For Aaron Louis, music would seem to be just another bullet point in a mind-bogglingly vast resume. Currently the audio-visual director at New York City’s esteemed Museum of Modern Art, he’s also on the board of directors at Brooklyn’s tech-savvy 3-Legged Dog Media & Theater Group, where he was previously the producing director for their art and technology center. His lengthy list of production credits includes Islam And The Future Of Tolerance, a powerful 2018 documentary.
Louis has worked with Pulitzer Prize winners, notable film/theater directors and pop superstars. He’s the author of books and screenplays, a former booking agent and a one-time owner of a live-music venue/performance space in Florida. And that’s barely scratching surface of Louis’ output as an artist, entrepreneur and activist.
Where the Clamor falls in all of this is anyone’s guess. For the moment, though, his cinematically inclined indie-rock project appears somewhere near the top of his to-do list, especially now that “Staircase Stomp” has found its way into the world.
“The lyrics explore themes of identity and inner conflict, so it felt natural to lean into those ideas visually with something surreal and layered,” says Louis of the song and video. “Stop-motion was a perfect fit because it has this tactile, slightly unsettling quality that I thought matched the tone beautifully.”
One of the video’s biggest challenges was working on a tight deadline. “Stop-motion is notoriously time-intensive,” says Louis. “But Jody McKee’s ability to bring the puppets to life so efficiently without sacrificing detail was nothing short of remarkable. Scotty Hull’s digital animation added to the dynamic energy, especially in the storm and mob scenes, creating what I think is a seamless interplay between the two mediums.”
Next up for Louis: writing and recording new material. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with other creative minds on future video projects,” he says. “Working with visual artists reshapes the way I understand my own work. It’s like watching the song take on a life I never expected—and that process will likely change how I approach making music videos moving forward.”
We’re proud to premiere the Clamor’s “Staircase Stomp” video.
—Hobart Rowland
