In a studio in the Okolona neighborhood of Louisville, acoustic goth rock duo The Dead Speak (members Jaime Muerte and Wayne Robinson) recently laid their song “Trigger Warning” in the capable hands of music producer and BlackRainbow Records founder, David Johnson.
“Their music,” Johnson explains, “I believe represents the next step forward in authenticity. Many of us out there want music that is real. Not just the same old tropes done over and over again. To me,” Johnson added, “it also represents a proud step forward in providing visibility for queer folx and an opportunity for discussion regarding mental health issues.”
The music video for Trigger Warning was filmed at the historic (and supposedly haunted) Bethlehem Academy in Elizabethtown, Kentucky with an ensemble cast from Hardin County Playhouse. Johnson directed and edited the video, with a full creative crew, including a producer, cinematographer, makeup artist, costume director and grips.
“In The Dead Speak ‘universe’,” explains Muerte, “we like to say that Wayne and I are just conduits, or messengers, for the dead – and each song is someone else telling their story through us. Sometimes the songs are fun and pick on horror tropes, and sometimes they’re a lot more serious and personal. I think the common theme, though, is that we believe as humans we need to get better at facing our fears. That, through looking darkness in the eye and talking about it, we find the path to growth and light.”
For Muerte, who identifies as Latina of Colombian descent, the queer-forward and BIPOC-affirmative platform of BlackRainbow Records was a major deciding factor in signing with the record label. “I think we recognized the same thing lacking in Louisville, and that was a presence in the local music scene that celebrated diversity in a way that would go further than just being tolerated or allowed,” adds Muerte. “We both wanted to create something that would boldly say ‘this is for us, for the weirdos, the freaks, the queers, and the people of color’ and show that we could take up space and dominate it just as well if not better than any other player in the mainstream.”
The video for Trigger Warning can be found using the link above and the single is out on all major streaming platforms. If you’d like to support the band even further, their Bandcamp page can be found here: https://thedeadspeak.bandcamp.com/track/trigger-warning-2
