Like outlaws, The Goodnight Darlings shot their newest music video (“July) in the same wild desert backdrop as the movies “No Country for Old Men” and the 1950s classic “Giant.” After touring their way down south, playing 13 shows culminating at SXSW – they took an exploration drive further west to the Marfa, TX desert.
They sped through pitch black desolate land under a legendary night sky. The stars seem to swim in mysterious order. The phenomena is called “The Marfa Lights.” And as Marfa approaches, the town lights rise from the horizon like strange UFOs in the distance..
When you arrive, it’s advised to shine your blue flashlight to warn yourself against the scorpion tails that could be at your feet.
They spent the rest of a late night at The Hotel Paisano, in the same room James Dean stayed in when he starred in the movie “Giant” with Elizabeth Taylor.
The opening image in the “JULY” video, you find Kat waking up in Dean’s room, switching on a retro radio with curlers in her hair. The shot was done quickly before check-out.
This was only the beginning of a magical day-long video shoot, equipped with just two iPhones, a guitar, a Mustang convertible, and Marfa (seemingly to themselves). The musicians filmed each other using one iPhone to record, and the other to play the song – the footage filtered through their favorite 8mm app, which had the right vintage grain and nostalgia for this beautiful place.
Locations include vistas of train tracks and tumbleweed, an abandoned gas station, classic cars, and even a PRADA sculpture. PRADA is also a fan of this visually stunning area. In 2005, they designed a sculpture of an abandoned Prada store, full of shoes and purses, behind a storefront of glass- with no working door.
Note** All dusty-stunt-driving was done by the band.
**Amazing Skull Dress done by Australian label, Premonition Designs
**Special Effects done by Austin, TX local artist Zero Libertad