Synopsis

Staind perform "Mudshovel" on an elevated glass stage while a mosh pit churns below them. Aaron Lewis grips a loose metal gate as the band's tense, heavy performance unfolds in a stark enclosed arena. Intercut with the concert footage is a short betrayal narrative: a man discovers that his partner is cheating on him. The final scenes complicate the story when it becomes clear that the woman is also being unfaithful, turning the song's anger and sense of betrayal back on her.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made for the 1999 single release of "Mudshovel," which came from Staind's second album, "Dysfunction."

• "Mudshovel" had already appeared on Staind's 1996 independent debut, "Tormented," where the song was spelled "Mudshuvel." The "Dysfunction" recording was a reworked version with a more polished, radio-focused sound.

• The performance scenes place the band above a mosh pit on a transparent stage, giving the footage a particularly physical and confrontational feel rather than presenting the group in a conventional club setting.

• The song became Staind's first major rock-radio breakthrough, reaching No. 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and No. 14 on the Modern Rock chart.

• The track's signature guitar texture is not created by a conventional flanger effect. Guitarist Mike Mushok explained that the sound comes from sliding harmonics between fretted positions, with an E-Bow layer adding to the sustained tone.

• "Mudshovel" was included on Staind's 2006 video compilation, "The Videos," helping preserve the clip as part of the band's early visual identity.

• The song's original, heavier form featured more screaming, double-kick drumming, and chugging guitar than the version used for "Dysfunction."