Up-and-coming rock outfit Say Anything has channeled teen angst into a clever video for its new single, “Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too,” which premieres Monday (March 12) on MTV’s “TRL.”
The song’s key lyric is “I called her on the phone and she touched herself,” and in the clip, frontman Max Bemis places said calls to various females from a mansion, as his butler wheels by a gourmet meal. Later, the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler, makes a cameo.
“He’s a very good family friend,” Bemis told Billboard.com of Winkler during a break from recording Say Anything’s next album at Electric Lady Studios in New York. “We were going to have a hip-hop-style cameo, so we thought maybe Clive Davis to represent. But then we decided to make it more random, and Henry was the first person to come to mind. He’s always been really supportive of my career.”
In a first, fans who view the video on Yahoo Music can interact with Bemis by texting “WOW” to 71717, which is displayed on Bemis’ phone in the clip. “Sexual” is the second single from Say Anything’s J/Doghouse debut, “…Is a Real Boy,” which the group will continue to plug on a tour with Saves The Day that begins April 10 in San Diego.
In the short term, the group is working its way through the two-dozen songs intended for the new effort, “In Defense of the Genre,” with producer Brad Wood (Smashing Pumpkins, Sunny Day Real Estate). Among the cuts previewed by Billboard.com are “This Is F*cking Ecstasy” and “Shiksa,” which boast complex transitions and more of a rock edge than on the debut. “No Soul” has a surprising breakdown with synths and drum machine beats, while “He’s a Skinny, Repulsive Man” begins with thudding, midtempo rock and layers of guitar effects. “The last one was total fantasy,” Bemis said. “The songs were based on fantasy and role-playing and weird situations. This one is totally based on my life. Every song is ultra-personal. There are a lot of metaphors and intense imagery, but it’s definitely about my first relationship, more than anything, and the mental health struggles I’ve had over the past year.”
