Music and Other stuff

Hello followers, all three or four of you. I have not written a post in a few weeks, that’s my bad, sorry. I know that I have posted or blogged, I really don’t know what to call this,( so I’ll choose what I choose to call it ) about music before, but this post is about my first books (buy a copy and enjoy) https://www.amazon.com/Tazeric-Sword-Light-Zenith-Garinion-ebook/dp/B084JTQ2H1/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=J.W.+Berwyn&qid=1620784497&sr=8-1

I joined a writer’s group that holds Zoom meeting once a month. During one Zoom meeting, Jamie, the leader and high goddess of the Zoom meetings, said something about knowing someone who developed a music play list for all her books. I thought, “Brilliant Idea! I’ll have a go at it and see what happens.” What could go wrong? Right?

Now, my brain is a far scarier place then I know. My brain started to obsess over the idea of a playlist form book one and a playlist for book two. (When will the madness end!?) (BTW Madness is an awesome 80’s punk band. Check them out.) So I started to listen to my normal music. I was not satisfied with what my normal music brought to the table. Granted, listening to Oarai: Resist and Bite (Girls und Panzers AVM) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i86wXLGHZWU&t=57s Is great music to write to, it just does not encapsulate a scene like I want it too. (Don’t try me about Girls und Panzers, I’ll fight ya!)

So, I set out on an epic journey to find my playlists for book 1: Tazeric: Sword of Light and Dark and book 2: Logan’s Axe. What I found is a journey into Nordic, Japanese, Eastern Asian, Scottish, Welch and Northern European music. I did not set out to find these forms of music, but I am very happy that I did. I tried hard no to go deep into one genre or another, but to cast a wide net into the music of this planet. I also found some music that is far away from the music that I normally listen to.

Some of the new groups that I found have a soft, organic sound to it that the music that blends well with sad scenes that have that William Dafoe, Platoon, getting shot, arms raised, feel to it. (I really don’t know what this kind of scene is called.) Now, fight scenes, I can do. Some music have the hard, driving Japanese Drums like Eitetsu Hayashi // Utage (Taiko) or Nordic music Då Som Nu För Alltid (This is one of my new favorites). The music has a great drive and, almost a militaristic beat.

This is the song that I feel is a good feel for the first time that the reader meets Zenith, Traditional Celtic Song – Eleanor na Run , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8ak_m4v7VM

There is a feeling that a song brings to scene like, The ballad of fallen Angels – Green Bird, gave to Spike’s and Vicious’ fight scene was, well, epic. The music director of Cowboy Bebop, Yoko Kanno, not only heightened the scene with this song, but paired it with another song, Rain by Mai Yamane, is awe inspiring. Full scene, it’s an anime legend: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhaGpESHmPM

Yes, I know, this guy (me) and anime. What can I say, I love anime.

Fight scenes are a tricky animal to deal with. The fight scene at the S-Town gate was a scene that I had a hard time finding the proper song for. At first I wanted to force a song like this song: Evanescence – Bring Me To Life (Teminite & The Arcturians Remix) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw1SFINb09Q&list=PL-GSEuM6wHuMkbvpBH02LkFsw0UOH5Vuo&index=1 , because the song is first and foremost, awesome, but I think that it kind of goes along with the action, but not fully. So I searched for a new song until I found something completely unexpected: DJ Shub – Indomitable ft. Northern Cree Singers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTJvpfkRRdA . Native American Remix! I would have never of found this if it was not someone suggesting a sound track for my book.

I could go on about every scene in both books, but I will not. This post would take way to long for me explain why every song would be fit into the scenes of each book.

I will give you most of the songs. Some of the scenes are still in a TBA category, but I think that I nailed most scenes in the books. This was a fun project that would suggest more authors do to add depth to your books.

A few different song that I could see helping scenes carry the weight.

Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead (Cover by Alexa Melo) (The cave scene, the talk)

CloZee – Apsara Calling | Marabyliane Tribal Fusion Dance (Meeting The Guardian)

Songleikr | Ulvetime (Hour of the Wolf)

Tu-Bardh Wilson with Clanadonia performing “Tu-Bardh”

That’s about all I have for today. Brain is acting up and I need to give it a rest. Just one of those days.

Thank you for reading this,

J.W. Berwyn