With so many wicked music videos being released these days, we thought we would take a little time to appreciate the people on the other side of the lens – the guys with the vision and ideas – the great directors. We’ll be asking these guys a bit about their past and what they’re all about. First up on the list is none other than Vice Cooler.

Vice Cooler seems to be literally on the grind 24/7; when he’s not working on his musical projects that include XBXRX and Hawnay Troof, he’s out directing some of the best music videos out there for bands such as: Abe Vigoda, Frankie Rose And The Outs, and Slow Animal – to name a few. He’s accomplished more in 26 years than most people will in their entire lives. We were lucky enough to track him down and ask him a couple questions.

YMT : How did you get into directing videos, Vice? And where do you find inspiration when planning out a new video?

VICE : I come from a punk background- I grew up in Mobile, Alabama. There wasn’t any access to local media. So making a professional video seemed completely out of the question. Even now its still hard to believe!

When we started xbxrx we were into documenting our shows, which at the time out shined any of our recordings. I started compiling them into home videos for us to sell on tour. (One of them you can actually still rent at Lost Weekend in San Francisco!) So I consider that my start at “directing”. So this was all birthed not from a desire but a necessity. .. The same ideas that fueled our touring, recordings, and releases… We knew no one would do it for us.

And when I plan videos I think about those things around me. The thoughts in my head need to escape. This is a reaction to everything.

YMT : Not only a director, you also are the singer and songwriter for Hawnay Troof AND xbxrx. How do you find time and a balance on all these projects?

VICE : I don’t feel like its hard to do any of these things. I’m not interested in free time and love working on ideas. It would be harder for me NOT to do all of these things.

YMT : Being able to see videos from the inside and out, which side of the camera do you enjoy being on more?

VICE : Its all the same. I consider myself in it even when I’m not the subject. Meaning I hold the hope that what I am doing is rooted more in an energy than a personality. Anyone can do this.

YMT : Lastly, what’s in the future for Vice Cooler?

VICE : I’m working on a solo record right now. XBXRX has a new single on polyvinyl this tuesday while Kit has a new LP on Upset The Rhythm (upsettherhythm.co.uk) next month.

Check everything he has to offer over at vicecooler.com

- L.U - YMT