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Feb 04, 2016 By Christopher Roberts Baio

Vampire Weekend’s Chris Baio released his debut solo album last September via Glassnote. He’s going simply under his last name and the album is titled The Names after a Don DeLillo novel from 1982 of the same name. Now he’s shared a video for the album’s title track, “The Names.” Baio self-directed the clip, which features him in various locations around London (where he lives these days) and hanging out with a human skull. Check it out below, followed by his upcoming tour dates.

Baio explained the inspiration behind the video in a press release, and how the video is related to a legendary music icon who recently passed away:

“Last fall the image of a man walking around in a dinner jacket while holding a medical skull popped into my head. Why? Beats me! Your mind can take you to weird places. I’d wanted to take a stab at directing a music video for a while and thought ‘The Names’ would be my chance.

“I’ve lived in London for the past two and a half years and one thing I love about it is the green space. There’s so much of it. Crystal Palace Park in south London is the weirdest park I’ve ever been to with its huge dinosaur and gorilla statues. I thought it’d be the sort of place a man in a dinner jacket with a medical skull would hang out.

“We also filmed in The George Tavern, a great pub in Shadwell. They told me Nick Cave’s performed there. I think that’s pretty cool!

“On New Years Day, while I was nursing my hangover, I watched David Bowie’s Serious Moonlight tour film. In the performance of ‘Cracked Actor’ he holds a skull that starts singing along. I had already finished editing this video but was really thrilled by the coincidence. In a roundabout way ‘The Names’ is my tribute to David Bowie, my favorite artist of all time.”

Also, read our recent interview with Baio about The Names. Finally, if you haven’t seen it yet, watch last year’s fun video for album highlight “Sister of Pearl,” which was also shot in London and shows off some of Baio’s dance moves.

Baio Tour Dates:

Feb 4: Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
Feb 5: Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
Feb 6: Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
Feb 8: Chicago, IL - Schubas
Feb 9: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
Feb 10: Philadelphia, PA - Coda
Feb 11: Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall
Feb 12: Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall
Feb 13: Montreal, QC - Ritz
Feb 18: Brussels, Belgium - Beursschouwburg
Feb 19: Cologne, Germany - King Georg
Feb 20: Berlin, Germany - Badehaus Szimpla
Feb 22: Dublin, Ireland - Workmans Club
Feb 23: Glasgow, UK - King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
Feb 24: Manchester, UK - Soup Kitchen
Feb 25: London, UK - Pickle Factory
Feb 26: Paris, France - Badaboum
Mar 1: Zurich, Switzerland - Papiersaal
Mar 2: Milan, Italy - Biko
Mar 5: Oslo, Norway
Mar 6: Zeewolde, Netherlands - Where The Wild Things Are Festival
Mar 7: Rotterdam, Netherlands - Rotown