Sitting down, once again, with long time collaborator and friend Adrian Younge to talk about some of the thoughts behind the conception and execution of his latest video -- "Lovely Lady," a track featured on the Wax Poetics release "Something About April" and featuring the Detroit guitar legend Dennis Coffey. The video is directed by David Wong, and is once again borrows cinematic inspiration from the days of way-back, when music had soul, and the lyrics had meaning. I remember hearing the track for the first time about a year ago, then taking the stage with Mister Coffey himself at last years SXSW Music & Film Festival in Austin, and being floored, and after seeing this video, the way it has been executed, and the overall look, mood, and feeling of the video, I'm floored yet again...
V4G: What was your inspiration for this song?
AY: The song was basically inspired by "Classic Soul" -- a kind of soul that captures the true essence of innocent romance. "Lovely Lady" chronicles the thoughts of a
soon to be couple, before they become involved. They want to know each
other, yet they battle with the fear of rejection from one another; they fall in love at first sight, and think about each other on a daily... It's an innocent kind of love coupled with physical attraction, and it's his ode to what he feels inside about her.
V4G: How did you become involved with Dennis Coffey?
AY: His manager contacted Wax Poetics about potential collaborations around the time of his latest release. During their discussion, my name came up, and the rest is history... Dennis added so much style to Lovely Lady; I was speechless when I initially heard his guitar playing on the track. The guy is a living legend, and knows exactly what to play, and how to play it.
V4G) What was the deciding factor in the direction you wanted the video to go?
AY: Well, the "Something About April" album depicts the trials and tribulations of
an interracial couple, circa 1968; it chronicles their interactions, "Lovely
Lady" being their first encounter. We wanted to show the depth of their
affinity for one another, also, their subtly salacious thoughts for one
another, which is why we delve into the fantasy shots throughout. In essence, this video sought to capture that "love at first sight," feeling. Director, David Wong, and cinematographer, Mark Austin, nailed the aesthetic and vibe of the story we wanted to tell. I'm very happy with the results and how this media audiovisually captures the feeling of the brand.
V4G: How does this song have baring on the current musical project you are in production with the great William Hart from The Delfonics?
AY: This song resembles exactly the type of music I am creating with The Delfonics. One of my main musical inspirations have been the Delfonics. So many groups
have copied their style throughout the years. It's ironic that many people
mix them up for different groups (Stylistics, The Originals, Chi-Lites)
because they are the true pioneers of this type of soul. William Hart, lead
singer of the Delfonics, is a musical genius; his writing style is so
angelic and captivating. Lovely Lady touches on his writing style; however,
our new Delfonics album takes it to an entirely new level. The album should
be released before year end...
V4G: Can we expect this to become a series?
AY: Yes. Lovely Lady is part one of a continuing saga. The "Something About
April" album is a concept album, and I would love to hit all of the moments,
audio/visually. We will see what the future holds. I can guarantee that
there is more to come...
