Gunn directed the duo’s new video as they appeared in the latest season of HBO’s Peacemaker
Last week, Southern California hard rock band Nelson released the official video to their 2010 song, “To Get Back To You.” The clip was shot and directed by filmmaker James Gunn on the set of the second season of HBO’s Peacemaker in Savannah, Georgia, in November 2024. Gun created, wrote, produced, and directed Peacemaker.
Brothers Gunnar and Matthew Nelson play a pivotal role in the episode’s plotline. Stepping into the DC Extended Universe and rocking out, the duo delivers a showstopping rendition of “To Get Back To You” during a concert with the title character, Peacemaker, played by John Cena, in the crowd. The episode is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
Gunnar says the song’s inclusion and their appearance in the season two finale, aptly named “Full Nelson,” came after Gunn saw the duo perform live in Agoura Hills, California, at his request.
“James Gunn read an article about the Lightning Strikes Twice record, which was actually [Nelson’s] only critically acclaimed record we’ve ever had, and he was curious when he got the record, and he loved it from stem to stern. He picked that one song,” Gunnar tells The Music Universe. “He just said, ‘You know, one day that one song ‘To Get Back To You,’ I’m gonna use it in a really emotional scene,’ and the time had come, so we got contacted by [Gunn’s team]. They like the [Agoura Hills concert] and James went even further and said, ‘Well yeah, we want to use your song for this pivotal scene in Peacemaker where that the two main character and all that sexual tension that’s been building up gets consumated at least with a kiss, and I want you guys to perform too,’ which is like every musician dreams about having happened. You make your art. You do your best. You send those little children out in the world to live their lives, and you hope they make you proud. In this case, man, it was really, truly, I know it sounds trite, but it’s true. It was a dream come true.”
The official music video features footage from the latest season of Peacemaker and the duo’s emotionally charged performance.
“To Get Back To You” originally made waves for Nelson in 2010. The heartfelt single appeared on the group’s acclaimed album, Lightning Strikes Twice.
The band will release their self-penned autobiography, What Happened to Your Hair?, on December 16th. Already ascending Amazon’s pre-order chart, it tells their whole story for the first time, pulling back the curtain on their upbringing and wild journey to global rock superstardom.
