Few bands can apply a Marshall McLuhan theory to their explosion of hype, but in the case of Hollerado and their groundbreaking video for “Americanarama,” the medium is the message.

“People like music like they use to, but it doesn’t get that ‘oh my God – you’ve got to see this’ effect that ,” singer and guitarist Menno Versteeg begins.  “People always show their friends new bands, but it’s much slower than something like a video that people have never seen before.”

Since the October 3 release of their one-take video phenomenon, the Manotick natives have found themselves in the midst of a publicity free-for-all, with “Americanarama” nearing 600 000 views as the band embarks on a North American tour.  And with the video earning attention for both its premise and interpretation, it’s become not only a testimony to the group’s creativity, but to the place of music videos entirely.

“I think they were [becoming] passé because the medium was getting exhausted a bit,” Versteeg explains.  “People were just making the same old ‘band in a house playing at a party’ videos.  And once in a while a cool video would come along and it was something interesting, but people are realizing more what can happen to a video on the internet if there’s something different about it.”

“You can do whatever you want on the internet and call it art,” he continues.  “It’s diluting it, but it’s also making it way more wide open for anyone to throw their hats in the ring.  And I think that’s great.  It’s really empowering.”

A band that prides themselves on creative integrity and the desire to add to Canada’s artistic landscape, Hollerado has welcomed the “Americanarama” attention, but have no plans to change their approach to music or to fall victim to the media machine.

“I’ve been playing music for 15 years, and this past week has been the most [press],” Versteeg reveals.  “I’ve been doing six interviews a day for the last week, and that’s fine . . . but I don’t want to be a one trick pony.  I’d love to be known for making interesting videos, but I don’t think we’re necessarily going to do the same type of thing again.”

“We want to make something else,” he adds.  “My goal is to have a career making art.  And that could be music, drawing, our website, t-shirts – it’s all art to me.  It’s all part of it.  The way we conduct business is part of our art, I think.  And this video is just one aspect of that.  But this video’s gotten the most attention of any of that by far – and that’s okay, but I just hope people look at the other things.”

With dates scheduled throughout Canada and the US from now until December – as well as a recent CASBY win under their belt – Hollerado’s star seems only destined to rise.  And true to the DIY attitude that’s defined them from the onset, the group’s need to approach art and music organically re-enforces their image as a band that’s sincere; one not tempted to take the easy way out.

“The great thing about this day and age is that you don’t have to compromise – unless you want to,” Versteeg shares.  “Not to say that I think that we’re compromising – this is what I want to do.  [But] I want to try and make the radio better.”