Ten Selections from My Writing Soundtrack

I've seen a number of posts recently from others about what music they listen to when they write, draw, create and generally attempt to disappear from the face of the planet. I thought that I would share one of my own.

Music is one of those things that I cannot live without. If I were stuck in on a remote island, I would miss plenty of modern conveniences. The Internet, my smartphone, social media, movies, books... But I would survive.

Music? I think I'd go a little nuts. If I don't get some good quality time with my headphones and my thoughts every couple of days, I get a little wiggy. And by wiggy I mean completely neurotic... Before long you'd find me getting all Sesame Street with it and making music out of babbling waves, local wildlife and the sound of my skull bouncing off things....

My musical tastes are rather eclectic, there are few things I won't give a shot. Seriously, this list could go on for days. These are ten my favorite writing songs, a link to a video/track on YouTube and a brief blurb on why. If it's something that might be a little racy or unsafe for sensitive ears, I'll make a note.

*insert trumpeting fanfare here*

THE LIST

1. Rain Drop - Iambic

Haunting, melodic, ambient and charged. It just sort of wanders through the mind and tickles things here and there. I find that minimal vocals in tracks are great for brainstorming sessions and shutting out the world.

2. Aqueous Transmission - Incubus

Mellow, groovy and relaxing. One of the more unique Incubus songs released. If you didn't like many of their singles, check this out anyway. It's nothing like that. Doesn't help that I'm a sucker for a good set of string instruments.

3. Exterminate, Annihilate, Destroy - Rotersand

Driving beats, 80's-esque vocals and DALEKS! What's not to like? I'm a fan of industrial and EBM. Where this falls exactly, not sure? But its a good up-tempo track for pushing those creative moments out kicking and screaming. Also... Daleks...

4. Warrior Concerto - The Glitch Mob 

Synth, a strong drumline and violins. For some reason, this track evokes images of the Kia Soul hamsters crusing around in Steampunk gear knocking over convenience stores. Intro takes a minute to get rolling. Let it the minute mark before you give up on it.

5. Badd - Richard Cheese (WARNING: HERE THERE BE F-BOMBS)

Short aside here -  What is it with Krunk? It's one of the only genres of music that is impossible to cover. I mean, you can only get away with the things they say and what they call music within Krunk and bars full of drunk people. But hey, I'll admit... I find it amusing. Good music? No... not really... ignorantly entertaining... INDEED.

So, this is what happens when you make a lounge music cover of the Ying Yang Twins. If you'd prefer something a little tamer, here's Richard Cheese covering Rock You Like a Hurricane by the Scorpions. Though I suppose its just a little more clouded in innuendo but pretty much about the same topic...

6. Lip Gloss and Black - Atreyu (POSSIBLE BAD THINGS)

I guess this is technically metalcore. It's like screamo, without the whining and long cold showers. Melodic guitars, throaty vocals and then the weird part... a drummer that sings back up harmonies while flailing around like Animal from the Muppets... oh and a random piano solo. Smeedlies and Meedlies galore... I'll be honest, this band has ties with some pretty crazy/heavy times in my life. For this reason, its great for bringing up and harnessing emotion when needed. Doesn't hurt that they were part of one of the best live shows I will probably ever see... but that's a different blog post...

7. Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

I'm a child of the 90's. Class of 2001. So, I think its just a prerequisite that I include this on any music lists that I make. Along with Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters. This is my nostalgia music. Press play and my brain does one of those wobbly TV transitions back to the heyday of my youth. Yeah, I know... I'm old at like 29... but still... It was a different world, a different mindset and different challenges. So it sparks different thoughts.

8. Crazy - The Kidney Thieves

It's a metal/grunge cover of a Patsy Cline classic. Yes... that's right. PATSY CLINE. Don't judge me. But seriously, kind of haunting, builds to a crescendo and is good times. I like most of their music in general for writing. This one in particular has a sort of Massive Attack meets late 90's metal vibe going on. Especially good for those charged scenes. Hurt, betrayal, pain in spades...

9. Straight to Video (Combichrist Remix) - Mindless Self Indulgence (NOPE... NOT FOR KIDS)

Great beat, fast tempo and MSI. I will be the first to admit that Mindless Self Indulgence is an acquired taste. Quirky, aggressive and foul-mouthed but fun. I think they call themselves a techno-punk band last I checked. Good music for finding motivation and amping up for a long sprint or writing binge.

10. Calling the Rain - Eluveitie

Imagine if you will Cradle of Filth holding a concert the Shire. Hobbits thrashing about, whizbangs going off left and right. Two particularly surly elves with long hair doing windmills while playing guitar. Gimli front and center belting out guttural screams and random lyrics about the glories of the past. Melodic guitars, throaty vocals, driving drums... and hurdy-gurdies, bagpipes, pan flutes, lutes and quite a few tracks in a language that I haven't bothered researching. It's folkmetal... I find that fact that many of the lyrics are not in English a great way to have vocals in my writing music without them becoming a distraction. Give it a shot and see what you think.

So there you have it. My random list of writing music for different moods. Honestly, I have about twenty different playlists on Spotify depending on what I'm writing, how it's going and how I'm feeling.

What music do you like to use to fuel your writing? Any new favorites from this list? Drop me a line or even a link below or hit me up on Google+. I'm always looking to discover new music to add to the collection.

Finally!

This feels like a great way to kick off this blog. So here we go!

I wrote something tonight. Not descriptions of gold-plated toilet seats, paragraphs on social media trends or in-depth guides to the secret inner workings of refrigerated trucks. I wrote something that I wanted to write. It was amazing.

It has too long since I've listened to that weird voice inside me that loves to put words together like little literary legos. I was almost worried that all of this commercial work had snuffed it out. The worlds and characters and plots have been substantially slower lately.

Always seems there is time to plan but never time to actually indulge in the writing. Tonight, I put everything aside and did so. Is it going to change the world? No. It was just a writing prompt on a Google Plus community. The release was fantastic.

Though I can't promise to keep writing regularly, with the joys of financial obligations and all, I hope to continue to submit to these weekly prompts. I can already feel things stirring and brewing that haven't moved in a very long time. I needed that. I need this. These keys, these words, these worlds.

I'm a writer. I lose track of it from to time. Try to hide it behind other labels, settle for other things or even take the easy way out. But it's still there. Waiting for moments like this is sneak up behind me, wrap its arms around me and let me lose myself in it's embrace.

Welcome back old friend. Thank you for not giving up on me. It's been far too long...