Music is a huge creative driving force behind my writing. HUGE. Which isn’t surprising considering I work as a music journalist. Music constantly inspires me and helps to create something out of nothing. It adds emotion and resonance, it stirs up memories from deep inside and makes me look forward to the writing process — if I had to give anyone a co-author credit in the Experiment in Terror series, it would be music itself. In fact, it’s rare that you’ll find me writing without music playing in the background or crammed in my ears.
And it’s not just any music either. The specific music showcased below featured very heavily in the creation of Darkhouse. So much so, that some songs conjure memories of actually sitting down and writing the novel. Rob Dougan’s “Clubbed to Death” reminds me of working in a dark study, writing the scene where Dex and Perry approach the lighthouse for the final time. Or “101 North,” by the underrated rock outfit Tomahawk, recalls the first time the duo hits the road together, bonding (sorta) over their similar music tastes.
The majority of the music below can be a little experimental for some readers and runs on the heavier side of rock and metal (Dex and Perry approved!), but if you’re brave and want to get a taste of what inspires me, please click on the links so that you may purchase the songs or albums (or search www.soundcloud.com to stream them for free). I am firmly against pirating music — remember, artists need to get paid too so they can continue to make music that moves us, and in turn, motivates me to write.
OK, I’m off my soapbox!
Darkhouse Playlist
Tomahawk — Tomahawk
Crucial songs: “Flashback”, “101 North”, “God Hates a Coward”, “Laredo”
Depeche Mode — Violator
Crucial songs: “World in My Eyes”, “Halo”, “Policy of Truth”
Faith No More — Angel Dust
Crucial songs: “Smaller and Smaller”, “A Small Victory”, “Jizzlobber”, “Malpractice”
Massive Attack — Collected
Crucial songs: “Butterfly Caught”, “Intertia Creeps”, “Angel”, “Risingson”
Fantomas — Director’s Cut
Crucial songs: All of them
Mr. Bungle — Mr. Bungle
Crucial songs: “Quote Unquote”, “Carousel”
Rob Dougan — Furious Angels
Crucial songs: “Clubbed to Death”, “Furious Angels”, “Left Me for Dead”
Tomahawk — Mit Gas
Crucial songs: “Birdsong”, “Rape This Day”, “When the Stars Begin to Fall”, “Captain Midnight”, “Harelip”, “Harlem Clown”
Led Zeppelin — “Kashmir”, “Ten Years Gone”
Nine Inch Nails — The Fragile
Crucial songs: “The Wretched”, “Pilgrimage”, “The Way Out is Through”, “The Mark Has Been Made”
Elton John — “Someone Saved My Life Tonight”, “All the Girls Love Alice”
Faith No More — Album of the Year
Crucial songs: “Paths of Glory”, “Helpless”, “Last Cup of Sorrow”, “Stripsearch”
Muse — “Knights of Cydonia”, “Assassin”, “Apocalypse Please” “Stockholm Syndrome”, “Map of the Problematic”, “Butterflies and Hurricanes”
Faith No More — The Real Thing
Crucial songs: “From Out Of Nowhere”, “Zombie Eaters”, “Surprise! You’re Dead!”
Billy Joel — “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”
^^ That one’s a no brainer
I also have a vastly different playlist that I compiled for Red Fox and I’ll have that up at some point. Thanks for reading! Now go buy some tunes!