Interpol - Evil

What this video is

Released January 3, 2005 as the second single from Antics (Matador Records, September 2004), 'Evil' arrived at the apex of the post-punk revival that had reshaped indie rock's commercial landscape. Interpol, formed in Manhattan in 1997, were central figures in the NYC downtown scene alongside contemporaries such as The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Antics debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, marking the band's…

Why it matters

A landmark in early-2000s post-punk revival video culture, 'Evil' is significant for its complete rejection of the band-as-visual-subject convention. By commissioning a fine artist with no prior music video experience (Charlie White) and deploying Hollywood-grade practical animatronics, the video…

The director

Charlie White (born 1972) is an American artist, filmmaker, and academic. He received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts (1994) and his MFA from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena (1998). His practice spans photography, film, animation, and public…