Dastardly Take A Big "Dirtnap" In Creepy, Religiously-Themed New Music Video

By Jon Graef in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 27, 2012 10:00PM

The runaway freight train of creativity known as Dastardly keeps a'rollin' all night long with a creepy, religiously-themed new music video for the song "Dirtnap." Basically, it's Kevin Smith's Red State by way of Johnny Cash by way of The Mountain Goats. Watch it below. The band described the "Dirtnap" video's concept as the band as "cult leaders in a terrifying underground layer, preaching to a passionate and terrified congregation." In the email news release for the video, Dastardly write that singer Gabe Liebowitz "makes his triumphant return to acting since being banned from his high school's production of 'Oliver!'"

We were curious what one has to do in order to be banned from a high school production of Oliver, so we asked Liebowitz himself. His reply, via email:

Basically, the drama teacher had told me I was a no-brainer to play Fagin. But then he gave the part to some sophomore, and gave me a shitty walk on role. So, I was like "fuck that noise!" and quit. He told me to never audition for his plays again. As an act of rebellion, I decided to join the pit band for the play and play xylophone and timpani. He was so furious that he announced to the entire cast that if I were to play in the band, then he would resign as theater director and cancel the play, turning all of the "theater kids" against me. He then made the announcement to the principal of the school, who said "You are a grown man. Calm down."

Liebowitz wrote that he stayed in the band after the principal's intervention. Now, this certainly could be an entertaining bit of fabulism, but the band has started a Reddit board where they hope the drama teacher in question responds to this story and video. We shall see. In the meantime, check out "Dirtnap", from this year's Bury Me In The Country EP.