STIR - New Beginning

2000

STIR - New Beginning (2000) Era: Post-Grunge / Alternative Rock Major Label Era (2000) - Capitol Records-backed single from sophomore album Holy Dogs; bridging late-90s post-grunge polish with early-2000s mainstream rock radio aesthetics. Moderate-to-high archival value as a primary visual document of a Capitol Records alternative rock promotional campaign from March 2000. While Stir did not achieve mainstream commercial breakthrough, the video encapsulates the major-label post-grunge video grammar of its era with notable fidelity. The involvement of producer Howard Benson, subsequently one of the most commercially successful rock producers of the 2000s, lends additional retrospective significance. The video is also one of few visual records of Stir's Holy Dogs-era lineup and performance aesthetic. Context: Released in March 2000 as the lead single from Stir's second Capitol Records album Holy Dogs, 'New Beginning' arrived at a transitional moment in mainstream rock radio, post-grunge had matured into a polished, multi-format format spanning active rock, mainstream rock, and Triple-A. The St. Louis trio, produced by Howard Benson (P.O.D., Zebrahead), had been described by radio program directors as the 'new golden boys,' yet the single and album were ultimately ill-supported by Capitol amid internal label turnover. The video reflects the standard major-label promotional template of the era: a bright, high-contrast clip built for TRL-adjacent and VH1 rotation, consistent with the band's appearance on VH1's The List during the Holy Dogs campaign. Director notes: No director credit for this music video has been identified in any publicly available source, including music video databases, press materials, or label documentation. The video was produced in conjunction with Capitol Records' promotional campaign for the single 'New Beginning' from the album Holy Dogs (Capitol Records, March 14, 2000). The single charted on the Billboard mainstream rock and active rock charts in 2000 but received limited label support. No further verified production details are available.