Tag Archives: musical influence

Mom, circus, freaks, and more

16 Aug

So, over the months (or, uh, years *cough cough*) I wrote and re-wrote Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows, I’d always play specific songs to remind me about the initial concept of the story (I already talked about how Sympathy for the Devil helped bring me back to Spartacus).

My favorite high school-nostalgia/guilty pleasure Natalie Merchant, in her lyric-writing brilliance, initially gave me the pieces to put together Athena, Spart’s circus performing mother.  She evolved from the lyrics to Ophelia: Ophelia was a circus queen/the female cannonball/Projected through/five flaming hoops/to wild and shocked applause. But, to get all literary (and perhaps a bit pompous, as though I could really say this about my own writing)…to Spartacus, it’s like Athena really is all of the characters from the song, simultaneously–wild and demure, loving and unloving. I wanted it to be like he can’t pin Athena down as good or bad, loving or uncaring because she is ultimately a mystery. A crazy, feminine, Natalie Merchant mystery. Well, that’s how I hoped it would appear, anyway.

(And yes, I have a massive girl-crush on Natalie Merchant. Just had to put that out there.)

But while Ophelia gave the words, though, it’s this awesome video, Kind and generous (also Merchant), that gave me the circus-as-family-vibe. (Though this is obviously a much lighter and happier circus than Bartholomew’s…but hey,  it was a jumping off point.)

Photo by Jimmy and Dena Katz, from “World of Wonders”

And, corny lyrics aside, if you’re interested in seeing the inspiration for the sideshow, you don’t have to jump through any weird, girly music hoops to get there. I was at Powell’s Books when I stumbled across the World of Wonders, a photography book by Jimmy and Dena Katz. They–get this–photographed a modern sideshow. It was like they did this just for me because, honestly, Remmy and Nero and Zeda were all there, just waiting to be discovered.  And, I just discovered–you can like them on Facebook. OMG, I can’t wait to do this myself. (Done.)

And lastly…so I have another book idea in the works. Coincidently–or not–it’s another Merchant song, helping me keep the plot in check. Gonna keep grinding, see what happens.

Oh, anticipation, how I love you.

Draaaagulaaaaaaa…!

19 Jul

Oops. I just remembered: I still have to contact Rob Zombie about the chapter where I mention the song “Dragula.” I know, I could just make up my own fun goth band and lyrics. But:

  1. In the past month, I’ve had about as much creativity in me as I do coffee this morning: ZERO. And
  2. Dragula has been part of my ‘goth repertoire’ since I was 15

I came from a small town, much like Spartacus’s Brenville, but when my mom and I wandered into Hot Topic in Portland for the first time…wow. I immediately assumed all goth kids shopped there (that was before I knew the term “mall goth“). While we “browsed” the plaid pants and leather corsets and ironic t-shirts, Dragula blared on loop.

“Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches, and slammin’ in the back of my draaaagulaaaaaaaaa!” 

I was trying to look askance at everything…but everything was so cool. So sexy. What would everyone think of nerd Molly in a plaid mini-skirt with chains? And the shoes! Oh, my god, the shoes.

Can one be an uncertain, frumpy teen with very in-your-face, confident, knee-high, lace-up Doc Martins?

Maybe mom would buy me a new wardrobe? Maybe mom would, *cough cough* LET me be goth? at least I’d finally know where to shop (in retrospect, that would have made me a hot pocket goth).

While Mom didn’t spring for a new wardrobe, but she did buy us 6-inch, red platform high-heels. With sparkles. And yes, us. They were to be shared (that was the deal for her buying them). …Let’s not talk about who actually wore them. I did write a short essay about the trip for English, which included a lot of cringing on my part, grinning on my mom’s, and that song, Dragula, on loop:

“Dig through the ditches and burn through the witches, and slammin’ in the back of my draaaagulaaaaaaaaa!” 

When I wrote the goth kids into Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows, I had to write in that part, even though it is, yes, 13 years old. I have one of the characters, Puck, remark that “they don’t make music like this any more.”  Which they might. But then, I haven’t wandered into a Hot Topic with my mom in a few years now. If Mr. Zombie doesn’t grant me the permissions…I just might have to take a trip to see what the kids are listening to these days…

 

*My favorite part of the video is the random robot dancing with Rob at 1:16.

Lyric rights…and what they’re worth

13 May

Ran into a snag with the rights for Sympathy for the Devil. I mean, obviously, I saw it coming, but when the price tag arrived on my desk yesterday, I was taken aback. Thankfully (and graciously), the publisher is willing to pay half. But that’s not the worst part. The worst part is that I was given the choice: change it or pay for it?

Ugh. There is nothing I hate worse than making a decision about ANYTHING.

The problem is that brings up so many questions: is it worth that much money to not do the work, replacing every mention/allusion?  Is the song worth that much to the story? Will it change anything one way or another?

Mulling. Mulling. And listening to the song doesn’t help because I love it so much and its lyrics are so tightly entwined with so many characters and plot lines… It’s stupid, I know. I painted myself knowingly into this corner years ago…and now I’m surprised to be here.

Good grief, Jagger. Your game is puzzling me.

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