Watch Brit Boy Band Busted’s Hilarious Throwback in ‘Nineties’ Music Video

Perhaps the only thing that sells better than nostalgia, is humorous, self-deprecating nostalgia. British boy band/pop-punk group Busted know the perks of parody really well, as does veteran photographer-director Rankin, who worked together to launch their new music video “Nineties.”

Vocalist-guitarist Charlie Simpson ”“ who had begun performing and writing music with his post-hardcore/metal act Fightstar when Busted dissolved in 2005 ”“ says the intention behind “Nineties” was to tell musicians not to take themselves too seriously. Simpson says over email, “No one seems to make funny videos anymore. I remember a time when bands like Foo Fighters and Blink-182 would make really great videos that had a really lighthearted nature to them and I have always thought that it is a great juxtaposition to be able to make serious music and then be able to have a lot of fun with the music videos. It’s a chance to explore themes and have a good time whilst making them.”

Simpson, along with fellow singer, guitarist and keyboardist James Bourne and singer-bassist Matt Willis romp around with visual references to not just their own famous music videos like “What I Go To School For” (2002) but also Nirvana, Will Smith’s Fresh Prince days and mindless TV shows such as Gladiators and Date Night, among others. Rankin, who also shot the cover art for their upcoming album Half Way There, says there were still a few more references they wanted to sneak in. “The one we all really wanted to do were Oasis, as we all love Oasis, but two seminal bands in one video felt like overkill. We crammed in as much as we could,” the director says. The music video is loaded with laughs in every other frame, but Rankin says everyone remained professional throughout, even as they joked around. “The one thing you do miss is me as a middle-aged T.V. presenter, but if I’m honest that’s probably a blessing,” Rankin says with a laugh.

In 2016, Busted reunited to release a new alternative/synth pop album called Night Driver, their first in more than a decade. But if “Nineties” is anything to go by, there’s a lot more pop-punk energy and even a bit of Fightstar rage seeping into their new sound. Simpson says, “I think this album is a seminal record for Busted. If I was to show someone who had never heard of the band a record to showcase the sound, it would be this one.”

While “Nineties” was what Simpson calls the “catalyst song that shaped the direction of the record,” the singer says the upbeat album ”“ slated to release on February 8th ”“ has “a couple of big ballad anthems as well.” Simpson adds, “The songs on this record will also translate brilliantly to a live environment. We are heading out in March to play some big arena shows and we are going to put in a real spectacle. It’s an exciting chapter in the Busted story.”