Music

[indri]

itsabigrock has been asking about inspirational music for writing fic. I have to say that I often prepare for writing while listening to music but I don't write while it's playing, as I need to have the prose rhythms clear in my head. Since I got the iPod, I've made up playlists specific to each story. Nothing obscure or clever, just obvious pieces: Pulp's This is Hardcore for SHK, Yoko Kanno's Blue for Blue, and Cohen's Take This Waltz for anything involving Spike and Dru. The most common artists to turn up in these playlists are not always the ones I listen to most under other circumstances: Cohen, Cave, New Order and the Prodigy. I can tell you that if you ever want to warm up to a scene of lost sanity, putting Chelsea Hotel on an endless loop with the Prodigy's Breathe is one way to do it.

Comments

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Cohen's Take This Waltz for anything involving Spike and Dru

Is that because of Catatonic's vid?

[indri]

No, I didn't know of Catatonic's. I've never yet managed to get vids working on my machine.

I'm downloading the file though and will give it another go.

[indri]

Oh, I see, I need a Microsoft product. Is there nothing I will not do for Buffy fandom?

If I can get this to work, I'll go and look for Joelene.

[azdak.livejournal.com]

Oh my goodness, you must try to see it - it's gorgeously decadent (breath of brandy and death, indeed) and matches the slow waltz tempo perfectly. Even Wolfgang, who can't bear Drusilla, thinks it's a great vid.

[indri]

I have it now! Thank you!

[avidrosette.livejournal.com]

Interesting post. I too find that certain pieces of music put me instantly back into the world of specific stories I'm working on, even though I don't listen to them as I write. Those songs are just indelibly linked to certain scenes or plot points, probably for eternity, I guess.

[indri]

Those songs are just indelibly linked to certain scenes or plot points

Yes, I have similar associations.

What kind of music do you think of as you write?

[avidrosette.livejournal.com]

There's this one tape of music from the Peruvian Andes that my husband bought from a band he heard playing in the streets of London. It's all wooden flutes, drums, some kind of fiddle instrument, and singing in Spanish. The music on that tape just seems to tell me scene after scene of this novel I was working on set in 1799 Spanish California. And that's probably more info than you wanted, but thanks for asking!

[indri]

You know, I think I've even seen that band play.

And that's probably more info than you wanted

No, not all :) I'm tempted to ask about that novel now too.