Tripping Daisy - Piranha

JUL 01 1995 · 12:00

Tripping Daisy - Piranha (1995) Director: Gavin Bowden Era: Mid-90s Alternative Rock Boom (1995) - Major-label neo-psychedelic alt-rock at peak MTV rotation, coinciding with Island Records' push of Tripping Daisy's sophomore breakthrough album. A well-preserved example of mid-90s MTV alternative video craft directed by a prolific era-defining director, documenting both Tripping Daisy's commercial breakthrough moment and the broader neo-psychedelic alt-rock visual vernacular of 1995. High value as a regional scene document (Dallas alt-rock) and as a production style reference for the warm-saturated, kinetic-cut aesthetic that defined Island Records-era alternative video promotion. Context: Released in September 1995, 'Piranha' arrived during the apex of MTV's alternative rock programming dominance and coincided with Tripping Daisy's transition from Dallas indie act to major-label contender via Island Records. The song appeared on 'I Am an Elastic Firecracker,' the band's major-label debut produced by Ted Niceley and released June 20, 1995, an album that would go on to sell over 300,000 copies in the US and achieve Platinum certification in Canada. The video's warm, high-saturation psychedelic visual language positioned Tripping Daisy within the neo-psychedelic alt-rock current running parallel to grunge's commercial peak, echoing the eccentricity of peers like Flaming Lips and Blind Melon on MTV's heavy rotation roster. Director notes: Directed for Tripping Daisy as part of the promotional campaign for their 1995 Island Records major-label album 'I Am an Elastic Firecracker.' The video was released September 11, 1995 in the United States. Bowden's approach, high-saturation, kinetic editing with a warm-toned palette, is consistent with his broader mid-90s alt-rock video aesthetic seen across his contemporaneous work with major alternative acts.