Music and books and characters

Considering the soundtrack to Derelict Heaven is comprised completely of oldies covers, I find it a bit interesting that I actually imagine the sound of the covered soundtrack to be a little bit more along the lines of Jet, OK GO, and... the Beatles¹.

And then I started thinking about the characters, and what kind of music they listen to. And then I realized I hadn't blogged in a while. So here's an entry about my various alter-egos and the music they have stuck in the sun-visor of their respective cars/ships/starfighter jets...

Justin: Ok Go, the Strokes, White Stripes, Jet

Aroshi: Coldplay, Elliott Smith, Bush, NIN, Radiohead

Blu: Queen, Styx (so she likes operatic rock... so what), Aerosmith, Rolling Stones

Noct: Jason Mraz, Beck, AFI, Third Eye Blind, Sublime, Sugar Ray

Julian: Vanessa-Mae, Ben Folds (5), Rachael Yamagata, Tori Amos, Aimee Mann

So, hm! Aroshi is apparently a bit emo. I guess we saw that coming. And Julian is kind of a girl. Oh well².

But it's different when I think about who would sing their theme songs. Because I've got these particular artists who have voices that I can hear coming out of their mouths -- singing songs with lyrics that are like lyrics they'd have written. And that list is like this:

Justin: Ben Kweller (particularly "On My Way" and "Wasted & Ready")

Aroshi: Duke Special (particularly "Flesh & Blood Dance" and "Last Night I Nearly Died")

Blu: Chrissy Hines (particularly "Human" and "Back on the Chain Gang")

Noct: Jason Mraz (particularly "Geek in the Pink" and "Life is Wonderful")

Julian: Jude Christodal (particularly "I Will Not Die" and "Red Room")

These don't really match what they listen to... but I hear it. I hear it!

Anyway. I was thinking about this, and how closely related music is to writing, and how important music and soundtracks are to my writing process. I need music to help me keep a consistent mood. I listened to the soundtrack to FFVII on loop while writing the creepy bits of Shadows of Fire. The retro feel of the DH oldies covers gave me the nostalgia to get through the manuscript. Knowing what characters voices sound like in my head, what kind of music they like, and what kind of music they'd sing themselves really helps me get to know them as full, real people.

But I also realize that music isn't important to everyone. I know a lot of people who don't listen to music, aren't interested in it, don't play an instrument, etc. And I wonder where they get their brilliant inspiration and mood and soundtrack from -- Hm! Must be from somewhere, because there are a lot of great authors out there and it's hard to believe every single one of them loves music as much as I do.


Question of the post: What music do your book-buddies listen to? Who sings for them? What's the soundtrack to your story?



¹ Whaaaat?
² Now I'm trying to imagine them all in a van on a road trip arguing about what to listen to... you know, regardless, they will end up listening to what Blu wants to listen to, because the driver gets to pick and there's no way Blu would not drive a car...