WATCH: New local music video features cameo from Trent Reznor

The unlikely match-up came in the latest installment of the popular YouTube series "Mikey and His Uke."

The Sault's Mikey Hawdon released his first music video with Tony Hawk back in September 2021. This week, he released his fourth collaboration with the legendary skateboarder — a video that also features a short cameo by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, a rarity for the Grammy-award winning industrial music icon.

“He’s never really sung in bands before, but it turns out he’s quite good,” Hawdon laughs, referring to Hawk. “Don’t ya’ just hate those people who are good at everything? I think he’s really been enjoying trying something new.”

Although they have never met in person, Hawdon has been able to connect with the pro skater through the creation of these videos. “We get to chat quite a bit before and after each song is released,” he says. 

In the most recent video, Hawk sings a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Wish, taken from their debut album Broken in 1992, while skateboarding through his neighbourhood in San Diego. The cameo from Reznor is an unexpected treat.

Hawk once again does a great job as the lead, supported by an all-star cast assembled by Hawdon that includes:

• Ben Weinman (Dillinger Escape Plan/Suicidal Tendencies/ Giraffe Tongue Orchestra) on guitar;
• Brad Magers (The Bronx/Mariachi El Bronx/Pounded By The Surf) on bass;
• Ryan 'Legs' Leger (Ex-Every Time I Die/Ex-Norma Jean/Ex-The Salads) on drums;
• Mikey Hawdon (Fairmounts) himself on guitar, back-up vocals and percussion; and
• Kat Lucas (stormylovechild/Toy Daggers/Ex-Keys/ on keyboards. Lucas also play in guitar and sings back-up in Pink’s band). =

Hawdon’s father Ken, who is a local steelworker, also makes a cameo in the footage with Hawdon performing.

“Well, because we were doing a song by Nine Inch Nails, I wanted my footage of myself and my father to be something that fit with their genre of music,” says the junior Hawdon.

“My fiancé suggested having sparks flying in the dark somehow. That made me think of asking my dad to do some welding in his garage with the lights turned down. It turned out really well. It took a couple of takes to get it right after blowing a fuse, but I’m really happy with the final product.”

Hawdon noted that his father’s co-workers at the Algoma Steel got a “kick out of it.”

“Apparently he’s the new ‘Soolebrity’ in town,” laughs Hawdon, self-referencing his own record label.

“I’ve had a lot of my family make small cameos in these vids. It was great having my dad in this one with me.”

If that weren’t enough, Hawdon also had his newborn daughter in the video as well.

“My fiancé and I were just talking about how cool that was,” he says.

“My dad, my daughter, Tony Hawk, and Trent Reznor all in the same video. That’s a pretty great first appearance for my little girl. Starting her off big.”

The video has been highlighted and shared by a variety of mainstream music publications including Exclaim!, New Music Express, Consequence, Revolver (who called it “crushing”), Lambgoat, Louder Sound (who refers to them as a “supergroup”), Metal Injection, and others.

“It’s been really cool having some of the big media outlets sharing it on their platforms,” says Hawdon.

“I remember as a teen, buying SPIN magazine every month, so having them acknowledge the video, and then share it on their site is really great. Some of the Nine Inch Nails platforms have shared it as well. Nice to get the stamp of approval from them.”

Watch other Mikey and His Uke covers here.