Iconic musician Marianne Faithfull has revealed the John Maybury directed music video for ‘The Gypsy Faerie Queen’, the first single from her forthcoming album ‘Negative Capability’ (out November 2nd 2018 on BMG). The new album has been described by the Financial Times as “a raw and mesmerising new album” and by Q Mag as “Rock’n’roll’s elder stateswoman on magnificent form”.
The video is produced by Prettybird (Bjork, Beyonce, Rihanna) and directed by John Maybury, who is signed to Prettybird. Maybury is a Grammy nominated English filmmaker who has had an illustrious career working with luminaries of music and art including the late Francis Bacon (‘Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon’) and Sinead O’Connor (‘Nothing Compares 2 U’).
Featuring Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, Ed Harcourt & Rob Ellis, with additional vocals by Nick Cave, ‘The Gypsy Faerie Queen’ was inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Nick Cave co-wrote ‘The Gypsy Faerie Queen’ with Marianne Faithfull, who describes the song as: “It’s a little miracle,” says Marianne. “It’s just gorgeous….I think it’s one of the loveliest songs we’ve ever written together. It was so great working with Nick again.”
John Maybury commented: "I’m so proud to have been able to collaborate with the phenomenal Marianne. This beautiful song is yet another classic to add to her amazing catalogue. It’s been a privilege and an honour to be a small part of her incredible story.”
Speaking about the video and working with John Maybury, Marianne Faithfull said, “What fascinates me is that John Maybury told me that the person who really got him into movies was Derek Jarman. Derek even bought him his first camera. Derek Jarman was the person who made the music video for ‘Broken English’, which I absolutely love.
It was the beginning of MTV, the time when it was all chicks with big tits and long legs and sexy clothes, that’s all that people were interested in. And at the time, nobody really liked our film. It took a long time for people to get it, and it has become sort of a cult artwork now. It’s incredible the way things go in circles. I love that.”
Prettybird UK Co-Founder and Executive Producer Juliette Larthe added, “Marianne Faithfull is a true icon of British culture and music, and John Maybury is a legend in film who has worked with some of the most iconic actors, artists and musicians of our time. So for us, Ted Thornton and I, to collaborate with John Maybury, Jerry Stafford, John “Matty” Mathieson, Josephine Jones, Eamonn Hughes, Sarah Reygate, Michael Clarke, Flora Starkey & Francois Ravard and all the rest of the team, such a dream team to create the music video for Marianne’s new song, The Gypsy Faerie Queen’, was an absolute honour for me and for Prettybird.
Early reviews of ‘Negative Capability’, Marianne’s 21st album, are declaring it a raw ad mesmerizing masterpiece. Released on November 2nd it is her “most honest album” and arguably the most emotionally powerful of her 54-year recording career. The album is charged with brutal honesty and autobiographical reflection as she addresses losing old friends, her loneliness living in her adopted city of Paris, and love.
Watch the film here: https://youtu.be/ndseNmYb4s0
Screenwork Credits
Artist: Marianne Faithfull
The Gypsy Faerie Queen
Production No: 9289
Dates: 4th of October 2018
Label: BMG
Commissioner: Jerry Stafford, Manager: Francois Ravard, Management: Soukaïna Qabbal, Artistic Director: Jerry Stafford, Marianne Faithfull, PA: Myriam Doumenq
Production Company Prettybird Co-Founder UK/ Exec Producer: Juliette Larthe, Head of Production: Hannah May, Executive Producer: Ted Thornton, Executive Producer: Juliette Larthe, Producer: Ted Thornton
PM: Gemma Scarascia UNIT | Director: John Maybury, c/o PRETTYBIRD Co-Founder UK/ Exec Producer: Juliette Larthe, Head of Production: Hannah May, Producer: Ted Thornton, PM: Gemma Scarascia, PA: Claire Porterfield, Runner: Isla Mathieson, Runner: Sarah Awe, Director of Photography: John Mathieson, Focus Puller: Keith McNamara, Camera Assistant: Jack Sands, DIT: Ben Appleton, Grip: Dave Bradshaw, S8 Operator: Max Robson, Smoke Machine Operator: Carl Ryan, Sound Recordist: Roger Cutting, Gaffer: Peter Gregory, Electrician: Max Gregory, Make-up Artist: Sarah Reygate, Hairstylist Eamonn Hughes, Hairstylist: Assistant: Valerie Benavides, Minibus Driver: Ezel Rifat
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