The Planet Booty bandmates have always been experts in funk, acceptance, and positivity, but in the video for their latest single “Connoisseur,” they show that taste is in the eye of the beholder.
“The song on the face of it seems superficial, like a celebration of fine, fancy things and material items and being high class,” says frontman Dylan Charles Germick. “But it’s the exact opposite of that.”
Set in the gloom of a post-apocalyptic world, the “Connoisseur” video, released today, reminds us that in times of distress, the little things can be the finer things that bring us comfort.
“Minus the pandemic, I don’t wear designer clothes. I don’t have a fancy car. I don’t go out to Michelin-star restaurants but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I love. Everyone knows what they love,” Germick says. “It’s about being OK with who you are, where you’re at, what you have, and owning that to the nth degree. You decide what it is that’s the high life.”
With an up-tempo beat and heavy synth, the song is reminiscent of ‘80s dance tracks. The video features members of the East Bay trio enjoying their idea of living it up — sipping Capri Suns in a fringed track suit; devouring grapes in an embroidered leisure suit and platform heels; and lounging in a custom outfit emblazoned with decals of your own face.
For Germick, the video sentiment brings to mind the past. He grew up in a large family with the nickname Scrappy, wore hand-me-downs, and at times kept pants on with safety pins. “You always made do with what you had but you always found joy in things, not shame.
“I wore my nickname Scrappy with pride, so with that ‘Connoisseur’ is about this idea that you have to make good with what you have but celebrate it all the way,” says Germick. “It’s about detaching from the insanity and the hardships surrounding us for a moment and giving yourself permission to celebrate yourself with what you like.”
Filmed waterside in Alameda on a windy day, “Connoisseur” is Planet Booty’s most simple video to date. The band often undertakes grand productions for its music videos with a larger film crew, bigger budget and long hours of shooting. (Examples include “Junk In The Trunk” where the group takes over a church with full congregation or “Das Booty” where they commandeer a boat.)
“Connoisseur” will be on Planet Booty’s fourth full-length album set for release this fall. The upcoming album will include two singles released in 2020, “You’re a Star” and “Dancing In My Bedroom.”
The band has been productive during quarantine, using the time to focus on writing, collaborations and livestreams. “It really helped us open up our creative process and left us with a good, large arsenal of new material,” Germick says.
Planet Booty collaborated with TWRP, writing lyrics for the single “Need Each Other” off TWRP’s latest album Over The Top, released in September 2020. The band is also featured on the Flynt Flossy track “Rough Month” off Perplexed Portrait, released in August 2020.
Planet Booty’s livestreams on Twitch are similar to variety shows with musical performances, comedy sketches, live chats, and audience participation. Fans send in testimonials, artwork, questions. The trio address issues from voting to body positivity. The next livestream, set to air on PlanetBootyTV in early February, will feature a debut live performance of “Connoisseur.”
The livestreams are a labor of love for Planet Booty who want to show gratitude to people who have supported the band during the pandemic. Germick recalls seeing fans from around the world excited to tune in despite time differences.
“We’ve got these fans that care. They wanna know and see and hear what’s going on with us,” Germick says. “It became a mission for us make people feel OK and feel happy…Even if it’s just a music video or a song or a livestream…I hope they will accept the joy that I am trying to offer because I know it is sorely needed right now.”
