What are you listening to?

.
.

I remember a period, when I was around 10-13yo, when I was tirelessly reading loads of phanatsybook-series etc. I cant remember all the books, but these I definitely do; Ursula K. Le Guin's long Earthsea-series, Weaveworld by Clive Barker, Lord of The Rings-series, The Hobbit & Sillmarillion, by J.R. Tolkien, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson, and the The Belgariad- series and The Malloreon-series by David E Edding.

Of course, to these reading-session I had a set of "soundtracks". And actually,when listening to these songs now it helps me remember what frame of mind/mood I was in back as a kid while reading these books. It is a sort of "mental time travelling" listening to the same songs I was listening to back then. It's almost like being there once more.

Here is one of the "soundtrack of my life" for that period;

Marillion - Kayleigh

This fist one I gotta mention an anecdote about. I often listened to Marillion during this period, and there was particularly one song that had some extra meaning for me as a person. The whole album is great, and are amongst my favourite-album, But it was this song Kayleigh, and the fact that they had started playing it on TV from time to time on some musicchart-program, made it noticeable for me and my friends. And as it has it; one of my friends started to notice the likeness with me and the boy with the red jacket in the Kayleigh-video (minus the 17th century parade-uniform, with the 200buttons of course ) . They thought I was a spitting images of him, so from that day forth - unless I was in the vicinity to kick their ass :D - my nickname was Kayleigh. At first,as I said, I applied foot-to-ass on those who stood nearest to me while uttering the name. ;) An all this did last until I had come up with equally embarrassing nicknames for each of my buddies - I was rather good at that. And after that they just let it go. But for a few weeks I was called Kayleigh in the schoolroom and corridors ....(those muthafawkerz Grrrrr... ;))

Anyway, the whole album Misplaced Childhood by Marillion was the soundtrack to my reading at the time, along with some other songs;


Marillion - Misplaced Childhood - Pseudo Silk Kimono

Marillion - Lavender

Marillion - Bitter Suite

Marillion - Misplaced Childhood - Heart of Lothian



I miss those days, when I were without a care in the world. Imagine you could take a book, dive down in your favourite comfy deep-chair, with pillows & a plaid - open the window slightly so I could hear the thunder & rain falling on the neighbours tin roof - light a candle - and just say "fuck-off" to the musts & has-to's that generally comes with being an adult - and instead take a deep dive into another world and stay there as long as you see fit. And if this "time-machine " work properly I, in the end, might hear my mother announcing that dinner is ready downstairs (which would surely be a feat, since she's been dead for more than 30 years).


mE55uAa.png
 
..and this one of course. That whole album On A Storytellers Night was put on Auto-Repeat during my reading-sessions;

MAGNUM - On A Storytellers Night


 
My wife is a fan of Marillion and I have just been reading Donaldson's "Mordants Need" books while listening to them.
Yeah, but Thomas Covenant in the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, acts like a self-loathing, cynical, poor-me-indivudual, because of the leprosy he is developing. But once you get past that self loathing,, and when he connects with his new world, things starts to look up for our grumpy" "hero". ;)
 
.
Speaking of music-listening while reading a book; this one is optimal for SciFi-books. It's like the soundtrack of lucid dreaming, and discovering new worlds and entities, rolled up in one. The digital pictures are just amazing.

Put it on fullscreen, and turn up the the subwoofer, and get "sucked in". ;)
It's like a mantra from different dimensions;


Shriekback - This Big Hush
 
.
.

I remember David Bowie said to Johan Renck, while they were making some of his last videos before he died, that; "- It doesn't have a meaning" - I dont know why I want it there" - "It just came to me" - "There´s no reason, I just think it fits", etc. That trail of thought becomes apparent when you watch just about any David Bowie video out there. It just seems like a mishap collection of things that have fuck-all meaning - or does it?

I think Bowie gives himself less credit that he should. But many/most of his videos is just a treat for the senses. I come to think of this Salvador Dali influenced video, where there is simulsarium/short clips of simply idiotic/artistic clips were one almost can hear him saying in the background; "- Why not, ...I like it,..lets shoot that - I bet it would leave some fucker wondering; "WHY...what does it mean?" :D

The guys with the Salvador Dali-look, playing the flamenco guitar and the contrabass, and the cornering view of the background, like a Salvador Dali painting. It is just up Bowie's alley. And then just watch the amount of seemingly idiotic cut-ins and unrelated clips he has in the video, and then you get to understand David Bowie. :D :D

Most of the people watching any David Bowie-video asks; "-What the fuck does it mean,...really"
His answer I bet would be; "- I dont fuckin know,..but does it matter??" :D

The ending sequence, I think, is just a depiction of the dying process. When sight and sound are garbled and distorted. As some report; the vision goes first, then it sounds like a radio receiver between stations.



.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Red
Yeah, but Thomas Covenant in the The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, acts like a self-loathing, cynical, poor-me-indivudual, because of the leprosy he is developing. But once you get past that self loathing,, and when he connects with his new world, things starts to look up for our grumpy" "hero". ;)
True. Terisa in Mordants Need isn'r self loathing but she is self doubting to the point of doubting her own existence so she has some tough stuff to get over too. The most annoying thing about her is she drools over the arrogant villain while the good natured but clumsy good-guy gets treated as second best.
 
In memory of Chris Cornell, who died a few days back:

I wasn't too into grunge, but I listened to some Soundgarden and Audioslave and remember the hits of course;

Audioslave - Cochise


..even though it sounds like a Led Zeppelin rip-off (or heavily influenced) from their Whole Lotta Love

Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love


Black Hole Sun was a great song;

Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun


..also like Bob Rivers parody of it, about a slacker-son. :D;

Bob Rivers - Asshole Son

In his eyes
I'm full grown
Twenty-nine and still at home
Raid the fridge
Feed my face
I'm the son that's a disgrace

Live here free
Don't pay rent
Brought the car back with a dent
I'm asleep
Counting sheep
Thought I heard him scream again

Asshole son
You're a bum
You trashed the car again
Asshole son
What a bum
What a bum

Asshole son
Mow the lawn
And put your clothes away
Asshole son
What a bum
What a bum
:D
 
Henry Mancini ‎– The Pink Panther (Music From The Film Score) 1963 (full album)


Have you heard this beat-box version of it?
Only his voice and loop-recording foot-pedals - pretty impressive. :)

THePETEBOX - Panther Dance - Beatbox Loop Pedal
 
LOL the irony in his lyrics. He is amongst the last politically incorrect artists out there.
I remember some of his early songs, like Special Ed :D

Stephen Lynch - Special Ed

"Special"

When I was a boy of 10, I had a very best friend
Ed was kind, with good intent
But just a little different

Oh, special Ed
Mama dropped him on his head
Now he's not so bright instead
He's a little bit special
Just a little bit

We'd play tag, and he'd get hurt
I'd play soldier, he'd eat dirt
I liked math, and the spelling bee
Ed liked talking to a tree

Oh, special Ed
Mama dropped him on his head
Now she keeps him in the shed
Cause he's a little bit special
Just a little bit

I ran track, hung out in malls
Ed ran headfirst into walls
I had girls, and lots of clothes
Ed had names for all his toes

Oh, special Ed
Mama dropped him on his head
Now he thinks he's a piece of bread
Cause he's a little bit special
Just a little bit

One day while talking to special Ed
He grabbed a brick and he swung at my head
And as he laughed at me thats when I knew
That special Ed just made me special too
Now I laugh as I count bugs
I give strangers great big hugs
Next to me Ed is fine
Yeah he's a fucking Einstein

Oh, Special Ed (and me)
Now we're not right in the head (you see)
Now we're not so bright instead
We're a little bit special
Just a little bit special
That fucker Ed made me special
Just a little bit
Just a little bit ... special



 
Back
Top