Load Me Up
Encyclopedia
"Load Me Up" is the second single by Canadian group Matthew Good Band
from their third studio album, Beautiful Midnight
. The song reached #1 on Canada's Rock/Alternative chart
. It is featured on MuchMusic
's compilation album, Big Shiny Tunes 5
. It remains to be one of the band's most popular songs.
of all four band members being chased through a building by dozens of private school
students (all wearing uniforms as typical private school students). The band runs up the stairs to the roof and jumps into a body of water, to which all the students follow. Everyone in the band is tackled into the water one by one by the students. As Good is tackled, the video then forwards to Good sliding into a soaked soccer field. As he looks up, he sees the students at the other side of the field. The students taunt him, and one student (the same one who tackled him) spits at Good from the top of the group. Good proceeds to run towards them. He jumps into the group of students, only to be quickly defeated, seen lying on the ground with his eyes closed as he suddenly wakes up.
The controversial ending of the video features Good waking up in his bedroom, with the girl who tackled and spat at him in his dream staring at him. The camera than slowly moves behind the student, showing a large knife in her hand behind her back as the video cuts to black.
and produced by Paddy Gillen. The video was filmed over a three day period in many popular locations in Vancouver
, such as the Pacific Coliseum
, the Pacific National Exhibition
and the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. The video had the highest budget of any MGB music video, costing an estimated $150,000.
Matthew Good Band
Matthew Good Band was a Canadian alternative rock band formed by Matthew Good that existed from 1993 to 2002. The band consisted of Good , Dave Genn , Ian Browne and Geoff Lloyd from 1995 to 1999...
from their third studio album, Beautiful Midnight
Beautiful Midnight
Beautiful Midnight is the third album released by the Matthew Good Band and the follow-up to the band's 1997 album, Underdogs.The album produced four successful singles and music videos, "Hello Time Bomb", "Load Me Up", "Strange Days", and "The Future is X-Rated"...
. The song reached #1 on Canada's Rock/Alternative chart
Canadian rock/alternative chart
The Canadian rock/alternative chart was first published on June 11, 1995 by RPM magazine under the name Alternative 30. The song which held the number-one spot on this first chart was "More Human than Human" by White Zombie...
. It is featured on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
's compilation album, Big Shiny Tunes 5
Big Shiny Tunes 5
"Big Shiny Tunes 5" is the fifth edition of the MuchMusic compilation series, Big Shiny Tunes. The album reached #1 on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified 6x Platinum by the CRIA...
. It remains to be one of the band's most popular songs.
Music video
The video features a dream sequenceDream sequence
A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. The interlude may consist of a flashback, a flashforward, a fantasy, a vision, a dream, or some other element. Commonly, dream sequences appear in many...
of all four band members being chased through a building by dozens of private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
students (all wearing uniforms as typical private school students). The band runs up the stairs to the roof and jumps into a body of water, to which all the students follow. Everyone in the band is tackled into the water one by one by the students. As Good is tackled, the video then forwards to Good sliding into a soaked soccer field. As he looks up, he sees the students at the other side of the field. The students taunt him, and one student (the same one who tackled him) spits at Good from the top of the group. Good proceeds to run towards them. He jumps into the group of students, only to be quickly defeated, seen lying on the ground with his eyes closed as he suddenly wakes up.
The controversial ending of the video features Good waking up in his bedroom, with the girl who tackled and spat at him in his dream staring at him. The camera than slowly moves behind the student, showing a large knife in her hand behind her back as the video cuts to black.
Filming
The music video was directed by Bill MorrisonWilliam Morrison (director)
William Morrison , is a Canadian born Juno Award-nominated music video director, documentary film director, and musician...
and produced by Paddy Gillen. The video was filmed over a three day period in many popular locations in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, such as the Pacific Coliseum
Pacific Coliseum
Pacific Coliseum is an indoor arena, at Hastings Park, in Vancouver, British Columbia.Completed in 1968, at the former site of the Pacific National Exhibition, the arena currently holds 16,281, for ice hockey, though capacity at its opening was 15,713....
, the Pacific National Exhibition
Pacific National Exhibition
The Pacific National Exhibition is a non profit organization which hosts an annual 17-day summer fair, seasonal amusement park, and arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It usually begins in mid-to-late August, and ends in early September, usually Labour Day.-History:The exhibition has been...
and the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. The video had the highest budget of any MGB music video, costing an estimated $150,000.
Awards and nominations
- The music video was nominated for five awards at the 2000 Much Music Video AwardsMuchMusic Video AwardsThe MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
, winning for Best VideoBest Video (MMVA Award)The following is a list of the MuchMusic Video Awards winners for Best Video....
and MuchLoud Best Rock VideoMuchLoud Best Rock Video (MMVA Award)The following is a list of the MuchMusic Video Awards winners for MuchLOUD Best Rock Video from 2002 to present. Best Rock Video is from 1999 to 2001....
. The video was also nominated at the 2001 Juno Awards in the "Best Video" category.
- The video reached #1 on MuchMusic Countdown for two consecutive weeks between March 10 and 17.