11 Comments
May 24Liked by Danny Anderson

The "George Lucas" approach? Lore tells us that George wrote Star Wars with specific music in the background (or specified Classics after-the-fact) as being right for specific settings in S.W., and then asked John Williams to replicate the affect and aura in the new soundtrack...

Will your new novel have a "recommended soundtrack"?! Maybe a link to a playlist?! Maybe you're building the future of multi-sensory reading!

Expand full comment
author

Oh that's a really good idea, Karl! I think that curating a playlist might be a neat marketing tactic if that book ever sees the light of day! Thanks for that.

Expand full comment

I usually need absolute silence to read and write. However, making playlists has always been a big part of my creative process. I love using music, and the placement of songs, to communicate with others. My wife and I created a game we call Songversation. We alternate playing songs in response to each other, trying to communicate a mood or theme. Many times, these turn into incredible call-and-response playlists that help me sort out my thinking before I go to write it down.

I hope your novel-writing goes well! I look forward to reading the finished product.

Expand full comment
author

Love that game you and your wife play, Adrian! LOL. And yea let me reiterate that I can't listen to any lyrically heavy music while working (maybe Cocteau Twins, since Liz's delivery is so opaque). This is just for the times between sessions.

Expand full comment
May 24Liked by Danny Anderson

Great excursus, Danny. Tom Waits’s Bone Machine made a big impact on me. After all these years, I still love listening to Paul Weller / Portishead collab Wild Wood (Sheared Wood Remix) and I’m gonna do a post at some point on Sinéad O’Connor / Shocklee collab for I Am Stretched On Your Grave which is just the most exquisite Irish poem in translation. Outside of that it’s just relaxing UK Grime for me.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Adrian! You've given me a few new things to look for. And yea, Bone Machine is a very important album for me too. I actually pulled over driving the first time I listened to "Whistle Down the Wind" because I was so overcome with emotion. I started weeping and couldn't drive. Also, I got tix to see Weller in DC in September!!

Expand full comment
May 26Liked by Danny Anderson

The wife-lady-consort is well impressed by your Weller dedication, Danny - our first dance was You’re the Best Thing!

‘I can’t stay and I’m scared to leave.’ Class. And Black Wings always gets my writing straight into apocalyptic mode. 🌪️

Expand full comment
author

What a great song for a first dance! I always knew you were counselors of style!

Expand full comment
May 26Liked by Danny Anderson

😂💃🏻🕺🏼

Expand full comment
May 24Liked by Danny Anderson

I resonate with this Danny! More often than not my creative writing endeavors involve playlists whether its for specific characters, moods, or time periods. They can be instrumental but mostly songs with lyrics. I find it helps me to fall back into the world and also gives me inspiration.

I'm always up to read more about Miles Davis and Bob Dylan. You've also given me some other artists to explore so thank you.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Tynan and I'll definitely write about Dylan and Davis. The albums from them on this list are (respectively) Blood on the Tracks and Get Up With It. I do love the idea you have about curing character-specific lists. That sounds fascinating. For me, I know that this list has actually generated a lot of ideas (mostly tiny details I squeeze in where I can in developing a character).

Expand full comment