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Creating a buzz: go inside JD McPherson's new 'Style' video

The JD McPherson band outside Vinny's Barber Shop in Los Angeles, location for their "Style is a Losing Game" music video. Left to right: Jason Smay; Ray Jacildo; JD McPherson; Jimmy Sutton; Doug Corcoran.
The JD McPherson band outside Vinny's Barber Shop in Los Angeles, location for their "Style is a Losing Game" music video. Left to right: Jason Smay; Ray Jacildo; JD McPherson; Jimmy Sutton; Doug Corcoran.Sean Dejecacion
  Play Now [4:28]

by Luke Taylor

December 12, 2017

"The location is Vinny's Barber Shop, it's in East Hollywood in Los Angeles," says director Sean Dejecacion. "This was a location brought to me by JD — he and his bandmates have gone there for haircuts. They're all good friends with all the barbers there, especially with the owner, Omar. … JD just came up to me with the idea of shooting there, and I was like, 'That's a really great idea to film in the barbershop; we'll get a lot great shots in there.' And I definitely did."

"Style (Is a Losing Game)" video, directed by Sean Dejecacion

Dejecacion says at first, McPherson wanted just a small cameo in the video, "but I was like, 'Oh, you've got to be in it, and we've got to get you in a smock, sweeping floors'," Dejecacion says. "We couldn't get him to cut hair, unfortunately!"

"Style (Is a Losing Game)" is from JD McPherson's new album, Undivided Heart & Soul, and in the video for the song, McPherson sweeps the floor as the rest of the band members — Jason Smay, Ray Jacildo, Jimmy Sutton and Doug Corcoran — wait in chairs. "We knew the barbershop was really booked that day," Dejecacion says, "so we just thought it would be funny if the guys were just hanging around all day waiting for a haircut and ended up not getting a haircut."

The creative collaboration and trust between Dejecacion and McPherson is engendered by their long-term friendship. Dejecacion and McPherson grew up in neighboring small towns in Oklahoma and met when they were 18 years old. They attended the same junior college and the same university, where they both majored in film. "We were in each other's films a lot," Dejecacion recalls. "I've seen JD in probably about five or six bands growing up. We've been good friends for a long time."

It also helped that the band members are friends with the barbers at Vinny's, who had no problem with the video shoot taking place during a very busy day of business. "I'm pretty sure a lot of the guys that work at Vinny's are also in bands, they're also musicians, so they were digging it," Dejecacion says.

Use the audio player above to hear more about the video from director Sean Dejecacion.

More JD McPherson videos by Sean Dejecacion

https://youtu.be/pRIISMxcKOI

https://youtu.be/a9yypeBB5TU

Resources

JD McPherson - official site

Sean Dejecacion - official site