Verbena - Way Out West

What this video is

Released in 2003 as the lead single from Verbena's third and final Capitol Records album La Musica Negra, 'Way Out West' arrived at a transitional moment in post-grunge commercial alternative rock — after the Napster-era collapse of the major-label indie-alternative pipeline but before the full consolidation of MySpace-era DIY distribution. The video's road-diary verité style, directed by actor Kiefer Sutherland…

Why it matters

Represents the twilight of the Capitol Records post-grunge cycle and an early example of celebrity-directed music video crossover (actor-as-director). The road-documentary format anticipates later DIY and tour-diary video aesthetics that became dominant in the streaming era. Verbena's blend of…

The director

Ted Newsome is a Los Angeles-based producer, director, and cinematographer who served as Art Director of TransWorld Skateboarding Magazine 1993–2000 and co-founded 2HeadedHorse Productions, producing original series for FUEL TV 2005–2011. He is known for…