Johnny Knoxville Is A Mob Boss In French Cassettes New “On/Off” Music Video

French Cassettes’ music drifts skillfully between indie pop and rock n roll with sticky, mischievous and exhilarating turns. The San Francisco quartet released a music video for their song “On/Off” today, shot on 16mm film by Jared Clark Gay and Scotty Vance. As a lead actor in the video, Johnny Knoxville brought an energized playfulness and imagination to the set. The video is nostalgic and dusty, much like the song itself, written by Scott Huerta and jolted through a tape machine by Mackenzie Bunch.

In conversation with Noisey, Huerta and Bunch reminisce on their days in cover bands, playing Weezer, Sublime, The Strokes and Foo Fighters songs. Huerta remembers learning to play guitar at age twelve, and asking permission to swear in front of his dad to play his first song. 

“I was definitely trying to be friends with Scott’s musician and skateboard crew… but they wouldn’t let me play hacky-sack with them because I didn’t take it seriously,” says Bunch. Huerta is video-chatting from Golden Gate Park, and the band’s whole story is a love letter to Northern California.

One thing about Knoxville: He is fully committed to his projects, and a music video produced by the Jackass actor’s daughter, Madison Clapp, is no exception. “He showed up on time, patient, and committed to his character,” Huerta told Noisey.

Knoxville immediately understood the assignment for the intricately chaotic “On/Off” music video, in which he plays the role of a mob boss helping the band execute a heist. He likes French Cassettes, too. He told Noisey, "They write some damn catchy tunes.”