Fake Fruit turned heads back in April with the unveiling of their debut collection of intensely indifferent post-punk via the more traditionally garage-rock-centric label Rocks in Your Head Records operating out of the Bay Area. The collection of “little slaps in the face,” as vocalist Hannah D’Amato lovingly refers to the songs on her band’s self-titled record, conclude with the monotone “Milkman,” where D’Amato’s vocals continue to be weighed down by triple-digits-temperature lethargy as her bandmates chant the fairly disgusting lyrics “Hot sidewalk / No shade / Milk curdles / With age.”
Today the group is unveiling a visual for the track, which sees D’Amato play the role of the anachronistic and fairly hated milk delivery person, receiving some pretty disgusted looks from folks having milk peddled to them on a sunny day (not to mention enraged looks from her bandmates, who seem to be playing the even more deplorable role of “guys who yell at bikers from their car”). Watch the action unfold in the video below, and read on for a brief Q&A with D’Amato about the clip.
The sense of conflict in the video seems to contrast with the song’s laidback sound—what was your concept for the video?
This video was a sister collaboration! Couldn’t have done it without Spooky Orbison. We tried to make another campy video to pair with our other videos for “No Mutuals” and “Old Skin”! We wanted it to be fun, but also subtly take a dig at gender roles and create comically melodramatic conflict between the characters. You can think of Alex and Miles in the milk like personal demons you have to tune out on a daily basis to get by!
Did anyone in the neighborhood get upset with you splashing milk on the hot sidewalk/other surfaces?
Not at all, I think people were just puzzled by what the heck was going on! We filmed it in my sister’s neighborhood and we were able to enlist the help of some neighbors to slam the door in my face, etc. We had way too much fun making this. I’m giggling thinking about pretending to drink milk and being in our friend’s really nice Monte Carlo named “La Betty” and just trying with all my might not to laugh and splash milk all over his interior.
What about the track made it appealing to you as an album closer?
So many of the songs on the record are just little slaps in the face—very fast, very short, very abrupt endings. I liked that “Milkman” takes its time, and really opens up in the middle and tapers off. Felt like the perfect way to naturally fade the listener off of the record.
How’d you get set up with Rocks in Your Head, and how have you seen the Bay Area garage rock scene change since you’ve been involved in it?
I haven’t been in the Bay Area all that long—I think it’s been three years now. I’m still catching up on the music scene out here, so I’m not much of an authority over it yet! I met Sonny [Smith] because I got asked to DJ a show with my buddy Cristian that he set up in San Francisco at this old movie theater called The Balboa. Sonny liked something that I was playing and asked some questions about it and we started talking from there! Sonny has been so instrumental to the success of this record, he’s been all-in since day one and it makes all the difference in the world!
This seems to be a contentious topic, but what’s your stance on drinking milk with meals?
My hot take is that I think milk is gross. I’ve never enjoyed it, even as a kid. My sister always liked it and can still get down for it. She’s not gonna order a milk at the bar, but she’ll have it with cookies, or in coffee, but I can’t even do that. I don’t want to milk-shame anyone, but I’m not a fan.
