Hi! How you doing? Hello…?
I hope that your home-administered haircut has left you still looking as hot as horribly-coiffed Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later.
Recently, I was introduced to writer, editor and writing blogger Roz Morris on the ol’ Tweetie Box by the fab Ceris at my publisher Sandstone Press. This led to me compiling an Undercover Soundtrack for one of Roz’s sites.
I’ll let Roz explain
The Undercover Soundtrack is a series where I host a writer who uses music as part of their creative life – perhaps to connect with a character, populate a mysterious place, or hold a moment still to explore its depths.
Participants reflect on how music intersects with their creative process, creating a playlist accessible on the site along the way.
I’m grateful to Roz for the chance to spend some time with these thoughts, because it was a huge amount of fun. Basically, if someone ever offers me a chance to do a Proust Questionnaire too, I’ll have got everything I ever wanted out of a writing career.
So, I’d love it if you’d pop over to Roz’s site and check it out. You can click the banner below if you’re so minded.
!['Dead Sea by the Lumineers takes me back to that time, when my heroic and funny wife dragged me back from the brink [of death]'](http://www.apoplectic.me/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/the-undercover-soundtrack-ricky-monahan-brown-2-1024x246.jpg "'Dead Sea by the Lumineers takes me back to that time, when my heroic and funny wife dragged me back from the brink [of death]'")
And, just for you, here’s a bonus track. The Delgados are a constant inspirational hum in the background of what I do, most evident in INTERROBANG‽ at it’s best. A band that created great stuff of and out of Scotland, got other folk heard, and tried to connect on grassroots and local levels.
Like, great stuff ––
Lovely to have you on my blog, Ricky! Thanks for a very moving piece.
A huge pleasure, Roz – thanks for the opportunity. As it happens, I’m finally able to face my blog now that the year has turned, and I’m about to put up my Eight Tracks for 2020. As for 2021, I’m hoping that I’m going to get sight of that novel you’re working on qua Roz…!
The pandemic has stripped a lot of the musical creativity from me i’ve found, somewhat upsettingly. And my listening has been limited to stuff I’ve been playing mostly. Also the new music in 2020 hasn’t caught my ear yet. Nothing like last years Jaime by Brittany Howard, which I loved. I also fear we are about to get some not very good quarantine inspired music coming our way.
But I remain hopeful. The 1920s had a boom of music once people recovered from the terrible end of the 1910s. Perhaps we will see the same in 2023!
As to particular music I like you know I mean, well, you know what the list is. The seventh symphony is probably a winner. Or Pet Sounds. You know. etc…. I could insert a list.
I liked your interview though. Great.
Yes, well. Of course, I am of British popular music of the 80s, which itself is born of monochromatic awfulness yet absolutely wonderful. (Cancel as applicable – Ed.) Hard for anything of 2020 to break through the static, and the Eight Tracks I’m pulling together for the 2020 edition feel to be mostly of other times and places.
Thanks for the liking, pal – you know it means a lot that one of Stroke’s major players enjoyed it.