We bring you the EXCLUSIVE of VC Pines' Garden of the Year video - check it out below, and then read what VC Pines himself had to say about the track, and the way the video was shot.
"The song itself, I feel, is nostalgic in the way certain feelings are brought up. It’s overrun with paranoia and jealousy brought on by the fact that someone else has something you need or want, and so this detracts from the special qualities you have with other people due to their new found interest in this metaphor 'the garden of the year’. The main theme is jealousy, in a very childish way.
"This is why I really wanted to re-visit my childhood in the video, whilst playing on this childish theme. I started karate at the age of six, and quickly found my competitive side, especially by being beaten in competition by every opponent at the age of 12. I very nearly gave up, but my Sensei (instructor) called me and told me that that wasn't an option, and that I was to start training at another club of his known for training the best fighters within the extended club in order to get my black belt. It was a touch of magic being able to get Sensei Bernie in the video, to show a snippet of his wisdom and try to reflect some of the personal teachings I had from him.
"The story throughout the video is a shortened version of my childhood with karate, striving to be better post-humiliation, scared of what the opponent holds - Garden Of The Year being a metaphor for his Black Belt 'plant that seed, grow fear’, whilst at the same time keeping the really sweet moments of Sensei Bernie's teachings both physically and mentally.
"It was great having the club that I still train at - Shin Rai Karate-Do - in the video, Sensei Bernie and his students were really professional, and gave perfect performances for us to capture. Ben and James Carter (my neighbours, who played one of the students and the main character respectively) were great on camera, and a genuine pleasure to work with. And big up to Peter Cadman for camera operating, and my boy, Benjamin Edward Simmons - B.E.S Productions - for camera operating, filming, directing, editing, and helping me write, storyboard, and produce the video."
Catch VC Pines' headline show at the Lexington in London on April 3rd 2019!