Radiohead & Insomnia
I’ve never found better music to write by than Radiohead. I can describe their music using adjectives I wish I could describe my writing with: compelling, devastating, elegant.
What about music when you’re writing? It seems to be a thing that everyone has a distinct opinion on. For me, it’s Radiohead, John Coltrane, Beck (Sea Changes or Mutations, NOT Guero, Mellow Gold or Odelay. These three have the opposite effect, in that I usually end up dancing around my office, then going to the kitchen for something to eat. Not what one looks for in inspirational music), Modest Mouse, Bjork, The Shins (only sometimes. Other times they bug the crap out of me), not usually Miles Davis (except for the super mellow golden stuff), Campfire Headphase, Thelonius Monk (same rule as with Miles) oh, and reggae. Reggae is surprisingly good to write to (Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, and Dennis Brown. NOT Toots & the Maytals, not Peter Tosh, not Bob Marley or Lee Perry. They are in the same category as Guero), except for the fact that I rarely write something that feels reggae to me. But reggae is sort of entrancing, and I guess that’s the effect that I look for in the music I listen to while I'm writing. It’s the kind of music that feels like it's just happening in your head.
I often feel this way with Radiohead. To further this feeling, which I like, I habitually wear headphones when I’m at my computer. And also, I think, to make more complete my disconnection from the world. I used to be really good at blocking out the world when I was a kid. I still rock at it while I’m reading. Bombs could be going off around me, and I’d probably wander into the other room without lifting my nose from my book, and fumble around to put on my gas mask one-handed. It must be really annoying to live with.
Yet, when I’m writing, I’m so distractable. Why is that? I don’t want to be. I’m really enjoying myself, but it’s like the whole time there’s this part of my brain that is just searching for a distraction, a temptation, a worry, an obligation. Stupid brain. So I just use the headphones (they're big and cushy) as a little basic sensory deprivation, with the side benefit of mood enhancement. I have even been known, on occasion, to wear the headphones when no music is playing. Not often, and I know it makes me sound weird, but I like that muffly sound to the world. The world is far too noisy anyway. I wish I could just wear headphones everywhere, and the world would just hum away around me and I could just sort of walk around in it without actually taking part.
Um, yeah. Let this be a lesson to you all. No blogging during severe bouts of insomnia.
What about music when you’re writing? It seems to be a thing that everyone has a distinct opinion on. For me, it’s Radiohead, John Coltrane, Beck (Sea Changes or Mutations, NOT Guero, Mellow Gold or Odelay. These three have the opposite effect, in that I usually end up dancing around my office, then going to the kitchen for something to eat. Not what one looks for in inspirational music), Modest Mouse, Bjork, The Shins (only sometimes. Other times they bug the crap out of me), not usually Miles Davis (except for the super mellow golden stuff), Campfire Headphase, Thelonius Monk (same rule as with Miles) oh, and reggae. Reggae is surprisingly good to write to (Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, and Dennis Brown. NOT Toots & the Maytals, not Peter Tosh, not Bob Marley or Lee Perry. They are in the same category as Guero), except for the fact that I rarely write something that feels reggae to me. But reggae is sort of entrancing, and I guess that’s the effect that I look for in the music I listen to while I'm writing. It’s the kind of music that feels like it's just happening in your head.
I often feel this way with Radiohead. To further this feeling, which I like, I habitually wear headphones when I’m at my computer. And also, I think, to make more complete my disconnection from the world. I used to be really good at blocking out the world when I was a kid. I still rock at it while I’m reading. Bombs could be going off around me, and I’d probably wander into the other room without lifting my nose from my book, and fumble around to put on my gas mask one-handed. It must be really annoying to live with.
Yet, when I’m writing, I’m so distractable. Why is that? I don’t want to be. I’m really enjoying myself, but it’s like the whole time there’s this part of my brain that is just searching for a distraction, a temptation, a worry, an obligation. Stupid brain. So I just use the headphones (they're big and cushy) as a little basic sensory deprivation, with the side benefit of mood enhancement. I have even been known, on occasion, to wear the headphones when no music is playing. Not often, and I know it makes me sound weird, but I like that muffly sound to the world. The world is far too noisy anyway. I wish I could just wear headphones everywhere, and the world would just hum away around me and I could just sort of walk around in it without actually taking part.
Um, yeah. Let this be a lesson to you all. No blogging during severe bouts of insomnia.
posted by erin | 5:02 AM
3 Comments:
insomnia. i see that you posted this just a half an hour ago. i too am sitting at my desk--wondering why i'm not sleeping. maybe because it's chilly here at the moment and my body doesn't know what to do about the drop in temperature.
my body is so tired...but since i'm not sleeping, it was a special treat to find that you have (finally!) posted again.
hmmm...music and writing...a wonderfully never-ending topic. And as for wearing muffy headphones even when music's not playing--yep, i'm guilty of that too.
hey man--whatever works. ;)
That is funny. I was just trying to embed the most awesome Thom Yorke clip on my blog. He rocks.
You have much cooler musical tastes than I do. I usually listen to orchestral soundtracks from movies.
I usually can't listen to music when I write. Listening to music, like reading, is kind of a full contact sport for me, and most music either puts me in a trance while I stare blankly into the world created by the songs or makes me dance manically and embarrassingly around the house. I own very few CDs that I can allow to fade into the background while my brain does something else. In that small category are Mozart, Chopin, and occasionally something with lyrics, but only if it's mellow, like Damien Rice or Jeff Buckley.
Glad you're blogging again. I missed your writing.
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