“Paint me a picture/Not something real…”
I am proud to present my new video for The Moon King, a lush synth ballad. In this cinematic blitz of romantic electronica, I take a flight of fancy through the cosmos and history, exploring the lunar side of life as an eccentric dandy and various celestial phenomena…
Inspiration
The Moon King is inspired by the story of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, as told in Luchino Visconti’s film Ludwig. I have long been a fan of the Italian director, and his leading man Helmut Berger. (In fact, the song’s intro is taken from the movie poster.)
I wanted to find out more about the romantic but beleaguered Bavarian monarch, who reigned at a time before the modern state of Germany existed. His retreat into fantasy, in the face of personal and political hardship, spoke to me.
On a trip to Germany, I had the pleasure of visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, one of the many extravagant palaces that he built during his life. Although the tour was very regimented due to the large numbers of visitors, it was still an enchanting experience. I noticed a large number of swans in the décor. These elegant but assertive fowl inspired one of my looks in the video.
Creation
With the lull in other activities due to the coronavirus lockdown, I recently turned my attention to making a video for The Moon King. It seemed like as good a time as any for a voyage of the imagination into magical realms. Perhaps the recent supermoons gracing our skies this year also influenced me.
The song is available on Bandcamp as half of a double A-side. The single also includes my electro cover of Laurent Voulzy’s 80s pop track, Les Nuits sans Kim Wilde. My earlier Exotic Prints EP (digital and CD) is also at marcelwave.bandcamp.com.
The very talented JJD aka Soft Riot, a Canadian synth musician and video producer, provided invaluable help with filming and editing. He did a tremendous job expressing my vision faithfully. You can see more of his work at jjdworks.com. His latest clients include Polish coldwave singer Marta Raya and Turkish post-punk band She Past Away.