a r t i s t : Chuck Bettis & Friends
t i t l e : Community Of Commotion
d a t e : 2005
l a b e l : north east indie
g e n r e : Avantgarde
r l s. d a t e : Sep/2007
t r a c k s : 10
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 38,0 MB
_______________________________________________________________________
Chuck Bettis-laptop on all track/vocals on trks 4, 5, 6
with Ikue Mori-laptop trk 2
Toshio Kajiwara-turntables and electronics trk 2
Audrey Chen-cello & vocals trk 6
Tom Boram-synth and electronics trk 4
Chriss Sutherland-vocals, flute, & hand-drums trk 8
Aaron Brenner-midi & analog synth trk 10
Melissa Ip-spoken poetry trk 3
Colleen Kinsella-vocals trk 1
Caleb Mulkerin-zither, xylophone, & wine bottles trk 1
Jerry Lim-beats trk 5, synth trk 7
Mick Barr-guitar trk 5
Tim Barnes-percussion trk 6
(www.northeastindie.com/COC.htm)
CHUCK BETTIS
vocals, electronics, trumpet
biography
Chuck Bettis first started to get noticed for his vocals in
the Meta-matics, a Washington DC-based post no-wave band that
in its short existence (1993-1994) made a notable dent in the
underground punk circuit. Their unusual tones combined with
punk attitude prompted bands such as Bikini Kill, Fugazi, and
Scissor Girls to take them on tour. The only typical DC thing
they did do was tour, put out a record, and then break up.
Just before the break-up of the Meta-matics, Bettis started
recording, touring, and performing solo electronics under the
moniker Trance And The Arcade, which would later morph into a
multi-media project, incorporating live visuals by Argentina's
Jorge Castro (aka Fisternni), plus dance and performance art
by Tristana Fiscella's Domestic Tar Petal. A few months later,
WWIII emerged, an instrumental group with Jerry Lim (Companion
Trio, Castro)-guitar, Josh Blair (Orthrelm, Supersystem)-
drums/electronics, and Chuck Bettis-bass. Both projects
consisted of harsh sound fields, which were an indication of
things to come in his aural world, and which marked a huge
departure from the music structure in which he was raised.
During this time, Bettis also founded the label/show
production company Mass Particles. From 1996-2001, Chuck
(under the Mass Particles banner) curated shows in Washington,
DC for local and international experimental musicians, which
fostered an ever-growing, informed, and excited community of
musicians.
While Bettis was continuing his activities as Trance And The
Arcade, he was recruited for All Scars, a group with a
constantly evolving set and cast of musicians, including many
of DC's luminaries, such as Fugazi's Brendan Canty,
Beefeater's Dug Birdzell, and Make*Up's James Canty. The All
Scars sound was amorphous in nature, utilizing any and all
sounds, scales, or structures into their improv/compositions
as deemed necessary. Overall eschewing music genres
altogether, All Scars caused many to challenge their
perceptions of music and performance. This unit put out 5
records in its 6 years of existence, and toured Japan, Europe,
and the U.S.
All Scars disbanded and Chuck Bettis relocated to New York in
2002. Since moving to New York, Bettis has played with John
Zorn, Ikue Mori, Fred Frith, Misha Mengleberg, Toshio
Kajiwara, and Afrirampo to name a few, including touring and
recording with Baltimore's enigmatic Nautical Almanac, west
coast freaktronics Yellow Swans and singing with Measles Mumps
Rubella. 2005 saw Chuck Bettis, having releases under his own
name for the first time such as an album of collaborations
called "Community Of Commotion" and a new solo record called
"Sonic Sigils".
Currently he is the vocalist for two groups, Snake Union and
Galaxies, works on many of his experimental projects such as
Devastation Duo (laptop duo w/ Carlos Giffoni), Brown Wing
Overdrive (electronic trio of Bettis, Derek Morton, & Mikey IQ
Jones), in addition to improvising, recording, or composing
with an array of downtown musicians.
(www.chuckbettis.com)
_______________________________________________________________________
01-Playful Moaner [05:14]
02-Mood Orifice [04:38]
03-Bleeding Orphan [02:22]
04-Deathmetal Dancehall [04:42]
05-Atheist Revolt [01:50]
06-Angry Rainbow [02:31]
07-Holographic Universe [06:51]
08-Doumbek Chanter [01:52]
09-Sleep Terets [03:53]
10-Motion Narcolepsy [03:41]
-------
37:34 min