Goldfinger - This Lonely Place

What this video is

Released in 1997 at the height of the third-wave ska revival, 'This Lonely Place' represents Goldfinger's commercial peak as a Southern California ska-punk act. The single from Hang-Ups — the band's second studio album — entered regular MTV rotation, placing the band alongside contemporaries such as No Doubt, Reel Big Fish, and Sublime in the mainstream ska-punk crossover moment. Goldfinger, formed in Los Angeles…

Why it matters

A canonical artifact of the late-1990s third-wave ska and pop-punk MTV moment, 'This Lonely Place' exemplifies the genre's commercial crossover formula: melodic punk energy, emotionally direct lyricism, and visually striking but mid-budget music video production. The single and its video represent…

The director

Jeff Gordon is a music video director who began his career in 1997 when friends in a local band asked him to direct a video. He went on to direct for acts including Wheatus (Teenage Dirtbag, 2000; Wannabe Gangstar, 2002), Neve, Fenix TX, and Sahara…