music

30 Days of Writing: Day Seven

The Twirl and Swirl of Letters

Do you listen to music while you write? What kind? Are there any songs you like to relate/apply to your characters?

I don’t always listen to music when I write, but when I do, its largely instrumental. I like movie soundtracks and classical albums because I’m easily distracted by words, and works by Beethoven or John Williams can get me in the right sort of mood. That’s what I need, often, the right mood. If I’m writing something gut-wrenching, the theme from Schindler’s List does the trick. In a more triumphant frame of mind? Got to be Star Wars.

I am, however, inspired by music. To put me in the correct vibe, I’ll listen to some of my favorite rock music, like The Who’s Quadrophenia or a playlist I’ve made specifically for a story or character.

I find that there are songs that relate to my characters. Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” reminds me very much of one, The Who’s “Acid Queen” is perfect for another.

I listened and I heard music in a word, and words when you played your guitar

The Twirl and Swirl of Letters

Pretty much, Pete Townshend is a lyrical god.

That said, a lot of inspiration can be pulled from music. Inspiration for writing and visual arts, and other music as well.

One of my biggest inspirations is the album Quadrophenia. This was a major influence (along with All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes) on my first novel. I found the ideas expressed on the album weaving their ways through my writing. In the case of the latter, it could have been because I had that album on perpetual repeat during the drafting process.

Quadrophenia in particular provided a lot of ideas because what the main character in the album, Jimmy, goes through similar emotional and personal revelations that my character Will goes through. Isolation, alienation, and, of course, the difficulties of progressing into adulthood.

Sometimes I’ll listen to an instrumental or a foreign language piece to get into a different mood. If I’m writing a particularly emotional bit, I might switch to listening to a track from the Atonement soundtrack (possibly “Elegy for Dunkirk”) or “The Galapagos” from the Master and Commander soundtrack.

Music takes a completely different route in my mind. The different sounds influence how I feel at a moment, or bring back memories.

More on this later.

Free concerts? We like free.

General Geekiness

Photo by me. Do not use without my permission.

Photo by me. Do not use without my permission.

You’ve wanted to see this band for months. You can’t wait for the concert; you’ve stalked their myspace or official page for months. But—surprise!—they aren’t stopping in Boston.

Or are they?

Local music and comic chain Newbury Comics have a solution. Several times a month, local and international bands perform free shows at one of their stores.

Not impressed with the thought of seeing up and coming bands like The Kooks or The Lonely Island for free? Maybe old stalwarts like Alanis Morissette or Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys are more your speed. Either way, all are acts who have played one of the local Newbury Comics stores.

The shows fill up quickly, so head on down to the Newbury Comics store in question early enough in the day so you can get a neon wristband. The store closes while the gig goes on (for about 45 minutes), and only those with a wristband get in.

At the Newbury Street location, it can be very difficult to see anything, so get there early. Camp out. Hang out all day. You’ll get a better patch of carpet.

The best part? The shows are free, so it may only cost you T fare to listen to Alanis Morissette sing about a jagged little pill.

I’d call that a bargain!

What’s on the Turntable? Vol. II

What's On the Turntable?

The other day I went on a trip to my local record shops, which was a welcome journey. While there, I picked up a new CD! Hurray! I’ve been dying for new music.
The CD I got is Burn the Maps by The Frames. It’s a strange, unpredictable little album by the Irish rockers. The album opens with “Happy,” a mostly instrumental tune with the vocals mixed to the background. Burn the Maps definitely takes at least two listens to get used to, but I’ve noticed that a lot of really good albums do (Tommy, Arthur, etc).

“Fake” is a poppy little number, perhaps disposable but its the most readily accessible to the usual pop fan.

There’s plenty to like about the album–soaring violins, Glen Hansard’s rough vocals, and the ability of the album to transport you to a completely different place.

The album is not one that I would recommend starting out with if you’ve never listened to The Frames before. Try Set List first.

A good, live version of their song “Keepsake.”

More on the Who, and a little on St. Patrick’s Day

General Geekiness

The Who go Irish?

Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle team up with the Chieftains and play an Irishy acoustic version of “Behind Blue Eyes.”

There’s something refreshing and different about the song. Just makes me sigh and smile. Of course, the original version is still one of my all-time favorites, but this one is very pretty. Could be all of the Irish music I listened to during my brief stint as a step dancer.

I’d never heard that version of the song before and thought it was lovely, so, I had to share. Thoughts?

On the Who

General Geekiness

My love for The Who began in my senior year of high school. It was a long, slow process, this becoming attuned to a “new” band, but it seemed like the world was kicking me in the seat of my pants to listen to them.

My first encounter was the summer before senior year. I was at a Shakespearean acting camp, and as luck would have it, I wore my Beatles shirt the same day as my friend Nick wore his Who shirt. “Who are they?” I asked. Nick listed their most famous songs–“Baba O’Riley,” “Pinball Wizard,” etc–and I stared at him like an idiot.

Flash forward three months. I sat in art class, and my teacher played The Who to get himself psyched for their concert. I liked it enough, but didn’t think anything of it.

A couple months later I was looking online at Beatles and Queen fan art, when I noticed a few of the artists also drew The Who. Intrigued, I went to the library and listened to a few Who albums–Greatest Hits, Tommy and Quadrophenia. With the opening notes of Tommy‘s “Overture” I was hooked.