HIM - Solitary Man

What this video is

Released in 2004 as a single from HIM's first greatest hits compilation, 'Solitary Man' is a cover of Neil Diamond's 1966 debut single — a lineage that by 2004 had already passed through Johnny Cash's Grammy-winning 2000 recording. HIM's version repositions the song within early-2000s European gothic rock, amplified by the involvement of Bam Margera, whose MTV fame via Jackass and Viva La Bam created a powerful…

Why it matters

Represents the apex of the love metal genre's international visibility, with HIM functioning as the primary export of Finnish gothic rock to mainstream Western audiences. The Margera directorial connection underscores how genre crossovers in early-2000s youth culture were brokered through…

The director

Brandon Cole Margera (born September 28, 1979, West Chester, Pennsylvania) is a professional skateboarder, television personality, and filmmaker who rose to prominence via the CKY video series and MTV's Jackass franchise. He directed music videos for HIM,…