Osaka Popstar help Fred Armisen reclaim love from the Lost & Found in their single and animated video — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The opening cut from the New York anime-punk outfit’s latest EP Ear Candy, the infectiously sweet ’n’ irresistibly crunchy Lost & Found stars a cartoon version of comedian Armisen (SNL, Portlandia) as a lonely soul trying to win over a grocery-store clerk with his goofy antics.
“The basic premise of the video was inspired by real-life events,” reveals Osaka Popstar founder, frontman and mastermind John Cafiero, who is also a filmmaker and has worked extensively with Misfits and Ramones. “I was waiting in my car parked outside of a supermarket in N.Y.C., and a guy in a business suit passing by, stopped at the picture window of the storefront and, while gesturing to someone inside, started doing all these absolutely crazy and ridiculous dances — and I’m talking full throttle! I had no idea what he was up to, but I was mesmerized by it.
“It turned out that he was trying to get the attention of a girl working the checkout line. Making it more bizarre is that he was well dressed and very reserved looking; someone you’d never expect to behave that way. He was so over the top, it was absolutely absurd and surreal, like a scene from a movie. As I was watching it, I thought, ‘This is my music video,’ and I immediately had Fred in mind to play the main character. Starting with that basic premise, I embellished on it, and developed it into what you see.”
Armisen wasn’t just a random choice. Cafiero and the comedian have known each other since meeting at the very first Misfits reunion show in 2016, he says. “Fred and I ran into each other when I was in the process of mixing Ear Candy. I played him a rough mix of the song and told him the concept I had in mind. At the time I was considering shooting this as a live-action music video. He dug it and immediately agreed. When I later switched gears and decided to do the video fully animated, I still wanted Fred to star in the role. I explained and asked if he remained interested. He was, and the rest is history.”
Along with Cafiero and Armisen, the song and video also feature Dean Rispler (Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black) on guitar and bass, and Jon Wurster (Superchunk, The Mountain Goats, Bob Mould) on drums, with backing vocals from indie rocker Colleen Green.
“Osaka Popstar appears in animated form, popping up in the most unlikely of places, providing the soundtrack to the story — which features cameos from the Osaka Popstar Devil Dogs, The Kawaii Black Metal Trio, Sweetie Candy Vigilante and more, including homages to Saturday morning breakfast cereals, The Partridge Family, The Archies and The Monkees,” Cafiero says. “The latter three bands all having a kinship with Osaka Popstar in that they reach beyond the confines of the average band, existing in a universe of their own, while simultaneously existing in ours.” They’re also the three bands Osaka Popstar cover on their EP, which includes takes on I Think I Love You, Sugar Sugar and All Of Your Toys.
In addition to the EP, Osaka Popstar recently unveiled a deluxe expanded and remastered edition of their debut album Osaka Popstar And The American Legends Of Punk, which featured legends like Jerry Only (Misfits), Marky Ramone (Ramones), Dez Cadena (Black Flag), Ivan Julian (Voidoids) and even Daniel Johnston. The band followed that up by collaborating with “Weird Al” Yankovic on a blistering, accordion-tinged cover of Beat On The Brat for Record Store Day 2021.
Watch Lost & Found above, sample Ear Candy below, and get more from Osaka Popstar at their website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
