Interview & photojournalist: Siddharth Gandhi
From my limited experience, there are very few places where you can see moshing, snakes, and salsa all together. The set for progressive metal band The Number 12 Looks Like You’s new music video was one of those places. On August 8, the band invited a group of core fans down to Lyndhurst, New Jersey, to be a part of a music video shoot for “Joy Is A Weapon.” The video would pay homage to their roots and the places they would perform at in their early days while kicking off their 20th anniversary tour. I was also lucky enough to be invited by lead singer Jesse Korman, with limited knowledge of what the video was going to be other than being promised an insane time and an appearance from Foxy Shazam’s own Eric Nally, who was featuring on the track. Needless to say, they absolutely delivered.
On the day of the shoot, I got to meet the band, consisting of Jesse Korman, Alexis Pareja (guitar), Cody McCorry (bass), and Michael DeMarco (drums), the co-director Tom Haas, the production crew, and an incredibly age-diverse and enthusiastic group of fans, all of whom were focused on making the project the best it could be. The fans spent the first portion of the shoot being egged on to mosh around the band after hearing the song for the first time. People were dancing and bumping into each other, headbanging, and more, giving it their all to the point that even Jesse had to catch his breath between takes.
Luckily for all of my knees, a lunch break shortly followed as they set up for the portion of the shoot where Eric Nally would crowd surf and sing his portion of the song. The lighting had now changed to a far more colorful array, with a spotlight on Nally as he was held up by a crowd. Tom and Jesse were on a ladder shooting down over everyone as Eric put his signature flair and character into his performance, writhing and swinging his hands around for the camera. The camera then moved to a low-angle shot as everyone circled around it, chanting two of the repeated lines of the song, “We sing inside you till you split. You leave yourself and stay quiet.”
The last big section was probably the most ambitious portion of the shoot. They brought in salsa dancers, as well as Obsidian of the Hotfix Sideshow along with her snake, Luna, to fill out the room. The band played in new outfits behind the dancers, who were directed as they moved around the room. Jesse weaved in and out of the dancers as both Eric and Obsidian got individual solo shots in the middle of it all, with a striking shaped spotlight on them. It was incredibly impressive choreography and management that kept it all cohesive and fun to watch.
This all culminated in the fans getting their own chances to have solo shots with a spotlight on them. Various people got up there and danced in different ways, just having fun both on their own or with their friends. Even the more hesitant people were encouraged and supported to find their way into the spotlight, which was so great to see. By the time the shoot finally wrapped, it had been a long day but one filled with smiles, passion, and just the right amount of chaos. Thank you again to the band and production crew for having me along for such a cool moment in their history. If this song and video were any indication, their new album, releasing October 16, is going to be a labor of love and an absolute banger. I can’t wait!
I was also given the chance to ask lead singer and co-director Jesse Korman a few questions about his experience with making the song and video below:
What inspired the song, and what did you want to capture when you first wrote it?
Joy Is A Weapon is about refusing to let anger, bitterness, or the people who hurt you define who you become. Sometimes the most powerful act of rebellion isn't fighting back, it's finding joy any way possible and refusing to be broken. What we wanted to capture is something that felt primal.
How did the concept for the music video come together, and what did you want the visual to add to the song?
I wanted to make a video that felt authentic to our scene. Something familiar. A little nostalgic, but mixed with this strange fever-dream energy. Like the salsa. I wanted it to feel unpredictable, pulling people into different corners of the world as they watched, never quite knowing where they’d end up next.
Were there any moments or details from filming that were particularly meaningful or memorable for you?
I would say seeing everyone’s first reactions to the song. Watching one of my best friend’s sons dance to it. Having so many people I knew and loved all in one place. And then, at the end of the song, singing “JOY IS A WEAPON” with everyone, that was amazing.
With the band’s anniversary coming up, what does reaching this milestone mean to you personally?
It’s been 20 years since Mongrel and 25 years of being in #12. I’ve watched so many bands come and go over all those years, and it makes me incredibly proud of how far we’ve been able to take this band. The fact that we’re still here, still doing it, and somehow still having this much fun together after all this time, that’s really special to me.
How has your perspective on music and being an artist changed over the years?
I think I’ve just grown up and realized how much more is out there beyond the world I grew up in. For a long time, I thought that was all there was. But over the years, I’ve discovered so much more, different music, different people, different cultures, different ways of seeing things, and I’ve grown a lot because of it.
Where do you feel you are creatively right now, and what are you most excited to explore next?
Right now, I feel like I’ve gotten to do a little bit of everything, from music to movies and everything in between. I’ve been able to tell stories in so many different ways, and I think that’s what keeps me excited. I just want to keep exploring, keep creating, and see where it all takes me next.
After everything you’ve experienced with the band, what still makes you excited to create and perform music?
I just get to have an outlet of creativity with nothing to hold me back from what I want to say.
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photos by Siddharth Gandhi
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