Just like William Basinski and The Caretaker, Joplin, MO-based musician Whettman Chelmets got a precious gift of being able to create something beautiful out of a tragedy/dark events. Liner notes to his upcoming album “Long Read Memories” reveal the following:
My brother was arrested for murder in 1987. He was 17. I was 9. It was a singular event that triggered so many concentric circles of pain around so many people. He has grown. He is almost 50 now. He has facilitated the healing and dialogue of victims of crime with offenders. He is a Buddhist. He is still a juvenile life without parole offender, regardless of US Supreme Court rulings to the unconstitutionality of this sentence without consideration of age. We talk on Saturdays. We write. We share music and shows we are watching. I enjoy these talks.
The resulting video (created by Joan Pope of Temple Ov Saturn) is a cut-up/collage of video clips from rock concerts and TV shows interspersed with images of Anton LaVey/teenage Satan worshipers. It may not sound particularly welcoming (especially the noisier intro bit), but the ambient part of the track that sets in around the first minute suggests a catharsis. There might be no traditional Hollywood-style happy ending here, but the first step towards resolving the repressed feelings is better (and certainly more courageous) than no steps taken at all.
Long Read Memories by Whettman Chelmets is out on Oct. 11 via Aescape Sounds. Mixed and mastered by Angel Marcloid (Fire Toolz).
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