Fall Break proved relaxing and uneventful for many students who stayed in South Bend for the week. For others, the vacation was not exactly boring.
Approximately 115 members of The Band of the Fighting Irish were featured in the filming of OK Go's video for their single "This Too Shall Pass" over fall break.
The band, which is best recognized for its song "Here it Goes Again," also known as "the treadmill song," selected the University and for their video after members of OK Go saw their half time performance of their song at last year's football game against Southern California in Los Angeles.
Assistant Band Director Emmett O'Leary said the band contacted him six or seven months ago and approached him with the idea.
"The idea of the video was to take place in a Midwestern, bucolic setting," he said. "The band also wanted to add a theme of college marching bands."
OK Go's new album is slated to be released in mid-January and will feature the track recorded with the Notre Dame Marching Band.
O'Leary said OK Go was on campus for the week working out the technicalities of the video, then finally shooting it.
"Sunday night was working out some of the logistics, Monday was the recording, Tuesday was the rehearsal and Wednesday we shot the video," he said.
Drum Major Aaron Hernandez, one of the Band members who participated in the video, said it was a long process.
"[We did] a lot of recording and rehearsal," he said. "Since all their videos are also only done in one take, we did a lot of takes."
Hernandez said OK Go was enthusiastic about the inclusion of the Marching Band in the video.
"You could tell that they really enjoyed our company and that they were very appreciative of our efforts in their video," he said.
In the video, which was shot at the lot next to the Fatima Retreat Center, across from the Holy Cross Village, members of the Notre Dame Band played their instruments along with members of OK Go.
"The video gradually adds more and more Band members," O'Leary said. "The Band actually played on it."
O'Leary also said members of OK Go played different instruments in the video as well.
"One guy had a bass drum, on had a snare drum, one played an accordion and one played a glockenspiel," he said.
"This Too Shall Pass" is expected to be one of the first singles released off of OK Go's new album and O'Leary said the video would be released to all the major music media stations like MTV and VH1.
"[OK Go] is on Capital Record's label, so they will release the track and publicize it as much as possible," he said.
Members of OK Go attended the Boston College game last weekend and were recognized as honorary members of the Band.
Hernandez said OK Go's manager told him it was the "most fun he has ever had at a sporting event."
O'Leary said OK Go bass player Tim Nordwind's brother is a Notre Dame alum and he enjoyed being a part of his alma mater.
Both Hernandez and O'Leary said working with the Band was a great experience, and highly complemented the members of OK Go.
"They are the nicest people you could imagine," O'Leary said. "They were great to the students and we had a blast."
Hernandez also said participating in the video was a personally rewarding experience.
"This was one of the most creative projects I have ever been a part of," he said. I think people will really enjoy the video when it comes out in January."
