Merge Records + Superchunk

When director Whitey McConnaughey and I were both visiting my home state of North Carolina to see the same rock show, I introduced him to the members of his longtime favorite band, Superchunk, a band that played a huge role in shaping the Chapel Hill NC music scene, through the efforts of their music as well as the highly respected record label two of the members founded, Merge Records. Almost immediately a music video was planned.

I helped Whitey art direct and produce the video for Superchunk’s “Crossed Wires,” which promptly established itself as The Lost Weekend of internet cat videos. I found a talented cat (pour one out for Pearl), a house in the woods full of cats, and a place where we could build carpet-covered platforms for cats to climb on in the woods.

The video went viral before that was common, and you have likely seen the popular unauthorized version that strips out the original Superchunk song and replaces it with Prodigy’s “Smack My Bitch Up.”

Whichever version you see, please note that is my hand holding the fake cat paw with the switchblade.

I also designed a few records and posters over the years for Superchunk and my other two favorite Merge bands, Archers of Loaf and Polvo.

Role: art direction, film production, design, illustration, hand lettering, screenprinting
Agency: Casey Burns Creative