BOTHELL — When Steven Antonsen, lead singer of the band Colossal Boss, held his newborn daughter in his arms for the first time, he thought she looked like a jellybean. So that’s exactly what he calls her.
His daughter’s nickname was the inspiration for the Bothell band’s latest single. The music video for “Jellybean” was released Dec. 14.
Colossal Boss is made up of frontman Antonsen, guitarist Ted Norris, bassist Fraser Midstokke and drummer Corey Olsen.
The hard rock band formed in 2004, then called Midstokke (pronounced “mid-stock”), and released three albums. Now known as Colossal Boss, the band recorded a self-titled EP in 2015, followed by a number of singles.
“Jellybean,” a lullaby Antonsen wrote for his older daughter, is the band’s third video directed by Marysville native A.K. Romero.
“At the surface, it’s for my first daughter, Adeline,” said Antonsen, who also plays harmonica. “The day she was born and swaddled up in the hospital, she resembled a jellybean, and so that’s what I’ve been calling her for near five years now.”
With its release, “Jellybean” is dedicated to all of the Colossal Boss kids — not only theirs but their fans’.
“As we’ve grown as artists and now parents, we know how difficult it can be to be to raise children,” he said. “This song is for those during this tough time who love their kiddos so much and even though things are difficult, at the end of the day they always seem to put a smile on our faces.”
A.K. Romero is the film name of Ben Shumski, a Marysville Pilchuck High School alum. Romero also worked on the videos for Colossal Boss’ singles “Thinkin’ and Drinkin’” and “Fool.”
The video for “Thinkin’ and Drinkin’” was released in 2018. It was filmed at Bothell’s Bert’s Tavern, which has been the band’s watering hole for years.
“Thinkin’ and Drinkin’” tells the story of how one shy guy tries to muster up the courage to talk to the prettiest girl at the bar, and keeps “thinkin’ and drinkin’” about her. All four band members play the shy guy at one point in the video.
Six months ago, the band released the video for “Fool.” The song is about bad breakups — the kind where you blame them for the failed relationship, but then slowly realize just how much of it was actually your fault.
“Fool” was filmed in black and white, in the vacant Jeld-Wen warehouse on the Everett waterfront. Along with no color, there’s no story to go with the video. That’s because Romero wanted the band’s talent to be the No. 1 focus.
Colossal Boss recorded “Jellybean” in 2018 with Brandon Goehner at Dreamon Studios in Stanwood. Lyle Ronglien of the band Highway 9 added banjo to the track.
“Jellybean” is a COVID-era music video. All four band members — plus Ronglien on bango — recorded themselves playing the song quarantine-style. They then emailed Romero home videos of their children so he could mix in family clips with their performance shots.
“It’s totally relatable because we’re all stuck at home, and most of us are stuck at home with kids,” Antonsen said.
“It’s all about family, right?” Norris said. “Close or extended, trying to stay in contact.”
Lead singer Antonsen has two daughters, Adeline, 4, and Ruby, 1; guitarist Norris has a son named Declan, 4; and bassist Midstokke’s son is Emmett, 1. All four children make cameos in “Jellybean.”
Corey Olsen, who plays drums, is the newest father in the band. His daughter, Mabel, was born Nov. 21. She was in the hospital when the band shot the video.
“The struggle is worth it,” Antonsen said of raising their children — especially during a pandemic. “We know they’re safe, healthy and happy. It’s been hard, but fun and very rewarding bringing our own children into this crazy world.”
Norris and Anderson write the band’s songs together, including “Jellybean.” They had just started writing again when Gov. Jay Inslee rolled back COVID-19 restrictions.
You can watch the music video for Colossal Boss’ “Jellybean” on YouTube.
Sara Bruestle: 425-339-3046; sbruestle@heraldnet.com; @sarabruestle.
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