Grassroots music scenes: those small yet vital cultural oases in a sea of conformity, comfort zoning, and passionless mediocrity are always more than the sum of their parts. I would go as far as to say that the music might not even be the most important factor in the success of such places; rather, they are oddball tribes of like-minded underground weirdos, of chaos and imagination, expression and artistry, friendship and support, drive and dedication. They are where denizens of the liminal spaces, left-footed travellers and escapees from the law of averages find their people.
One of the many things that gives these underground kingdoms their own flavour and language and vibe is the characters who call them home, characters such as Charles Joseph Smith, the local legend of the Chicago DIY scene, music maker, and savant piano composer featured dancing in the latest video from French Inhaler.
‘Haunt You,’ from the band’s recent album, Practised Lines, is a spiralling blend of post-punk melodic bass, skittering beat-blends of digital and analogue drums and weaves of synthy sonics, a hark back to such icons as Joy Division, though perhaps not so harsh, and the more gloriously pop moments of The Cure, which, to be fair, are not bad places to find inspiration.
And thanks to Smith’s gentle and mesmerising moves, a straightforward black-and-white performance video is turned into an auteur-ish piece of art, something that takes the perhaps predictable and makes it unique.
Forget fame and fortune and fans and followers; music is made for moments like this, and you certainly won’t find them in the events and arenas that people think that music is all about. Dig deep, immerse yourself in the art of the underground, and you will find all sorts of interesting, exciting, and unique people going about their strange and wonderful business…but perhaps few as unique as Mr Smith.
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