King Rat (song)
Encyclopedia
"King Rat" is a song by indie
rock band
Modest Mouse
and appears as the title track to their fifth promotional single, following "The World At Large
". The single was later released on the band's 2009 EP No One's First and You're Next. The promo also features the song "Fire It Up" from their 2007 album
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
.
The promo was given away through multiple online music stores when the individual purchased a pre-order of We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The promo features the track "King Rat", later included on the "Dashboard" single, on the A-side, and "Fire It Up" on the B-side, although some discs are mislabeled, with Side A having "Fire It Up" and Side B having "King Rat" instead.
Isaac Brock
had stated in an interview published on 10 April 2007 that the band intended to release the song on an EP
at a later date, along with other tracks that did not make the album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.
in January 2007, actor Heath Ledger
outlined a music video idea for the then unreleased song to frontman Isaac Brock and other band members. Modest Mouse who had befriended Ledger through their tour manager were touring Australia at the time.
The animated video which was "fully conceived down to the last detail but unfinished" when Ledger died in January 2008, it was completed by members of Los Angeles
art collective
/production company
The Masses, namely Daniel Auber (co-director and illustrator), Norris Houk (lead animator), Jade Taglioli (animator) and Sara Cline (producer). Ledger who had also been part of The Masses, received a director's credit. Earlier media reports claiming that Terry Gilliam
would handle the animation work did not prove to be true.
The video debuted on 4 August 2009—the same day the EP No One's First and You're Next was released—on MySpace
and The Masses' website.
Ledger, who was opposing "the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place off [sic] the coast of Australia each year," intended the video—which depicts whales poaching humans to make pet food-- "to raise awareness on modern whaling practices." Furthermore, proceeds from iTunes purchases of the song, in its first month on iTunes, were donated to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whom actively intervene with whale fishing.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
and appears as the title track to their fifth promotional single, following "The World At Large
The World at Large
"The World at Large" is the third promo release by indie rock band Modest Mouse. It was recorded in 2003 and was featured on their album Good News for People Who Love Bad News. It was not until after the album's release that Isaac Brock and the band decided to release it as a promo...
". The single was later released on the band's 2009 EP No One's First and You're Next. The promo also features the song "Fire It Up" from their 2007 album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band Modest Mouse, released in 2007. The album is the first studio album by the band since their 2004 album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News and is also the first album with former Smiths guitarist Johnny...
.
The promo was given away through multiple online music stores when the individual purchased a pre-order of We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The promo features the track "King Rat", later included on the "Dashboard" single, on the A-side, and "Fire It Up" on the B-side, although some discs are mislabeled, with Side A having "Fire It Up" and Side B having "King Rat" instead.
Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock (musician)
Isaac Brock is the lead singer, guitarist, banjoist, and songwriter for the American indie rock band Modest Mouse, as well as his side project band, Ugly Casanova...
had stated in an interview published on 10 April 2007 that the band intended to release the song on an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
at a later date, along with other tracks that did not make the album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank.
Music video
During a boat trip with family and friends while on a visit to his native AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in January 2007, actor Heath Ledger
Heath Ledger
Heath Andrew Ledger was an Australian television and film actor. After performing roles in Australian television and film during the 1990s, Ledger moved to the United States in 1998 to develop his film career...
outlined a music video idea for the then unreleased song to frontman Isaac Brock and other band members. Modest Mouse who had befriended Ledger through their tour manager were touring Australia at the time.
The animated video which was "fully conceived down to the last detail but unfinished" when Ledger died in January 2008, it was completed by members of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
art collective
Artist collective
An artist collective is an initiative that is the result of a group of artists working together, usually under their own management, towards shared aims...
/production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
The Masses, namely Daniel Auber (co-director and illustrator), Norris Houk (lead animator), Jade Taglioli (animator) and Sara Cline (producer). Ledger who had also been part of The Masses, received a director's credit. Earlier media reports claiming that Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
would handle the animation work did not prove to be true.
The video debuted on 4 August 2009—the same day the EP No One's First and You're Next was released—on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
and The Masses' website.
Ledger, who was opposing "the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place off [sic] the coast of Australia each year," intended the video—which depicts whales poaching humans to make pet food-- "to raise awareness on modern whaling practices." Furthermore, proceeds from iTunes purchases of the song, in its first month on iTunes, were donated to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whom actively intervene with whale fishing.