Shannon Hemmett is a multitalented visual and musical artist with a myriad of talents including graphic artist, tattooist, photographer and multi-instrumentalist in bands ACTORS and LEATHERS. “Over the years I have experimented with almost every artistic medium and musical instrument. I especially loved to sing, but it was psychologically challenging for me. When I got shy or scared I would detour into other mediums for a while, but the desire to sing would always return.”
“Missing problems, Turning sideways
Brings the curtain down
Touch you softly, Say it’s all right
You’re lying to me now“
Producer Jason Corbett of band ACTORS discovered Hemmett through her Instagram posts, soloing her favorite covers with guitar. Together, they would create band LEATHERS, dropping their initial release Reckless followed by Corbett inviting Hemmett to join his band ACTORS (see her work in previously featured ACTORS single “Cold Eyes“).
With sounds that run the gamut from post-punk to darkwave, shoegaze to new romantic, together theirs is an ever-eclectic catchy mix of edge-of-darkness artistry. Stated, Hemmett, “For me, music has a dream-like, mysterious quality. I’m drawn to pop-like melodies and a dark-romantic atmosphere in my music. David Bowie, Depeche Mode, the Cocteau Twins, and Bauhaus are some of my greatest influences.“
“Hide the shadows, Take the cross down
Burn your books and fade
Missing problems, Turning sideways
Brings the curtain down”
.
When asked about her creative challenges, Hemmett candidly shared, “Nerves, fearfulness, over-thinking, frustration, getting in my own way, self-sabotage. I try to be aware of these behaviors because they make creative work difficult. It’s better to be relaxed, and curious so the words/music/images have a chance to flow through you.“
She and Corbett (like David Lynch) practice Transcendental Meditation in furtherance of their art and lives. “(It) has become an important tool for creativity, and rest. Finding that flow state is a great feeling, the ideas come easily, and you feel energized and productive.” Corbett agrees, “I’ve found it helps you dig deeper and get into these ideas… that area where (David Lynch) says these ideas live, beyond where we’re intermediately connected.“
”In the deep end, All my problems, Sink to the bottom now
Touch you softly, Say it’s alright
You’re lying to me now”
The band’s first finished track “Missing Scene” positively shimmers and glides with My Bloody Valentine vibes that monochromatically rev in your head. A whirlwind of oscillating post-punk shoegaze that elicits simultaneous memories of sunburst summer beaches and cool-blue moonlight drives.
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LABEL: ARTOFFACT RECORDS
Special thanks to 15quetions.net for their excellent interview of Shannon used as reference
Cover Art “theatre of war” © 2024 – disturbedByVoices – All Rights Reserved
That was really good ― I get a Birthday Massacre vibe from it, and The Birthday Massacre is my third-favorite band!
Love The Birthday Massacre too. Gritty and unrelenting… Thanks, James!
Breathtaking & shimmering!
Well stated. They definitely have that MBV, Chapterhouse, feel here. Their music runs the gamut right now, but always with that goth-adjacent sound. Thanks for reaching out, Jeff!
Interesting, thanks but wikipedia says that Elizabeth Fraser has only two kids, and not either by Daniel Ash. He also does not list this person as a kid. Do we know the real story please, or are you just saying ‘if z and x had a kid, it’d be her’? It confused me! thanks
I was going by a less reliable source; a comment made and approved of. By comparison to what you’re stating here, I’ll post a retraction and re-write the wrong bits in the article. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. 🖤
It’s like in the pre-internet days, everybody could claim to have gone to Harvard or lived in Paris etc. Then with the internet, we all get caught and have to blame it on rumour or that someone misunderstood us…!
So true. I think in this case the commenter meant that she ‘sounded’ like or was the equivalent of the child of Ash and Fraser, instead of literally being their ‘love child’ which is what the approved comment said. In retrospect, I very much should’ve attempted to verify it before requoting it. Thanks again.
S’okay. We;re all love child of something–it’s worth thinking about. Hmm, who/what would I be the love child of…? Boudicca and Bowie? Kali and Jesus…?