New York Artist Accuses Black Keys of Stealing Video Treatment

Creative ideas aren’t like opinions or assholes — not everyone has one. So New York artist, director, musician and model Bon Jane says of Music City-via-Buckeye State blues-rockers The Black Keys. Jane claims that in August of last year she pitched a video treatment for the Keys’ “Ten Cent Pistol” directly to band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. The pair passed on the proposal, with Auerbach telling Jane, “the record label did not want to pay for the production of the video.”

But, according to a press release sent the Scene’s way today on Jane’s behalf, the label, Nonesuch Records, ponied up anyway. Exceeeeept … Nonesuch ended up green-lighting Jane’s concept, and used it for the Keys’ “Howlin’ for You,” instead of “Ten Cent Pisol.” Annnnd, to direct the video (above) the Keys tapped “Chris Marrs Pilliero,” instead of Jane. Then, as Jane claims, adding insult to injury, the Keys camp never credited her for her intellectual contribution. The “Howlin’ for You” clip went on to nab a Best Rock Video nod at the 2011 MTV Music Video Awards.