Theophilus London’s new video for “I Stand Alone” (my favorite song off his recent album, Timez Are Weird These Days) is a direct reference to surreal roadtrip in the Talking Heads’ rock film True Stories (with a lil’ bit of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas roadtrip maybe?).
There are cowboy hipster clothes, a multi-lingual model chick, and a moon walk. But it all works because the song is so infectious. (You might also recognize it from the endless How To Make It In America: Season 2 previews on HBO)

Warner Music and Theophilus invited the New York Times’ T Magazine to the “I Stand Alone” video shoot, and they broke down his wardrobe: vintage moto jacket from Paris, print button-downs from Opening Ceremony (shout to my girl Olivia Kim!), a sequin tank-top from Theo’s upcoming LVRS clothing line…and Stetson hats.

Read more video shoot details…
after the jump


(Theo with video director Nathaniel Brown, far left, who acted in Gaspar Noé’s Enter the Void, along with co-star Boyce Harrison, far right. If you remember Enter The Void‘s opening sequence was a clear influence on Kanye West x Hype Williams’ “All Of The Lights” video. The indie flick also starred my least favorite actress, Paz De La Huerta, lol.)

From the New York Times’ T Magazine, at Theophilus London’s “I Stand Alone” video shoot:

“Jump-in-the-car time!” London yells with a fist-pump while on the set watching playbacks of the current take. Standing next to him is a young video director and actor named Nathaniel Brown. The two met through Twitter after London posted a message about Gaspar Noé’s trippy, 2010 cult movie “Enter the Void.” Brown, who, with his partner, Harrison Boyce, also directed London’s previous music video, played the lead in “Enter the Void.” Noé is a big influence on London: “I Stand Alone” takes its title from one of his early films.

Though perhaps too stylish to be considered ostentatious, London still is something of a dandy. Throughout the day he wears … 1. A leather biker jacket with braided epaulettes that he found at a vintage shop in Paris. 2. A variety of button-down shirts in loud prints from Opening Ceremony in New York. 3. A custom suit with a left sleeve that buttons up to the shoulder with brass fasteners (he had it made at My Suit on Madison Avenue). 4. Jewelry, and a red sequin tank-top that he designed for his soon-to-start fashion line LVRS (pronounced “lovers”). And, 5. A Stetson hat. (Ever since London played South by Southwest in Austin, Tex., earlier this year, he’s been favoring cowboy garb over baseball caps.)

“I’m pretty sure David Byrne wore a Stetson in ‘True Stories,’ ” remarks London, going on to explain that much of his concept for today’s video came from watching over and over again that 1986 film, directed by Byrne of the Talking Heads.

Related:
‘How To Make It In America’ (Season 2) Teaser feat. New Music From Theophilus London
Theophilus London Visits Jimmy Kimmel, DJ Khaled Talks Eminem, & Common On “Ghetto Dreams”
New Music: Theophilus London feat. Sara Quin “Why Even Try”