless clothing (apart from the drummer who is wearing a red top) this gives off the impression that they are not too bothered about their appearance. Their rebellious careless attitude is emphasised at about 1:00 into the video where we see the lead singer, Julian Casablancas, through the mic stand like a spear off of the stage.

Lyrics
Last night she said
Oh baby I feel so down
Oh it turn me off
When I feel left out
So I, I turned around
Oh maybe I don't care no more
I know this for sure
I'm walking out that door

Well I've been in town for just now fifteen oh minutes now
Oh baby I feel so down
And I don't know why
I've been walking for miles

See people they don't understand
No girlfriends they can't understand
Your grandsons they won't understand
On top of this ain't ever gonna understand

Last night she said
Oh baby, don't feel so down
Oh it turn me off
When I feel left out
So I, I turn around
Oh baby gonna be alright
It was a great big lie
Cos' I left that night, yeah

Oh people they don't understand
No girlfriends they don't understand
In spaceships they won't understand
And me ain't ever gonna understand

Last night she said
Oh maybe I feel so down
She turn me off
When I feel left out
So I, I turn around,
Oh little girl I don't care no more
I know this for sure
I'm walking out that door
Yeah

This is said to be the first song which had much radio play for The Strokes, this is about a guy who breaks up with his girlfriend after she explains to him that she feels disheartened because he doesn't seem to care about her. He then starts to get depressed and later question his choices.