Vollmer is first and foremost a memorial band, for the memory of someone who shone brightly, but was ill remembered by history, and to help recognize the archetype of the feminine or supportive element in art destroyed by masculine or egocentric nature of the artist. The number of times we’ve heard otherwise educated members of the artistic community discuss Burroughs and say “that bitch had it coming” are TOO MANY. Furthermore, from a feminist perspective, it’s about how women (most often, though it has certainly gone both ways - one could certainly make the case that this dynamic existed between Kurt and Courtney) who support male “great artists” are 1. Often great artists themselves and 2. Often overshadowed and negatively impacted, sometimes destroyed by their proximity to intense narcissism. You can see this pattern with Vollmer/Burroughs, Pollock/Crasners, Kelly/Crowley, Allen/Farrow - this extends into all realms including politics and business. Personal situations in our own lives shadow some of the same patterns, prompting us to take a closer look at the matter.
There is a strong tendency in artists of either gender to justify morally objectionable behavior by the argument that “great art is made in absolute moral freedom” which is patently false. If it were true, no great work would ever have been produced within a moral framework. Furthermore, it seems to stand as a longterm out for extremely narcissistic individuals to pursue their personal ideals to sometimes destructive ends, ie “if I just make GOOD ENOUGH rock and roll I can be as drunk as I want!”, this same thinking would also then justify the work of the murderer or torturer as long as it was of high enough quality. Indeed there is a lot of truth to this in public perception - It is our belief that art does not exist in a moral vacuum, that the society and culture that the artist inhabits is integral to our understanding of the artist and his/her work. We do not hate Burroughs for shooting Joan Vollmer, we find that our understanding of his actions in context to the society in which he and Joan lived deepens our understanding of his work, its symbols and patterns and his personal motivations.
Personally I (Jonny writing) have been in arguments many times about Woody Allen - whos’ movies I don’t watch because I find the idea of a man raising a child from birth and then having sex with her personally morally repulsive. Everyone I have spoken to feels the same, and most believe that these events occurred, then go on to justify their intense enjoyment of his work (it should tell you something if you feel you need to justify your enjoyment) going on to explain that “he’s just so funny,” and that they “love his movies” as if to say the films as artifacts stand completely apart from the man or our collective values about child abuse, an argument made more absurd by the fact that he’s in pretty much ALL of them.
The saying goes “behind every good man is a good woman” and yet the accomplishments of these “good” men are regarded as solely the domain of their exerted force, often without mention of their female partner who by their own admission enabled them to achieve so much. It is our desire to shine a light upon and burn a candle in remembrance of those who helped so much to create the literary, musical and artistic achievements that we cherish and hold dear.
Please note that particular attention has been paid here to the male/female relationship dynamic. It is the most obvious historically, and has the most repeating examples and thus is used. These same statements and observations can be elaborated to any situation in which more dominant and egotistic individuals are rewarded in society for subverting and undervaluing the supporting roles of their partners. It could be in business or personal relations, man/man, man/woman or with society/individuals - IE the pay of teachers and domestic workers in America today.
Here's a poem about the death of Joan Vollmer:
Remember, remember the 6th of September,
the William Tell Bullet from Seward(III) which wrent her.
The endless tequila that ate up and spent her.
well, Bill had his way with the boys and the dope,
all of it ate at her pittance of hope
things turned worse when the bennies ran out
leaving her slowly to fill with the Doubt.
The Demon watches silently, the Qualblaze has been lit
the game of Art is now afoot, and boy. it's such a hit.
with thyroid tablets, Reich and faith, she says, I think i'm gonna make it.
