We at Radio Milwaukee like dogs because we are not monsters. Are there some misguided people on our team who insist cats are superior? That is neither here nor there, especially in the context of presenting a new video from Milwaukee indie rockers Vanity Plates that stars planet Earth’s most perfect domesticated animal: the dog.
The video in question accompanies “Murphy Bunkbed,” a track we premiered back in April that eventually landed on the band’s tasty new album, Good Grief. At the time, I called the song “a fun listen precisely because those involved aren’t taking things too seriously — besides making a goofy-yet-polished bit of pop rock.” Still true four months later, as you’ll discover when you roll the found-footage masterpiece edited by lead vocalist/guitarist Alex Shah.
What, exactly, does VHS-quality highlights from a dog-agility competition have to do with “Murphy Bunkbed”? Well, the last verse starts with a canine metaphor in which Shah sings:
I’m a terrier, I come when you call
I never beg and above all
I will live for you and I don’t need much
Just food and water and a little touch
"I knew I wanted to use dog-show footage for this music video because I thought it was a funny nod to the themes of the song," Shah shared with us. "Subconsciously, the idea of using found footage was probably inspired by Derek’s band, Dinner Set Gang, using found footage of the Cleveland balloon incident for their 'Ceiling Fan' music video.
"After digging online for a while, I found several hours of rough digitized camcorder footage via J’s Archive on YouTube taken at these amateur-looking dog shows in the '90s and thought it was just too perfect. I edited it down to a crisp 3:08, and that’s the vid."
Are there any actual terriers in the video itself? Possibly. I’ve never been great at identifying breeds, and it turns out there are approximately 465 variations of terrier according to the American Kennel Club. But I will point you toward the little curly-haired fella/gal at the outset of the video for sheer adorable-ness, as well as a great supercut of the course’s jumping section right around the 1:50 mark.
I don’t know why I’m picking highlights. These are all very good boys and girls, and their athleticism/cuteness should be enjoyed in its entirety. Having “Murphy Bunkbed” as their soundtrack doesn't hurt, either.
