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words-after-midnight · 1 year

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wip wednesday: what's been the biggest influence on your writing? (hard mode option: name a non-literature source! any tv shows, movies, directors, musicians, etc. you'd consider an influence?)

Hard mode is actually easy mode for me: while I love reading and have since I was a child, my writing is primarily inspired by music. Real events, movies, and TV shows have also been major sources of inspiration to me through the years, but music is - and always has been - number one.

Top musical sources of inspiration for my projects tend to be lyrically and/or atmospherically relevant to the project in question. My basic story ideas don't usually come from the musical sources, but it's common for them to have a major influence on things like tone, atmosphere, storyline development, and character and relationship development.

Top sources of musical inspiration for Life in Black and White are predominantly artists I was listening to while I was drafting (2008-2011), many of whom I still listen to today: Gordon Lightfoot, Mother Mother, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, Sixpence None the Richer's album Divine Discontent, Glass Animals, Elton John, Sarah McLachlan, Regina Spektor, Guns N Roses; the Christmas song "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, the songs "Bulletproof" by La Roux (pretty much my early 2011 loop song tbh) and "Amid the Falling Snow" by Enya. "Careful You" by TV on the Radio is my main song for the central relationship now, but I only discovered it post-draft, so it's less an influence and more just related. Same goes for "It's All So Incredibly Loud" by Glass Animals. I named Act II after a lyric from Elton John's song "Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes," but the song isn't relevant to the story, other than two lines that remind me of it every time I hear the song. I also have a plotline that's based on the songs "Vienna" by Ultravox and "Bad Moon Rising" by CCR (aka the jam of all time).

For The Dotted Line, atmospheric musical inspiration is predominantly from 70s-80s synth, classic rock, and lyricless EDM. Lyrical inspiration sources include "Somebody's Watching Me" (Rockwell), "Welcome to the Jungle" (GNR), and "Midnight Special" (CCR).

Supernova, Velocity in Vain and From the Ashes are all inspired by real-world and/or historical events. Supernova is actually (very) loosely based on historical events (you could say it is, in a sense, a futuristic "retelling" of historical events). Its primary musical influence is Enya.

My main directorial/film influence is John Carpenter (I find you can really see his influence in The Dotted Line), but Vince Gilligan and Moira Walley-Beckett have also influenced and inspired my storytelling in major ways (can you tell Breaking Bad is my favorite show)?

Thanks for the ask!!

#wip wednesday #ask #writeblr

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lesbian-jo-march · 4 years

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Hamlet Act 5 Scene 2 directed as informed by My Chemical Romance/”Emo” aesthetics

(After so many “Hamlet is an emo” jokes studying the text, I put my money where my mouth is. Thus, this is less a joke itself than an attempt to run a joke to a somewhat informed conclusion.)

Introduction - defining emo

Modern productions of Hamlet such as Olivier’s or Hansguther’s have often cut or reduced the final scene of the play, which broadens into the tragedy of state post-Freudian productions tend to extract a personal and familial tragedy out of. Modern productions should ideally consider both psychological turmoil and tragedy of state. It is not enough for Hamlet to ‘theorise modern selfhood’ (Emma Smith), but it should utilise a modern aesthetic and philosophy which encapsulates both personal and political turmoil, which are inextricably linked throughout the play. The answer is obvious: emo. Unlike punk, it cannot effect meaningful political change but self-exploration, frank to romanticised descriptions of mental health issues, collapse of gender roles and the anxiety of a generation growing up in the instability of a post-9/11, post-recession America are all key tenets of emo perfect for the themes explored in Hamlet as a whole, especially the final scene.

Emo as a genre is much contested but here, I am basing my understanding of emo as that espoused by mainstream fans, so My Chemical Romance who describe themselves as pop-punk instead are considered emo. My focus will be on My Chemical Romance specifically because they are the most popular and recognisable “emo” band. The genre is tied to the collapse of gender roles, society and the self. My Chemical Romance is the best example of this, formed after lead singer Gerard Way was travelling into New York when 9/11 occurred. This stimulated him to check up on old friends and eventually to form a band together.

Prince Hamlet and emo

Hamlet initially seems to be tied to the genre of emo by his depression and suicidal tendencies, clear sexual confusion however that is interpreted, propensity towards wearing black, and inaction taking the form of malcontent’s satire rather than meaningful action. However, by Act 5 Scene 2 there are several more reasons in which he should be tied to the genre. L.C. Knight describes Hamlet’s suicidal desires as ‘a desire to lapse back from the level of adult consciousness’, a common theme for Gen Z explored in the book ‘iGen’ by psychologist Jean M. Twenge who adds colour by her research by pointing to the billboard success of Twenty One Pilot’s song ‘Ride’ containing lyrics ‘Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days’ and ‘Out of student loans and tree-house homes we all would take the latter’. Hamlet ought to be placed in that generation, following Robert Cohen’s convincing arguments that Hamlet is intended to be sixteen, and especially in conjunction with Hamlet’s weltschmerz Eduard and Otto Devrient described as containing (in translation) ‘all the thousand things which betray youth and excuse it’.

(Among these, Hamlet’s ‘pessimism born from idealism’ in particular speaks to the impulse of the young and discontented.)

After Hamlet’s excursion with the pirates, however, he returns with renewed purpose and has to move past this constant clinging to the past. Jon McRae would argue Hamlet has to shed his black clothing by this scene to show he has moved on, since there are no mentions of Hamlet’s father in this scene and Hamlet reaches some kind of acceptance: ‘if it be not now, yet it will come’. Then – should Hamlet shed his emo attire by this point?

I would not agree.

Direction of Act 5 Scene 2

The purpose of Act 5 Scene 2 is to resolve the themes of the play and it does not make sense for Hamlet’s melancholy to just disappear for empty catharsis. Instead, I would argue that while he acknowledges at the beginning to Horatio ‘in [his] heart there was a kind of fighting’ he settled upon the fact that ‘there’s a divinity that shapes our ends’. There is a kind of peace he finds within himself, especially compared to the fact that he initially saw that world as an ‘unweeded garden’, suggesting a distant and uncaring God.

Thus, in this scene Hamlet should be wearing the military jacket worn by My Chemical Romance during the ‘Black Parade’ era. This album is arguably the best in the genre, ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ is a cultural staple and the music video for that song alone is one of MTV’s ‘50 Greatest Music Videos of the 21st Century’. It is extremely recognisable and will conjure to mind the themes of this album, which is a rock opera about a character dying of cancer and his afterlife. Specifically, the final song of the album ‘Famous Last Words’ is a defiant cry of acceptance and confidence in one’s own individuality which sings ‘I am not afraid to keep on living/ I am not afraid to walk this world alone’. In order to accept death Hamlet must reject suicide, the same way that emo does as a genre. The military aspect and black of mourning also recall Hamlet’s father while putting a twist on the masculine, feudal ruler that Old King Hamlet represents – emo, unlike Hamlet, is unabashedly more feminine. The duel is a parody of the martial world of Old King Hamlet, and although Hamlet makes no reference to his father, he does revenge the murder of his mother. Metatheatricality is a key theme which is resolved in the final scene, this is a show battle and Hamlet, dead, is lifted ‘high on a stage’ and the actor takes his final bow. ‘The Black Parade’ is a masterwork in theatre and is visually striking. Bold stage makeup would add to this sense of theatricality as well as showing a completion of Hamlet’s self-fashioning which happens throughout the play. The more feminine aspect hardly absolves him of his blatant misogyny but should tie him to Gertrude as in many ways his fatalistic approach and composure mimic her in Act 1 Scene 2, and it is her death which spurs her revenge.

Claudius should be in a suit; a corrupt, corporate politician, who, like current leaders like Trump and Johnson, has negative qualities mirroring the society he presides over. Direct compromise to either is inadvisable and would not fit, but in an era of increased populism and focus on individual leaders over party policy, the language of corruption of the ruler as in the state in Hamlet definitely mirrors the state of current politics. His grey suit should mirror his ambiguous morals.

However, Laertes, who was previously in a suit, should be in a black one. He is a step closer to Hamlet and while not completely aligned with him he should be visually distinct from the (moral) grey of Claudius and instead share the doomed black of Hamlet as both will die.

The pivot of the scene is Hamlet’s death. It should be focused on with a spotlight over him and Horatio, with the ‘warlike noise’ in the distance muffled. The audience should be drawn into the moment between the two of them, and after the line ‘the rest is silence’, there should be a fade into darkness and silence to mirror Hamlet’s death and suggest that this is indeed the end.

However, it is important that after the cathartic collapse of the family and state there is a new dynasty in place, unlike the bleaker endings such as the ones in the Olivier production. Fortinbras is able to marry both the martial skill of Old King Hamlet and the diplomacy of Claudius in his rhetorical skill. (To demonstrate the latter, ‘I have some rights of memory to this kingdom’ should be emphasised as it is a final comment on the manipulation of history after the hope is raised Hamlet might be correctly remembered after his death). Unlike Hamlet’s role as an outsider malcontent, Fortinbras is a perfect embodiment of someone who can make the system work well. The final line ‘Go, bid the soldiers shoot’ shows how he efficiently takes control of Elsinore, and should be delivered with natural authority. The line could allow the interpretation that the surviving characters, including Horatio, are killed and purged by Fortinbras. This is perhaps overly bleak, but it is important that Fortinbras is a foil to Hamlet who stands apart from both him and the previous kings.

As Fortinbras becomes the new establishment he leans back into martial power and thus although it would be comforting to align him with the black of Laertes and Hamlet so all the foils are visually connected, he should be more closely connected with Old King Hamlet and Claudius. He is a new order between martial power and political manoeuvring, so it would make sense for him to be surrounded by soldiers in actual combat uniform but to contrast them by wearing ceremonial dress. In contrast to Hamlet’s black he should be visually striking in a vivid red.

Legacy

Emo and alternative music like punk have made a recent resurgence to combat the rise of the right globally, with Billie Joe Armstrong speaking out against Trump and the recent My Chemical Romance reunion concert taking place against the background of the Angel of the Waters statue, an important LGBT monument. Palaye Royale style themselves after the rock movements of the sixties up to inspiration from My Chemical Romance and focus on authenticity and philosophy conveyed by their music and a magazine made up of fan poetry and writings.

While Fortinbras co-opts the symbol of the military jacket for himself, he twists it, and twists Hamlet’s legacy as a ‘soldier’. He is perhaps a provider of a more stable dynasty than Claudius, but Horatio, left with the legacy of Hamlet and bound like Hamlet by the promise of memory, stands against Fortinbras’ erasure of the very near past. Although Hamlet and the old emo movement bows off the stage, as long as there is an establishment there will be counter-movements.

Therefore, though Fortinbras has the final line and control of the stage, the final image of the play should be Horatio, taking up Hamlet’s jacket not as an act of military resistance but the insistence of vigil, mourning, and awareness of tragedy which emo represents.

#hamlet #shakespeare #my chemical romance #emo #literature #tw mention of suicide #tw death

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musicandotherdelights · 2 years

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Daily Listening, Day #757 - January 26th, 2022

Album: Divine Discontent (Reprise, 2002)

Artist: Sixpence None The Richer

Genre: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock

Track Listing:

“Breathe Your Name”

“Tonight”

“Down And Out Of Time”

“Don’t Dream It’s Over”

“Waiting On The Sun”

“Still Burning”

“Melody Of You”

“Paralyzed”

“I’ve Been Waiting”

“Eyes Wide Open”

“Dizzy”

“Tension Is A Passing Note”

“A Million Parachutes”

Favorite Song: “Waiting On The Sun”

#Divine Discontent #Sixpence None The Richer #Alternative Rock #Pop Rock #2002 #Early 2000s #2000s

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dfroza · 4 years

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youtube

A painting, a poem is my voice, my song and my call in reaching out to connect with the melody of your thought-life and voice

not forced. with no man standing in the way as a challenge.

the seed is an open invitation and an alternative path to the past (tense)

(the kind rebirth of A pure Winter’s dream)

A blank first page, to be...

track #7 on the album Divine Discontent (2002) by Sixpence None the Richer

“melody of you”

#Youtube

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silverfrapp · 7 years

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before carly released her e mo tion duology we had to make do with sixpenceee none the richer’s divine discontent and the self-titled album

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tinymixtapes · 6 years

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Mammoth Grinder execute the death metal triple treat: announce release of Cosmic Crypt album, share first single “Superior Firepower,” and reveal 2018 tour dates

The fourth season is almost upon those living in polar and temperate climes, but it shouldn’t be a downer. Whining like a baby-lunged lunatic will get you nowhere, so let this be the year you embrace the slush soakers, awkward public sidewalk falls, and icicled nosehairs. To mangle one of Shakespeare’s quotes royally out-of-context: now should NOT be our collective winter of discontent. To ease thy pain, try hunkering down with heavy doses of extreme speed and noise so you can combat the harshest calendar quarter head-on and enjoy it at the same time. Try relishing the power and pleasure of having every damn synapse snapped by death metal throwbacks Mammoth Grinder, who have a cool new disc of aural thundersnow coming out on January 26! Cosmic Crypt is the band’s fourth album and first since 2013’s Underworlds. It marks their first release on Relapse, with whom they signed to earlier this year, and it features original member Chris Ulsh (also of Power Trip) on bass and vocals alongside Iron Reagan’s Mark Bronzino (also of ANS) and Ryan Parrish (ex-Darkest Hour) on guitar and drums respectively. Cosmic Crypt’s cover is adorned with art by Joe Petagno, the man most notable for his long history designing Motörhead sleeves (and for the creation of their famous “Snaggletooth” or “War-Pig” logo). The sonically-superior first single from Cosmic Crypt is called “Superior Firepower” and it can be experienced with some slow moving visuals of the totally cosmic crypt down below. Pre-order the whole thing now at Relapse or via the Mammoth Grinder Bandcamp. Lastly, Mammoth Grinder (or “Really Big Hoagie,” as they are never called) are also preparing to melt faces across America beginning in Washington on February 2. With so many shows booked, you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a date near you (apologies to Alaska and Hawaii, as always). Support for some dates will come from fellow Relapse acts Gatecreeper and Genocide Pact. Check out the tour dates Cosmic Crypt tracklisting: 01. Grimmenstein 02. Servant of the Most High 03. Blazing Burst 04. Divine Loss 05. Molotov 06. Superior Firepower 07. Human Is Obsolete 08. Locust’s Nest 09. Mysticism 10. Rotting Robes 11. Cosmic Crypt Mammoth Grinder live: 02.02.18 - Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel # 02.03.18 - Richmond, VA - Strange Matter # 02.04.18 - Raleigh, NC - The Maywood 02.05.18 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn 02.06.18 - Memphis, TN - Rock Room 02.07.18 - Little Rock, AR - Vino’s 02.08.18 - Dallas, TX Club - Dada 02.09.18 - Houston, TX - White Swan 02.10.18 - Austin, TX - Barracuda 02.11.18 - San Antonio, TX - Korova Basement 02.12.18 - El Paso, TX - Neon Rose 02.13.18 - Tucson, AZ - Club Congress $ 02.14.18 - Phoenix, AZ - The Rebel Lounge $ 02.15.18 - San Diego, CA - Space Bar 02.16.18 - Los Angeles, CA - The Resident 02.17.18 - Oakland, CA - Eli’s Mile High 02.18.18 - Santa Cruz, CA - TBA 02.20.18 - Salt Lake City, UT - Beehive Social Club 02.21.18 - Denver, CO - Streets of London 02.22.18 - Des Moines IA - Vaudeville Mews 02.23.18 - Minneapolis, MN - Hexagon Bar 02.24.18 - Chicago, IL - Reggie’s (Small Room) 02.25.18 - Detroit, MI - Cellarman’s 02.26.18 - Cleveland, OH - Now That’s Class 02.27.18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Rock Room 02.28.18 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie 03.01.18 - Boston, MA - Middle East Upstairs 03.02.18 - Brooklyn, NY - Saint Vitus 03.03.18 - Montclair, NJ - The Meatlocker # Genocide Pact $ Gatecreeper http://j.mp/2kqHViz

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