Scarce - All Sideways

JUL 01 1994 · 12:00

Scarce - All Sideways (1994) Era: Post-Grunge / Mid-90s Alternative Indie (1994) - Peak era of New England indie-alternative, major-label bidding wars, and shoegaze-inflected guitar rock preceding the mainstream alt-rock commercial collapse High archival value as a rare surviving promotional clip from Scarce's pre-Deadsexy period. The band's story, major-label promise cut short by Graning's near-fatal 1995 brain aneurysm, makes all extant visual documentation of this era culturally significant. The video predates the reconfigured Deadsexy lineup and captures the band at their original commercial peak, offering a primary visual document of the Providence-Boston indie scene that is otherwise sparsely represented in music video archives. Context: Released in May 1994 on Domino Records, 'All Sideways' emerged during the peak of indie-alternative's commercial visibility in both the UK and US. Scarce, formed in Providence, RI by Chick Graning (ex-Anastasia Screamed) and Joyce Raskin, were generating major-label buzz that would culminate in their A&M signing. The single predates the tragic brain aneurysm suffered by Graning in mid-1995, which derailed the band's momentum just as Deadsexy was set for wider release. The Providence-Boston corridor was a fertile scene connecting post-punk, shoegaze, and college-radio alternative, with peers including Belly, Buffalo Tom, and Juliana Hatfield. The video's rapid-cut performance aesthetic reflects both budgetary constraints and the MTV-era indie promo vernacular of the period. Director notes: No director credit for the 'All Sideways' music video was identified in any searchable database, press archive, music video wiki, or label documentation. The Domino Records single release (RUG 13, May 1994) and associated A&M/Paradox promotional materials do not appear to carry a publicly indexed director credit. The video is consistent with low-budget indie promo production of the era.