Beat a Go Go

William Faith and Monica Richards

Music is mythic. Its powers are magical, its effect transformative. Often derided as "product" (or worse) in today's market, music has the capacity to awaken wonder, nostalgia, even sanctity. And while airwaves and magazines might be profaned by gross commerce, a handful of artists are working even now to restore the sacred power of music.

Enter Faith and the Muse.

Brought together a decade ago, Monica Richards and William Faith epitomize the restless spirit of transformation. Both products of the post-punk underground, they connected on an almost mystical level. Within a few months, their debut album Elyria had taken both musicians in a very different direction. Since then, a series of albums, tours, books and side projects have marked Faith and the Muse as an obscure but brilliant force in the musical realm.