TV On the Radio release the video for “Happy Idiot” with an unexpected starring role by Paul Reubens as ‘Racer Steven.’ Like the best of Saturday morning and Saturday night rolled into one, TVONTHERADIOSCOPE presents a mind-bending visual to the first single from the bands upcoming album, Seeds, out November 18 on Harvest Records.
Keep up with the new video by watching “Happy Idiot” HERE.
Seeds is available for pre-order here, including an instant free download of “Happy Idiot.”
“I had this idea for the video that I thought would never happen, of Paul Reubens as a race car driver who slowly loses his mind,” says singer Tunde Adebimpe. ” I took it to Funny or Die and they said, ‘That’s great, let’s go for that.'”
“I got to speak with him over the phone about doing it and, in between being blindingly nervous that I was actually talking to an actor who had shaped a LOT of my world view and trying not to freak him out by saying so, he mentioned that he’s been a fan of the band for awhile,” Adebimpe says. “He liked the idea, and, somehow, here we are with Paul as a race car driver losing his mind.”
Directed by Danny Jelinek and written by Jake Fogelnest, “Happy Idiot” features Reubens and Karen Sheila Gillan, a Scottish actress best known for her role as Amy Pond in the BBC series Doctor Who and Nebula in the current Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy. Paul Reubens is best known for creating the genius and Emmy Award-winning Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, featuring himself as Pee-Wee Herman.
“Karen Gillan was absolutely great. We were really psyched to work with her, because she’s basically sci-fi royalty, and a great person,” says Adebimpe. “Full on geek fest in the desert.”
Calling “Happy Idiot their best song in years, Slate raves the song is a “high-energy track that has TV on the Radio sounding sharper than ever” while Billboard says “If the rest of Seeds follows suit, they’ll have one killer of an album.” NME named the single Track of the Week, and Zane Lowe at the BBC states they are “sounding as eclectic and hungry as ever! Just sounding brilliant.”
“It was really fun to do, love how it came out,” says Adebimpe. “I think our fans will like it. I hope so. The cool ones will anyway. The rest can suck it. I don’t exactly know what ‘it’ is. But they can find it. And they can suck it.”
Seeds was recorded at Federal Prism in Los Angeles and produced by guitarist David Andrew Sitek. Seeds will be TV on the Radio’s fifth studio album and first since Nine Types Of Light, which was released in 2011.
PRAISE FOR “HAPPY IDIOT”
“A skittery, new-wavey beat and nimbly clanging guitar line provide a soundtrack for lyrics about enjoying simplicity, but its theme is “ignorance is bliss.” Rolling Stone
“‘Happy Idiot’ is the poppiest, most direct thing they’ve ever done – a sublime start to a new chapter.” NME
“Through triumph and tragedy TV On The Radio remain one of the most influential and compelling American rock and roll stories of the modern age. TV On The Radio – Happy Idiot Sounding as electric and hungry as ever! Just sounding brilliant!” BBC
“After a decade-plus of being called an indie rock band without ever really sounding like one, avant-rockers TV on the Radio have released “Happy Idiot,” a track that emphasizes clean-toned guitar and accessible pop hooks over the atmosphere and electronic textures the rest of their discography’s been built on.” Entertainment Weekly
“‘Happy Idiot’ is a frenetic, fast-paced number that echoes the energetic moments of 2006’s “Return to Cookie Mountain.” Wall Street Journal
TV ON THE RADIO RELEASE VIDEO FOR "HAPPY IDIOT"
