Place, a new, three-part work created by composer Ted Hearne and poet and activist Saul Williams, grapples with gentrification from different perspectives. Written as a call-and-response between Hearne and Williams, Place is gnarly and knotty, digging deep into the complexity of its subject matter rather than shying away from the issues at hand. The music is surprising, the words are acidic. The result is an empowering, intimate portrayal of the impact of gentrification on our lives today. The Road to Sound is thrilled and honored to be premiering the music video for “What About My Son,” one of the glitched-out, fiery movements of the work.
Of the video, Ted Hearne says:
“‘What About My Son’ comes at the beginning of Saul Williams’ portion of Place, responding to, challenging and complicating the text and music I initially wrote. The video, shot by Sanford Biggers and Tim Brown, features the performers from director Patricia McGregor’s original production at BAM as well as uncannily coincidental childhood home video footage from Sanford and his friend Jennifer Zackin.
Saul mused about this song:
What about my son?
I’m tired of the white male protagonist.
In fact, I think we all are.
It don’t mean I don’t love u
just shut the fuck up for a century or two”
Place is out today on New Amsterdam Records. It is available for streaming and purchase on Bandcamp.