Music and writing: Smack you in the face

When I was writing the first draft of Chasing Filthy Lucre, I did it while listening to a lot of trip hop music. It had the feel I needed to keep me moving forward, and I had this thought. What if I could create an original soundtrack that went along with the book? I even went as far as creating a track listing.

I asked my brother, who is a musician, if he'd like to try his hand at creating these songs. He was too busy to do it, and the project never got anywhere. But I'm still listening to trip hop while I write the follow-up books to Chasing Filthy Lucre.

I was going to write a paragraph or two here about the power of music, but it seems like something that doesn't need to be said. I think we've all experienced hearing a song and being taken back to some memory. So, yeah, music is powerful. It can invoke memories. But it can also invoke a feeling.

Someday I'd love to write something that feels like these songs. Kind of heavy, rough around the edges, bluesy, smack you in the face.

In my head I see shady characters with greasy hair and sideburns that come down their jaw line. Their clothes are a little too tight and a little dated. Their breath smells like coffee and cigarettes. They are always in the middle of some kind of scheme. They have experience with mugshots and know what it feels like to be handcuffed in the back seat of a squad car.

The White Stripes CANNON


The Black Keys HOWLIN' FOR YOU


The White Stripes BALL AND A BISCUIT


The Black Keys LONELY BOY