Pitchfork

Photo by Shannon McClean

The video for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks' "Gardenia"-- plucked from this spring's Real Emotional Trash-- is riddled with guest appearances from some of the biggest names in indie rock, and beyond: Gregg "Girl Talk" Gillis, Weezer's Brian Bell, Mudhoney's Steve Turner, the dudes of Ratatat, Modest Mouse's Joe Plummer, Gary Jarman of the Cribs, and Portland, Oregon's mayor-elect Sam Adams.

What isn't clear, however, is whether the video features appearances from Malkmus himself, or any of the Jicks. According to Willamette Week's Local Cut site, Malkmus turned the proceedings over to Portland-based filmmaker/archivist Dan Woods, aka VJ Dantronix. The "Gardenia" clip is his first-ever music video. But as far as being able to capture big-name folks on film, Woods is in a class all by himself. Local Cut reports that Woods has spent years scoring interviews with the likes of Kraftwerk, Belle & Sebastian, Sonic Youth, and the Flaming Lips just by reaching out and contacting them. Seems simple enough, huh?

The "Gardenia" clip, which features the aforementioned crew lip-synching and noodling on air guitars throughout the tune, premiered in Portland over the weekend, according to Spin.com. Folks like Spoon's Britt Daniel, the Thermals, Janet Weiss of the Jicks, and Weiss' former Sleater-Kinney bandmate Carrie Brownstein were in attendance. Spin.com reports that Malkmus himself had family obligations, and could not attend.

Spin.com reports that the "Gardenia" clip is expected to hit the internet later this week, though a snippet is available right now, via Local Cut:



As for Woods, he's working on a documentary collecting his interview footage. It's tentatively called Music Is Everything and should be completed in 2009.

Malkmus and the Jicks will be hitting the road once again later this month for a spin around the UK, with a mess of North American dates to follow in the fall.


Malkmus:

08-24 Brighton, England - Komedia
08-25 Bristol, England - Thekla
08-26 Birmingham, England - Glee Club
08-27 Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms
08-28 Leeds, England - City Varieties
08-29 Argyll, Scotland - Hydro Connect Festival
08-31 Stradbally, Ireland - Electric Picnic Festival
10-23 Calgary, Alberta - The Warehouse *
10-24 Edmonton, Alberta - Starlite Room *
10-25 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Amigo's *
10-27 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Pyramid Cabinet *
10-30 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon *
10-31 Iowa City, IA - Picador
11-02 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note *
11-04 Omaha, NE - Slowdown *
11-05 Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall *
11-06 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre *

* with Blitzen Trapper