Tuesday 9 August 2011

Lifecycle of a Mushroom: The Soundtrack

After some searching I think I've found my soundtrack. It's public domain and royalty free so no worries there. Have a listen:



It's a 1922 Jazz song performed by Harry Raderman's Jazz orchestra. Some interesting stuff from wikipedia, not about this song but about the era in the general:

"Prohibition in the United States (from 1920 to 1933) banned the sale of alcoholic drinks, resulting in illicit speakeasies becoming lively venues of the "Jazz Age", an era when popular music included current dance songs, novelty songs, and show tunes. Jazz started to get a reputation as being immoral and many members of the older generations saw it as threatening the old values in culture and promoting the new decadent values of the Roaring 20s. Professor Henry Van Dyke of Princeton University wrote “...it is not music at all. It’s merely an irritation of the nerves of hearing, a sensual teasing of the strings of physical passion.”"

The track definitely evokes the kind of wild parties of the speakeasy. It's has a sexual, naked legs flying everywhere, sensual, flash your knickers, fuelled by alcohol, rambunctious dancing rhythm. Not surprising considering the actual track is called 'Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me' What could that possibly mean? I love the energy of it. Lets not forget I am dealing with what can be basically described as the sex life of a Mushroom.

I think a visual style and evoking the feeling of this era could be pretty fun. Thoughts?

2 comments:

  1. "It's has a sexual, naked legs flying everywhere, sensual, flash your knickers, fuelled by alcohol, rambunctious dancing rhythm." :D :D :D

    I love this description, Tom - perfect; and yes, I think this music moves your world into a very light-hearted, rather toony place - and the 'distressed' soundtrack encourages a lo-fi art-style too, which was always your intention; I'm tempted suddenly to get you to look at Winsor Mcay - The Sinking of the Lusitania, for it's textures:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN-KdPBhyjc

    and his Mosquito film, for its bendy, rubber-hose style:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TgOpwuJA1k

    You might also want to look at all the Merrie Melodies and Happy Harmonies animated shorts too. Anyway, these are associations that pop in my head when I listened to your soundtrack; personally, I'm now excited to see how you coalesce your influences. Exciting!

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