HUM - The Pod

What this video is

Released in 1995 as a single from Hum's major-label debut You'd Prefer an Astronaut (RCA Records), 'The Pod' emerged during the peak commercial window of alternative rock's mainstream absorption — the post-Nevermind era when labels aggressively signed heavy indie acts. Hum, from Champaign, Illinois, represented the Midwest strand of this movement, distinct from Seattle grunge and East Coast indie. The song and its…

Why it matters

A canonical artifact of mid-90s heavy alternative and post-hardcore crossover aesthetics. 'The Pod' exemplifies the quiet-loud dynamic infrastructure shared by Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., and shoegaze acts, while its fuzzed-out guitar production influenced subsequent heavy alternative and space-rock…

The director

Andy Mueller is a Midwest-raised multidisciplinary creative who founded OhioGirl Design Co. in 1993, a small design, photography, and film studio. After relocating to Chicago in 1994, OhioGirl's clients grew to include RCA Records, Capitol Records, Burton…