"Echo's Answer" is an independent feature made by two fans whose lives have been touched by Trish's music. The film is not endorsed or affiliated with Broadcast, Trish Keenan, or any other person or entities associated with Broadcast.

Although Broadcast recorded five studio albums, toured internationally, and won the approval of elite tastemakers like BBC DJ John Peel, they did not find much commercial success. However, the popular wisdom about The Velvet Underground applies here: they “didn’t sell many records, but everyone who bought one went out and started a band.” The creative force behind this underappreciated yet influential band was singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visionary producer Trish Keenan. Mysterious and enchanting, Keenan’s onstage persona belied a friendly and down-to-earth offstage presence. 

Broadcast formed in 1995, anchored by the core duo of Trish Keenan and her partner in art and in life, James Cargill. The band featured an eclectic rotating lineup of other musicians, including: Roj Stevens (keyboards), Tim Felton (guitar), Steve Perkins (drums), Keith York (drums), Phil Jenkins (drums), Jeremy Barnes (drums), and Neil Bullock (drums. Broadcast’s formation was inspired by the late 60s experimental group The United States of America. However, Broadcast would soon move beyond USA in terms of engineering prowess and songwriting sophistication.

Eschewing the traditional recording studio environment, Keenan and her collaborators inventively recorded in nontraditional spaces like her and Cargill’s home and a neighborhood church. Another key component of their unique sound was their inventive use of samples. They used a diverse array of sources, from children’s television shows to "library” (stock) music, as well as creating their own samples from warped old instruments, field recordings, and vocal tracks. Key inspirations for their otherworldly sound include Hammer Horror and Czech New Wave films; the writing of H.G. Wells, Gertrude Stein, and Edgar Allen Poe; and especially the BBC’s hauntingly beautiful 1966 production of "Alice in Wonderland" and its soundtrack by Ravi Shankar.

The music Keenan created with Broadcast defied categorization. Nothing quite like it has been heard before or since. Broadcast’s signature, otherworldly mix of analogue and digital recording technologies, unexpected samples, dynamic songwriting, unconventional recording techniques, and thrift-store instruments combined to form an immersive world within each record. This sound evolved with lineup changes, life events, and experimentation; however it always remained unmistakably, undeniably Broadcast. At its core, Broadcast was the expression of Keenan’s singular, encompassing vision. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer, producer, and frontwoman, Broadcast was a peek into the tenderly haunted landscape of Keenan’s imagination.

Tragically, Keenan contracted the H1N1 virus while on tour in Australia. This led to her developing pneumonia. After two weeks in the hospital back home in England, Keenan died January 14, 2011, at age 42. It is devestating to have lost such an immensely talented artist at such a young age, and even more so one described by DJ Jonny Trunk thusly: “You couldn’t wish to be in the company of anyone more lovely.”

However, Keenan’s, and Broadcast’s, story does not end there. The phrase “Echo’s Answer” is not only the name of one of Broadcast’s songs, but also captures how their influence continues to reverberate through people. Keenan’s legacy lives on through Broadcast’s fans, especially musicians. Graham Coxon, Zooey Deschanel, Paul Weller, Neon Indian, Soko, Toro y Moi, and Flying Lotus are just some of the diverse group of musicians who mourned Keenan's passing and/or cited Broadcast as an important inspiration. Although Keenan was taken from us too soon, the enchanting world she created with her art lives on. This documentary project is the “answer” to that echo.

Having played in a nationally-touring band, director Cat Tassini is keenly aware of the rampant problem of sexism in the music industry. Female-identifying musical artists are often pigeon-holed and isolated, preventing them from reaching equal exposure and opportunities for financial success, having full autonomy in the creative process, and putting them at risk for harassment and assault. When it comes to the “behind the scenes” responsibilities that make a musical recording what it is, women are usually not encouraged to take charge or even take part. In order to help counter this imbalance, we will highlight Trish Keenan’s technical capabilities and innovations through interviews and dramatizations. 

Like many other female-identifying artists, Keenan’s accomplishments have been minimized. Her obituaries usually credit her solely as a “singer” despite being described by co-founder James Cargill as “the creative force behind Broadcast.” With “Echo’s Answer,” we aim to correct this and educate the public on an all too little seen subject: a female production wizard. Broadcast as a band is credited with recording and engineering all of their albums, and Keenan is individually credited with producing, engineering, recording, and mixing their 2005 album “Tender Buttons.” Much of Broadcast’s intricate and idiosyncratic recording process involved recording in unconventional spaces, such as bedrooms and empty churches. Keenan nimbly adapted to the unique needs of these settings while maintaining an exacting level of sonic craftsmanship. 

Throughout the filmmaking process, outreach will be essential. With each cut of the film, we plan to screen it for and engage with our audience, which we will build as the project grows and changes. This will include specialty screenings on college campuses and at music venues, panel discussions and workshops, and interaction through social media. We will put together post-screening panels of local musicians, producers, engineers, and record label owners who identify as women or nonbinary, people of color, queer, differently-abled. Our hope is to create not just a film but a space where people who are often marginalized by the music industry can feel safe sharing their stories. We also plan to inspire them to get involved in the aspects of music-making that they are often left out of - songwriting, production, engineering, and instrumentation/beat-making. We want to spark change in the music industry by inspiring women and members of other marginalized groups to do it themselves, hire each other and take control of their careers. 

Please join us in our goal of telling the story of Trish Keenan's life and work through the perspective of the artists she's influenced. Your generous pledge will help cover the pre-production costs of making the feature documentary. Representation matters! Audiences need to see female-identifying and non-binary individuals fulfilling these “nontraditional” roles. Seeing a woman take control in the control room will inspire more to learn to play an instrument or how to make beats, to follow dreams of producing or try expressing themselves through songwriting, and empower them to take control of their artistic expression and careers. "Echo’s Answer" will not just be a film but a space to celebrate and empower female-identifying musicians, engineers, producers, and songwriters. Audiences are now more open to women's stories than ever and we believe the time is right to tell Trish Keenan's story through film. 

TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION

Your pledge is tax deductible! "Echo's Answer" is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of "Echo's Answer" are payable to IDA and are tax deductible, less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services being offered is noted under each incentive level. If you would like to deduct the entire contribution you have the option to simply decline the reward at checkout.