Inadvertently and unavoidably taking on the perceived “norm” in everyday society has its challenges, something Sweeping Exits are acutely aware of. Their forthcoming ‘The Projectionist’ EP serves to create a world where individuality is celebrated; where differences push people to the top. For trans vocalist and guitarist Mira Glitterhound, it offers a vital coping mechanism for an all-too-common bigotry.
“Our new EP, ‘The Projectionist’, tells the story of a punk rock vampire girl who works in a theatre and devours misogynist men,” Glitterhound explains. “The goal of my writing is to reclaim horror, and use it as a means of queer and femme empowerment. When we tour, our goal is to create a space for queer and trans people to feel safe, valued, and entitled to vent their anguish and frustration. As a trans woman, I experience harassment, threats, violence and dehumanizing mockery on a daily basis. These experiences make me feel afraid, angry, helpless. When I write I create a world where the queers have all the power, because we’re all vampires. It helps me psychologically to be able to escape into this world, and I hope it will help other people when they listen.”
Joined by Myrrh Crow [keys/vocals], Shanley Narens [strings] and Sonia Weber [drums/bass], Sweeping Exits present this world through a unique blend of horror, glam and traditional punk, listing the likes of David Bowie, Nick Cave and The Adverts as influences. It’s brilliantly unusual, the music mirroring their disapproval of conformity. Throughout, the story and setting are key.
“The EP is set in the 1950s, and it serves as a prequel to our upcoming LP, ‘Glitter & Blood’, which will take place in the 1970s,” Glitterhound continues. “All our currently planned releases are structured like short films and take place within a fixed canon.”
Stream the EP title-track, ‘The Projectionist’, exclusively below. The record will be released towards the end of October 2016, with ‘Glitter & Blood’ due in early 2017. For more on Sweeping Exits, head to Facebook.