Walkie Talkie Man

"Walkie Talkie Man" is a song by the New Zealand band Steriogram, released in 2004 on the album Schmack! and as a single.

The song is widely recognized as bringing Steriogram the majority of their popularity. Its simple, catchy riff and fast-talking verses contribute to the song's popularity, and it attracted even more attention when it was used as the background music to an advert by Apple for the iPod.

The song debuted at #19 on the UK Singles Chart and reached #14 on the New Zealand chart.

The riff is almost an exact replica of the one used in "Picture Book" by The Kinks, and some of the riffs are similar to those of "Pretend Best Friend" by Terrorvision. "Warning" by Green Day also has a similar riff.

Exactly 1:59 into the song, lead guitarist Brad Carter sneezes.

Video

The video for "Walkie Talkie Man" was directed by Michel Gondry, and features scenes of children working as studio staff and knitting instruments and equipment, and the band is terrorized by an giant hand made of wool which grabs singer Tyson Kennedy and tears him in half, showing that his insides are also made of wool. The children save him by unraveling the threads that compose the giant and sewing his lower body back in place – but it is sewn backwards and Kennedy ends the video with his legs turned back to the camera, unlike his upper body. Brad Carter's woollen guitar bears the words "New Zealand". The video is available on the DVD...
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