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Live Review: PREMIERE: Corporate negligence & inaction are explored in Billy Fox's dystopian new clip

17 April 2019 | 10:51 am | Caitlin Medcalf

It's been a busy couple of months for Sydney's BILLY FOX. In amongst writing and recording, he's just launched a new Sydney-based artist collective and bi-monthly event series called Common Good. The collective/series was launched to bring Sydney artists together to create and support each other across a variety of creative pursuits.

He's also about to head out on a two show tour in support of his forthcoming EP Lung, set to be out in early May. But first, he's given us a little taste of what he's been working on behind the scenes with a clip for his latest single 'Let's Be Honest', and we're excited to say that we've got the very first taste of it here at Purple Sneakers.

Where the soul and RnB artist seems to thrive most is his ability to write songs that are not only instrumentally complex, but narratively complex too. The track explores the feelings of innate humanness where we are always feeling the need to strive to do better. The purpose of the track is to reflect on that and serve as a reminder that you can always be doing things better.

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Directed by Alex Campbell and filmed by David Mckinnar, the video for 'Let's Be Honest' takes on a dystopian atmosphere. The careful neon lighting washing over the video aids in pushing forward the surreal nature of the narrative. We're left to follow four bored, unfulfilled store clerks who each represent Apathy, Intolerance, Ignorance and Negligence. As they go about their night, stocking shelves and tidying up, customers come in feeling more and more ill, having consumed a product from the store.

When watching the clip with those labels in mind, there's a strong message here, particularly exploring the poor support of pill testing and how governing bodies are ignoring potential policy changes that are evidence-based and aim to save lives. It's a portrayal of how young people in NSW are experiencing this negligence, and the stark nature of it really drives that home.

Of the clip, director Alex Campbell said “It is, at its core, about inaction and corporate responsibility. That is, the ways in which large bodies often turn a blind eye or divert blame when regarding serious ongoing issues. They sweep the mess under the carpet. The metaphor could apply to the lack of support for pill testing initiatives, but could also be applied to inaction over global warming, the mistreatment of immigrants etc“.

BILLY FOX 'LUNG' EP TOUR

THU 25 APR | BAR OPEN, MELBOURNE VIC

FRI 3 MAY | THE VANGUARD, NEWTOWN NSW

Image: SUPPLIED

Words by CAITLIN MEDCALF

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