Soundtrack From Hell
25 Feb
I’m editing a novella. Not the one I wrote for Nano, but one I wrote on accident last year. (Long story, probably not very exciting, but it was fun.) They both share a through-the-rabbit-hole theme, but that’s about where the similarities end. The Nano book takes itself fairly seriously, whereas this one is all about making fun of itself and everyone in it—a little experiment in applying the age old satire structure to modern limited point of view and character development. Its hero, if we can call him that, leads his little band of enemies through a series of trials in a suburb of Hell with only his iPod to grant him occasional mental refuge.
I saw that “pick seven songs you’re listening to right now” meme again recently, and realized that I’m really only listening to the new Franz Ferdinand (like I have been relentlessly since it came out…) and then switching to religious baroque and classical for editing purposes. Vivaldi’s Nulla in Mundo Pax Sincera is awesome for writing beautiful snarky fallen angel inquisitors, and Mozart’s Requiem has sufficient gravity to make up for my inability to take demonic torture seriously. (Though when I’m really feeling snarky, I just go for Figaro.)
My pseudo-hero, however, has a definite list of songs mentioned explicitly in the text as accompanying various scenes. So here are Sig’s Seven Songs From The Oubliette (A Suburb of Hell: Over 1 Trillion Served).
- The Smiths – Meat Is Murder
- Joy Division – Atrocity Exhibition
- Radiohead – Let Down
- Interpol – Evil
- Muse – Ruled By Secrecy
That’s all he gets to before his little trials force him to put the iPod away. But he does have the odd chance to think longingly after his little electronic pal, and wish for a few more. Such as:
- Buzzcocks – Oh Shit!
- The Cure – Lullaby
Happy little bastard, isn’t he? Nothing like mocking someone from their own point of view and through their own choices in music. Of course I could listen to this stuff while editing, but since his tastes happen to align with a certain subset of mine (quite a relief; I hate when I get characters who are into things I’m not—I always end up into them on accident by the end, though I’m still holding out on Impressionism), I just get distracted by wanting to sing along.
Ever mention music explicitly in anything you’ve written? I’ve had lots of stories inspired by things I’ve heard, and usually name the story after it when it happens, if applicable, but this is something else entirely. Rarely does a built-in soundtrack actually work without seeming forced and useless. But there’s a time for it, I reckon. Or so Sig tells me.
Or maybe it’s just that he’s so very forced and useless himself.
Anyhow, if you like you may consider yourself tagged for the “seven songs you’re into right now” meme. But to make it more interesting, give me seven songs one of your characters is into right now, instead. We’ll start the head people music revolution.
(Yes Jen, this means you and Grant, too.)
ETA: As a bonus, everyone gets the disturbingly awesome video for Evil
Because I love you. And Norman the Puppet.
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Now playing: Antonio Vivaldi – Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera, RV 630 – (Aria) Nulla In Mundo: Larghetto
posted with FoxyTunes
You know me and you need some music chats girl and soon – we have a bit of a wavelength going on there!
Eeh I’d forgotten about Evil, great song and lovely vid!
I’ll have to have a think about Matt’s seven songs (I already have three)…
I wouldn’t know what seven songs, exactly, would fit my characters… I tried to put some soundtracks together a while ago but failed miserably.
Always Read the Fae Print is tied to the Rolling Stones big time, though: my love interests met and bonded over a mutual love of them, the chapters are named after song/album titles (with a discography for that, there’s an appropriate one for EVERYTHING), my MC’s mom is named Carol and the male MC’s dog is named Mick… and she listens to it at full volume at night when the fae harassment in her apartment gets too noisy. There’s the occasional reference in the actual writing, too. I’m still trying to figure out this much Stones is overkill or not, ha, but it’s been fun.
I do it a lot in the Faire-Folk stuff – it’s a very musical culture with extremely varied tastes, and I don’t think I could get that across properly without some song-dropping.
I haven’t done it as much in my other stuff – but it’s a little hard in the epic fantasy genre. Nothing’s recognizable.
Aww come on guys, they don’t have to be seven songs actually IN the story, or even reflecting it. Just if there’s a head person who has seven songs they’re into at the moment (as in, while you listen to your iTunes or whatever lately), do the meme from their perspective! Come on, it’ll be fun.
Or insane. But what’s the difference?
Mark, I should’ve known you’d have a head start on this. I forgot to mention how much I loved your rec for the last Andrew Bird, by the way. Lovely! We do have much to discuss.
Cory that is AWESOME, and I had no idea. You could in theory list seven songs that are of particular importance to them… but then, I’m going to beg you to see it eventually anyhow, so you could keep me in suspense. (Can you ever have Stones overkill?)
Meghan, I think the varied taste and musical flavor of the Fest comes across really nicely in the books, actually. It’s just another of your many talents when it comes to atmosphere and sheer awesome.
Ha! Glad you like it. Ended up doing the meme on my blog, albeit in a slightly different fashion. (With more rambling, too, because I need to explain *everything*.) So I guess you get both the meme and suspense! As far as that is suspense, anyway.
That video, by the way, is really freaky and awesome. I like the music, too – I’ve heard of the band before, but don’t think I ever really listened to their music.
Nice, suspense and instant gratification. A perfect world!
But yes, Interpol are made of awesome. The (normal) ringtone on my phone is actually the chorus from Pace is the Trick.
Slightly obsessive. No surprise there.
You just reminded me I haven’t listened to OK Computer in ages. Well, two weeks, but that’s too long! Cool vid, btw.
Nice playlist indeed (not too sure about the Muse, though).
Also, “Lullaby” is #2 on my Favorite Cure Songs list (“Disentigration” is #1).
Lastly, The Smiths’ “Unhappy Birthday” was playing as I read this.
Oh OK Computer, the stuff of my love affair with Radiohead (that and The Bends– watch me show my age!). We had a bit of a falling out after that, but we’re back together again since the last one.
Barry, that is awesome that you had a soundtrack for, er, the soundtrack post! As for Muse– I don’t blame you. I wasn’t sure til I saw them live a few years back. Matt Bellamy is this weird combo piano/guitar god, he’s Rachmaninoff on rock. Sheer talent leaves me helpless.
Oh, I am far too uncool for this. My favourite song at the moment is Leona Lewis’ ‘Run’. I mean that’s bad-bad. If you came to a party at my house you’d break the CD player.
Oh god Cate, I love that song– but the Snow Patrol version. I’m not a huge Snow Patrol fan, but I really liked that album of theirs and had that song on repeat for months. (Her cover is beautiful, too.)
And don’t let this list fool you. If I picked a different book/character combo I might’ve ended up with Liszt, Schumann, Beethoven, and Verdi. Who’s uncool? Oh yeah. Katey.
We had a bit of a falling out after that, but we’re back together again since the last one.
Mark Deniz loves their experimental/techno stuff but Com Lag, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief (mostly) leave me cold. In Rainbows is just gorgeous. I’m with Barry on Muse. It’s the vocal that turn me off. I’m dabbling with a bit of Elbow right now after being VERY disappointed with the new U2 album.
I’m fairly in the same boat with Radiohead, In Rainbows is just heartbreakingly amazing and rekindled my love affair. You know though, after the fact I really like Hail to the Thief– but I’ve only just gotten into it in the last two or three years and wasn’t really interested when it came out. My brother loves that stuff too, but I think falling in love with The Bends at 15 sort of disqualified me for their experimental journey. That said, Jonny Greenwood is a freaking genius. His soundtrack to There Will Be Blood is amazing writing music.
And yeah, Bellamy is a whiney f$%k, isn’t he? (Which is why he’s perfect for this MC’s list…) If he weren’t a damn virtuoso I’d take more of an issue maybe… then again I’m an Oasis fan. You can’t scare me off with whining.
I rather like Elbow, though I don’t have their latest yet. Let me know what you think of it. Shame about U2, though. Guess they left it all in the early 90s.
Norman the Puppet! Yay! Much too much fun. And Radiohead… I actually am only waiting for Phil’s solo album. Which is funny. ^^
1. You are an absolute darling for stopping by.
2. You are an absolute darling for pointing out that Phil is having a solo album. Oh, don’t mock the diconnectedness that makes me so unaware of my surroundings, just take my thanks and run! <3