Double Platinum-selling Canadian band, Walk Off The Earth, who are also known for the 150 million views they garnered on YouTube for their “5 Peeps 1 Guitar” cover of the Gotye song, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” collaborated with Volkswagen Canada to release a new, interactive music video for their latest single, “Gang of Rhythm.” only instead of all sharing a single guitar, this time they play a Volkswagen Beetle.
The video, which can be viewed on YouTube and VW.ca features three different versions of the song, in three different locations, with three different models of The Beetle. Buttons in the video let viewers seamlessly jump between locations and songs, making it a three-in-one interactive experience. Each song version has its own distinct feel, inspired by a different Beetle model. One is a more soulful, acoustic rendition to go with The Super Beetle; another is an instrumental version, featuring soaring, electric guitars, matching The Beetle GSR; and a third pairs musical instruments with real car sounds, recorded and looped from The Beetle Convertible.
Filmed over the course of two days in Toronto and Cobourg, Ontario, the three videos place the band in a salt shed, a tunnel, and on a pier. In the version of the video shot on the pier, the band again demonstrates their creative musicianship by playing various parts of the Beetle like musical instruments. All three videos were directed by renowned music video director Wendy Morgan of Untitled Films, Toronto. Agency is Red Urban, Toronto.
Walk Off The Earth first approached Volkswagen Canada and their advertising agency, Red Urban, about the potential of a partnership.
“Volkswagen got a call from the band one day,” said Christina Yu, executive creative director of Red Urban Canada, the creative agency for Volkswagen. “Apparently they are big Volkswagen fans and wanted to collaborate. Volkswagen has a legacy of smart approaches to advertising, and is also very well-known for their use of music. We thought it was a great idea, so immediately started developing the ideas for the video.”
“We always wanted to use the sounds from a car to create a song,” said Gianni Luminati, principal songwriter for the band. “We’re always looking for interesting ways to make music – and music videos – so this was a perfect opportunity for us.”
Walk Off The Earth features multi-instrumentalists Gianni Luminati, Marshall, and Sarah Blackwood on vocals, Taylor on keyboards, and Joel Cassady on drums. Their new album of original songs, R.E.V.O., was released earlier this year on Columbia Records and is certified Gold and debut single “Red Hands” has been certified double platinum.
Judge Awards Blake Lively Legal Fees But No More Damages In “It Ends With Us” Dispute
Blake Lively can recover some legal costs from fellow actor and director Justin Baldoni but not punitive damages and other relief she sought after settling her legal claims over their 2024 film "It Ends With Us," a judge ruled Friday.
Judge Lewis J. Liman said in a written decision that Lively can recover legal fees and costs related to her defense against a countersuit Baldoni brought against her after she sued him in December 2024.
In his written ruling Friday, Liman cited a California law designed to protect survivors of sexual harassment and discrimination from retaliatory lawsuits meant to intimidate and silence victims.
The judge said the law requires that the plaintiff must pay the defendant's legal fees and costs if a defamation claim made in response to a lawsuit is dismissed, even if the facts of the case have not been developed through the gathering of evidence.
Liman said an exception would be if Baldoni and his production company, Wayfarer Studios LLC, could prove malice fueled Lively's claims, but that Baldoni and Wayfarer had produced no evidence to show that.
The judge rejected her claims to triple any damages and pursue punitive damages as well under the California law, saying that they did not fall within "carefully crafted federal procedural rules designed to protect the rights of the parties."
Lively and Baldoni settled the bulk of their dispute last month just as a trial was about to start on Lively's retaliation claims. She received no money from the deal but was permitted to pursue legal fees.
In their statements, both sides cast Liman's ruling as a victory.
Lively lawyers Michael Gottlieb and Esra Hudson said the award of legal fees "makes it clear that Ms. Lively brought her claims in... Read More