VIDEO Mob Wives Chicago trailer featuring song “Playing for Keeps” by Elle King

VH1 announced in early March that they were planning on expanding their Mob Wives franchise into the Windy City, and now we have our first official visual for Mob Wives Chicago in the form of a 30-second preview trailer!

Similar to the original Mob Wives opening credits (which is one of my favorites in all of reality TV), the Mob Wives Chicago clip features the show’s stars (from left to right: Nora Schweihs, Renee Fecarotta Russo, Pia Rizza, Christina Scoleri, Leah DeSimone) with hyper-stylized Batmanesque video effects strutting the streets side by side and looking downright badass.

The song used in the clip is titled “Playing for Keeps” performed by Elle King. (More on that in a minute)

The video was shot in Chicago on 344 N. Canal Street, behind Cassidy Tire, and according to Chicago Tribune writer Luis Gomez, the “behind the scenes” had its fair share of not so badass moments.

Christina Scoleri tripped while strutting with her fellow Mob Wives toward the camera and nearly took cast member Pia Rizza down with her. Co-star Leah DeSimone didn’t fare much better. “I need to take walking 101,” DeSimone announced to the camera crew after stumbling.

Gomez talked with the cast members in between takes, and they all revealed a little bit about why they chose to be on the show, what they thought of the original Mob Wives show, and/or what being in front of the cameras has been like. Here is some of what the ladies had to say:

Renee Fecarotta Russo: “I want to be a voice for people who aren’t embarrassed about their Italian heritage,” the only blonde in the cast, and the only one not wearing fur in the trailer says. “Some Italian-Americans probably think they’re not really seeing (their culture) the way they should. I’m proud of my heritage, proud of my family and proud of my uncle. I adored him.”

Leah DeSimone: “The first scene I did with Christina, it was like the cameras weren’t even there. Everyone told me this is definitely my calling because I’m very comedic. I have personality. When I annunciate my words, I say them with (pizazz).”

Christina Scoleri “The first thing I did was tell my dad,” who is Raymond Janek – an alleged “fence” for the Mob. “I would never do it without his support. He was excited for me. That’s what made my decision, otherwise I’d never do it.”

Nora Schweihs: “This is my time to tell my story,” Scweihs said. “What you’ll learn from (me) is who my dad [Frank “The German” Schweihs, an alleged Outfit hit man] really was. He was an amazing person and businessman. I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”

Pia Rizza: “I love the (original),” Rizza said. “I love the girls and think they’re great. They’re like the girls I grew up with. I have no idea (how we compare) at this point, but the girls put on a great show out there and hopefully we can follow in their footsteps.”

And as I promised earlier, here is a little more info on the song used in the clip, as well as its singer, Elle King, from the official VH1 press release:

ELLE KING’S “PLAYING FOR KEEPS” SELECTED AS THEME SONG FOR VH1’S “MOB WIVES CHICAGO,” PREMIERING JUNE 10TH

ELLE’S DEBUT EP SET FOR RELEASE JUNE 12TH ON FAT POSSUM RECORDS CONFIRMED OPENING ACT ON EUROPEAN DATES WITH OF MONSTERS AND MEN AND TRAIN

Elle King – “Living proof that if you use a Ouija board properly, you can summon the ghosts of Bowery balladettes and Robert Johnson while the angels run a capella and the devil duets on banjo to create Elle King’s shockingly sexy-sorrowful songsmithery. The Brooklyn-based siren has a sweetheart-with-a-knife voice that promises potentially dangerous intimacy on a grand, spooky scale.” – Austin Chronicle/SXSW Show “Pick”

(New York – May 1, 2012) Elle King, a brand new RCA Records artist who has already been spotlighted as an “Artist to Watch in 2012” by Esquire Magazine and Refinery 29, will have her new single “Playing for Keeps” featured as the theme song for “Mob Wives Chicago,” the spin off to VH1’s hit series “Mob Wives” premiering on VH1 on June 10th. The promo spots featuring the song began airing this past weekend on VH1 on Sunday, April 29th. “Playing for Keeps” will be available on iTunes and all digital providers on Tuesday, May 1st. Click here to listen to “Playing for Keeps” and click here to watch the VH1 trailer for the new Mob Wives Chicago.

On June 12th, Fat Possum Records will release Elle King’s debut EP. The EP features “Playing for Keeps,” along with her lead track “Good To Be A Man” and “No One Can Save You.” “Good To Be A Man” is enjoying airplay on KCRW Santa Monica, XPN Philly, and RIF Detroit and is available digitally now and on 7″ vinyl on Fat Possum. Click song titles to listen to “Playing for Keeps,” “Good To Be A Man,” and “No One Can Save You.”

Elle has just kicked off an opening stint on a handful of dates abroad for critically acclaimed Of Monsters and Men as well as several dates for Train. An extraordinarily talented musician, Elle possesses an incredible songwriting flare and an arresting voice in a category all her own – she also plays a mean banjo and guitar. Born in Ohio and raised in Brooklyn, her musical style and songwriting themes are a blend of old soul, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll and her personal style is Bushwick, Brooklyn meets mid-Western charm.

Elle is currently in the studio working on her debut album for RCA.

2012 tour dates opening for Of Monsters and Men:

4/24 Paris, FR Le Nouveau Casino
4/25 Brussels, BE AB Club
4/27 Koln, DE Luxor
4/28 Berlin, DE Lido @ Karrera Club Night
5/1 London, UK Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
5/2 London, UK The 12 Bar (solo date)
5/3 London, UK Hammersmith Apollo (**supporting Train)
5/5 London, UK Camden Crawl (solo date)

Elle King opening for Train:

5/6 Manchester, UK Manchester Academy
5/7 Glasgow, UK Glasgow Academy
5/9 Cologne, DE Luxor
5/ 10 Frankfurt, DE Batschkapp
5/11 Berlin, DE Lido
5/12 Munich, DE Freiheizhalle

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