1000
“And “Best Music Video” was awarded to the moving ballad and equally sweet visuals of 1000 from singer /songwriter /director Lucas Alexander Kurmis.”
-Dean Bertram, MidWest Weirdfest
I started this project with the last song on the album, That Feeling you Get in Public Spaces. I haven’t yet made a full album. I thought I’d start big with a visual album.
I thought I died
“I Thought I Died is confrontational, abrasive, and utterly transfixing.”
-Amelia Vandergast, ANR Music Factory
This all started out of necessity, or it felt that way. Recording was taking up time and money, which I didn’t have much when I started. I thought I’d make a music video while I’m still working on the recordings. I made the music video for That Feeling you Get in Public Spaces with videos I posted on Instagram, which inspired the whole format
Back in 420BC
“Despite the fact that they used BC instead of BCE for us non-Christians (sorry I’m a history teacher), he does a fucking great job of putting his own dope ass spin on the song.”
-Scott (Mr. P.) Pasch, DCxPC
From there, the ideas just kept coming for each video.
Some videos were simplistic, others were complex.
Escape in Someone Else
“At times animated through stop motion, and at times live-action, the fragments presented in the video form an unsettling and effective whole, discarding traditional structure and substituting its own logic for the viewer to follow.”
-Dan DeMarco, Melodic Noise Magazine
I always have a visual element in mind when making music. To me, a visual album felt only natural.
Send me a Line
I was involved in every song, but some songs I let others step in or take over.
I wanted each song to have its time, its light.
Guitarionette
But it is taking way longer than I thought it would.
Why?
“There’s something very modern about the sound of Lucas’ work and something timeless about the themes and something retro about the video rock opera approach. It’s an immersive experience to listen and watch the music, especially since it often leans more experimental.”
I don’t regret it. I’ve had a blast making this. I’ve worked with so many people and made so many cool things.
I had a couple runs with the Devil
This video was featured in a block of “Strange Snippets” at Midwest Weirdfest 2023 along with “Why” and “One Soul”
I probably won’t do anything like this again though.
One Soul
“The effect of that is the devil and the silhouette playing is very striking and then that line that’s, that’s even creepier than the boat ride [from Willy Wonka].”
-Ann Treacy, Mostly MN Music
This is still a work in progress. There are still a few more videos yet to release. But don’t count it out. Lots of good stuff to come.
That Feeling you Get in Public Spaces
“It’s one of those songs you really really wanna lock eyes with someone to – like lock eyes with them at a concert and then walk for hours and then fall in love to.”
– Walt Smits, Backyard 2