IFC premieres the video on Tuesday night for Texas-based musician and artist Bob Schneider's "40 Dogs (Like Romeo & Juliet)," based on the novel by Nick Hornby, apparently, and the first single off Schneider's latest eleventh solo album "Lovely Creatures," directed by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, the critically acclaimed director of Sin City, Grindhouse and From Dusk Till Dawn. The song has received significant national radio play. The music promo was filmed in Austin, and is an ironic romantic encounter between two people who represent different lifestyles, described simply as digital and analog.Schneider and Rodriguez were two local legends destined to cross paths in Austin, the chilled-out city they love to call home. Naturally, when they finally did, a breezy, fast and loose music video was the result. For "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)," Rodriguez took a weekend off from his wild post-production schedules on "Predators" and "Machete," called up actress Kat Dennings (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) in the lead female role playing opposite Schneider, is an ironic romantic encounter between two people who represent different lifestyles, described simply as digital and analog. The concept seems to focus on the generation gap between both, who appear to be in a May-December romance. He's an analog man and she is a digital girl. Those familiar with Austin will surely notice landmarks.
For nearly ten years, Schneider has performed a Monday night residency at the Saxon Pub, an intimate and legendary venue on South Lamar. There are always new songs that are played for the first time or new arrangements of classics that are tested. The show often begins with acoustic, somber and introspective songs and eventually gives way to storytelling, raunchy rock and comedic breaks. But anything goes, really. And, that is exactly what the audience loves about Schneider. His repertoire covers a spectrum of musical styles: mambo, rap, blues, country, Latin, swing, soul, even bluegrass. All done with the aplomb of a virtuoso of any one of those musical genres. We've always had our suspicions about Austin's most-loved artist. It's all red balloons and cupcakes until you tell Schneider how you really feel about his music.
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