More about: Bear's Den

Bear’s Den have unveiled a powerful video for latest track ‘Hiding Bottles’, inspired by a family’s member’s battle against alcohol addiction.

The song is taken from the band’s third and latest album So That You Might Hear Me, and the video uses split narrative to depict how addiction can take a stranglehold on every aspect of family life.

The band, who shot the video with director Rollo Jackson, also used the opportunity to promote the charity Al Anon, which provided support to lead singer and songwriter Andrew Davie when a close relative was struggling. 

Davie explained: “For us as a band to work with Rollo and be able to make a video that might ring true for other people who could be looking for help or support was something we really wanted to do.

“The idea that the video could potentially help lead someone to an organisation that has helped me and so many others and could help them just feels really right to us and important.”

The video uses quotes from people who have experienced alcoholism within their family, the real words, experiences, and situations taken with permission from Al Anon counselling sessions and used to build a powerful narrative. 

Taking the perspective of a teenage girl living through her father’s alcohol addiction and the pressure it puts upon herself and her loved ones, the video underscores the raw emotion contained within the song, Davie opining, “I'm keeping it together but you don't know the half of it, it’s starting to show”.

The ‘sliding doors’ style narrative allows the audience to view two parallel worlds, using a cast of identical twins to emphasise how different life can be.

Director Rollo Jackson says of the video, “The band and I wanted to highlight the often overlooked issues faced by the victims of alcohol abuse by basing the film on genuine case studies supplied by the charity Al-Anon.

“Using a full cast of identical twins and in-camera effects I wanted to explore that idea and highlight the issues, whilst keeping every the story point and line of dialogue based on real case studies.”  

Following the release of So That You Might Hear Me’ in April, Bear’s Den will now follow their roots through the rural countryside of Scotland in their Highlands and Islands tour next week.

AUGUST
11 - Kirkwall, Orkney, Sound Archive
12 - Inverness, Bogbain
13 - Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, An Lanntair
14 - Aviemore, OBI
15 - Banchory, The Barn
16 - Dunkeld, Birnam Arts

For every problem drinker in the UK, 5 further people are affected. Al-Anon Family Groups provide support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else’s drinking, regardless of whether that person is still drinking or not. For more information, visit head to the official Al Anon website.

More about: Bear's Den