#The Story of Moondog

[ohnostalgia]

Hulk Comic #14

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

The Ghost of Frigate Point Lighthouse is now complete and all chapters are up on ao3! In this bittersweet story, full of angst and lots of hurt/comfort with a happy ending, Blackbeard's ghost suddenly appears after Stede moves to town, and the two have to unravel the mystery of why he's haunting the lighthouse at Frigate Point so he can move on. As the mystery deepens and they learn more about each other, they start to realize they might not want Ed to move on at all.

If you haven't been reading along, I want to ask: why? And also: what if it weren't like that? This fic is about 50k words, rated E. Further propaganda below:

Titles taken from Moondog's "High on a Rocky Ledge" from OFMD's pilot, in a plot-relevant way that's subtle as first and then will make you go "oh fuck. oh shitdamn. oh wow. oh no. fuck." And that's my guarantee

Trans man Ed and Jim bonding over discussions about gender and also a healthy mutual appreciation for The Muppets

Frenchie, The Ghost Expert

Izzy and Stede meeting and immediately basically trying to shoot psychic destruction spells at each other

Ghost Sex (don't worry about the physics of it, just read with vibes and love in your heart and you'll have a good time)

Stede spoiling Ed with trips to all the most romantic date spots, including the aquarium and Claire's

Give it a shot! It's my favorite thing I've ever posted - if you're into ghost stories, creepy tales, existential dread, or even just a sweet love story, you'll enjoy it.

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #348 - Jimmy Raney, A, 1957

La Storia della Prestige Records è anche la storia di una intera generazione di musicisti che ebbe la possibilità di incidere, sebbene in modo anticonvenzionale, con la creatura di Bob Weinstock. Weinstock è famoso per altri motivi, su cui ritornerò nelle prossime storie, prima fra tutte la sua estrema "parsimonia" economica, eppure fu un grandissimo talent scout, con un fiuto davvero notevole, tanto che fu fenomenale nel far registrare più cose possibili ad artisti che sapeva sarebbero poi andati verso concorrenti più grandi ed economicamente attrezzati. Oltre a ciò, viveva un eclettismo di produzione che pochissime case editrici avevano: registrò dischi di arpa jazz, duo e trio con strumenti inusuali, persino di musica d' avanguardia (i tre album che Louis Thomas Hardin, conosciuto come Moondog, incise per la Prestige tra il 1956 e il 1957). Il disco di oggi segue un'altra delle passioni di Weinstock, la chitarra jazz. E mise sotto contratto uno dei più fenomenali chitarristi del bop jazz, Jimmy Raney.

Originario del Kentucky, Raney giovanissimo sostituì alla chitarra Tal Farlow, altra leggenda dello strumento e soprannominato Octopus per le sue grandi mani, nel Trio di Red Norvio, altro gigante, vibrafonista, soprannominato Mr. Swing. Parallelamente all'impegno con il trio, �� scelto da Stan Getz per una collaborazione che fece scuola, e che regalò a Raney una fortissima fama: nel 1956 vinse il prestigioso concorso della rivista Downbeat come miglior chitarrista del jazz. Eclettico, capace di spaziare tra i vari generi, Raney fu prolifico nonostante due limiti: le sue dipendenze, soprattutto dall'alcool, che lo terranno spesso lontano dalle scene nella seconda parte della sua carriera, e un impedimento fisico, cioè la Sindrome di Menière, una patologia dell'orecchio che gli provocava vertigini, nausee e drammatici momenti dove muoveva in maniera incontrollata gli occhi verticalmente.

Per la Prestige, oltre che come sessionista, incise due dischi, uno in coppia con Kenny Burrell, altro grandissimo chitarrista, (2 Guitars, del 1957), e il disco di oggi, dove come poche volte la chitarra è protagonista in un quartetto jazz. A è composto da diverse sessioni di registrazione, tenute nel mitico Van Gelder Studio di Hackensack, New Jersey, tra il Maggio del 1954 e due giorni, a Febbraio e Marzo del 1955. Insieme a Raney ci sono John Wilson alla tromba, Hall Overton al pianoforte, Teddy Kotick al contrabbasso e due batteristi Art Mardigan (nella registrazione del 1954) e Nick Stabulas (in quelle del 1955). Nei brani si sviluppa tutto l'ecclettismo e la maestria del chitarrista e il suo valore come band leader. Si sperimenta persino l'overdubbing nella spettacolare Minor, brano autografo di Raney, (che si basa sui cambi di accordi di Bernie's Tune); bellissima è anche Double Image (ispirata a There Will Never Be Another You), più un contrappunto selvaggio improvvisato tra Raney e il pianista Hall Overton in On the Square e un'intricata interpretazione della ballata Some Other Spring. John Wilson viene aggiunto alla tromba per la seconda e la terza data in studio, che consistono principalmente di standard. La vivacemente swingante Spring Is Here, una dolce What's New? di Bob Haggart e una delicatissima You Don't Know What Love Is, che dopo il successo come canzone di film anni '40 era diventata in breve tempo uno standard dopo la registrazione che Miles Davis ne fece nel 1954. Gli originali di Raney includono One More For The Mode, una piacevole rielaborazione di un'invenzione in due parti di Johan Sebastian Bach, e Tomorrow, Fairly Cloudy, un bop fiammeggiante. Completano la scaletta due riletture sentite a due classici: A Foggy Day e Someone To Watch Over Me dei superbi George Gershwin e Ira Gershwin.

Raney ebbe una seconda, ma minore, fama all'inizio degli anni '70, quando firmò un contratto per un'altra casa discografica del jazz indipendente, la Xanadu, con cui incise un bellissimo album, Influence, del 1975. Con lui in quegli anni suonava suo figlio Doug, chitarrista anch'egli, e un altro figlio musicista, Jon, cura un sito memoriale, The Raney Legacy, che raccoglie materiale sul padre e figlio chitarristi. Quando morirà, nel maggio del 1995 a soli 67 anni, il New York Times gli dedicherà un lungo articolo omaggio, descrivendolo come "one of the most gifted and influential postwar jazz guitarists in the world".

[blackroseraven]

I am legally obligated to tell you I write fanfiction and finished this redux of my very first story, about Princess Luna trying to decide where she really belongs:

[theresattrpgforthat]

any rpgs with a corporate/modern office theme? not like liminal backrooms stuff, though a fantasy/magical realist setting is ok

Hello friend, here's a few games to flip through. They run the gamut in terms of rules, but they're all relatively quick reads!

Cubicles and Copiers, by americanspaceprince.

Cubicles & Copiers takes you to the dangerous world of white-collar office work. With an absent HR department, this is your chance to bring down the B-Liev Corporation from the inside. Beware the machinations of your boss, whose malice is only  countered by their incompetence. See if you can get the sentient copier on your side before it all goes down.

This game is powered by Push, which means that it will provide you with a number of prompts that you will put together as a group to create your characters and your story. The system has a core mechanic of rolling a single dice with the idea that a 5 or 6 is a strong hit, while a 4 or lower is a weak hit. If you roll low, you can then choose to push your luck by rolling a second dice and adding it to your total. However, if you roll a 7 or higher, you miss entirely. The system prioritizes the potential for drama rather than a statistical layout. 

If you like stringing a story together using bits and pieces of inspiration, rather than pulling pieces of lore from an established setting, this might be worth checking out!

Business Goons, by Unknown Dungeon.

Business Goons is an adventure game of office exploits and boardroom battles, all on one side of a business card. Will you succeed in closing deals and selling out to climb the corporate ladder, or will you get fired?

A business game that can fit on a business card, this game is inspired by Tunnel Goons, and equally light and quick game. You’ll have an abstract sort of “health” that you might lose when you wager your reputation. Lose too much and you’re fired!

This kind of game is an interesting exercise in how succinct one can make a game’s rules. Looking at this kind of game, I’d more likely use it in conjunction with other rules, in a more fleshed-out setting, but it’s an interesting twist on using rules that were originally for a fantasy game, and putting them in a corporate office!

Skel-IT-ons, by Nevyn Holmes.

If you have to ask why you’re playing as skeletons and nobody’s noticed, well, you must not have worked in IT before.

A game of Skel-IT-onstakes place during the course of a regular, totally normal 8-hour work day in the life of an Information Technology professional. Players work through the day by the Hour, each of which works as a round, and try to solve (or pretend to solve) computer problems.

While it's a game about the lives of those who work in IT, you don’t need to have tech support experience to play! If you’ve worked in IT before, sure, bring some of that in- but remember, this is a game about having fun and a whole butt-load of “yes, and” for everyone.

This is a mash-up of Lasers & Feelings and Honey Heist, two amazing short games that use just two stats and usually create some funky characters. You’ll have both an IT specialty and a special Skeleton power, which you’ll use in the day’s efforts to solve the most recent crisis, while also trying to complete your own, secret goal (such as stealing the potted plant from the lobby). A perfect mix of mundane and magic.

Games I've Recommended in the Past

(if you really want to add a little bit of horror)

External Containment Bureau, by Mythic Gazetteer.

The Modern Eldritch, by Moondog Gaming Press.

[burlveneer-music]

Ghost Train Orchestra & Kronos Quartet - Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog

On "Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog," Ghost Train Orchestra teams up with the trailblazing Kronos Quartet to celebrate and reimagine the music of Louis Hardin, aka Moondog, the ground-breaking composer and poet who lived on the streets of New York City in the 50s and 60s, and influenced the minimalists Philip Glass, Steve Reich and Terry Riley. A blind composer who moved from Kansas to New York City and built his own instruments and mythology, Moondog's story and music continue to be an inspiration to many. Along with guests Sam Amidon, Jarvis Cocker, Petra Haden, Karen Mantler, Marissa Nadler, Aoife O'Donovan, Rufus Wainwright and Joan Wasser, the two groups explore Moondog's sense of whimsy, wonder and adventure through a cross-section of songs and instrumentals for large ensemble, string ensemble, percussion and voice. The vinyl and CD packages include an essay by biographer Robert Scotto, Moondog's song lyrics, extensive in-studio photographs by Dan Efram, and an interview with Kronos Quartet founder David Harrington and Ghost Train Orchestra founder Brian Carpenter, mediated by music historian Irwin Chusid. Kronos Quartet David Harrington - violin John Sherba - violin Hank Dutt - viola Sunny Yang - cello Ghost Train Orchestra Brian Carpenter, trumpet, harmonica, vocals Andy Laster, alto saxophone, flute Dennis Lichtman, clarinet Matt Bauder, bass clarinet, tenor, baritone saxophones Sara Schoenbeck, bassoon Curtis Hasselbring, trombone, guitar Ron Caswell, tuba Brandon Seabrook, guitar Chris Lightcap, bass Rob Garcia, drums David Cossin, marimba, percussion Maxim Moston, violin Colin Stetson, bass saxophone Guests: Sam Amidon, Jarvis Cocker, Petra Haden, Karen Mantler, Marissa Nadler, Aoife O'Donovan, Rufus Wainwright, and Joan Wasser All new arrangements by Ghost Train Orchestra Dedicated to the memory of Hal Willner

[asparklethatisblue]

Sunless ice and darkness is not the best place for a rose nymph, is it?

For “Gods of Fear and Darkness” by shakespearesgirl and me for @theterrorreversebang​

initial concept under the cut

A few story beat spoilers under the art:

So the initial hit of inspiration was the names of the boats, of course. Terror (Fear) and Erebus (Darkness). Other inspirations included Hades and Peresphone, of course, but specifically Persephone in the Supergiant Game Hades. I adore her Queen of the Underworld look and how much she actually likes it there.

I figured Francis rules the Underworld as part of the big three (Sir John for Heaven, Ross for the Seas). He wanted to marry the nymph Sophia but was tricked into accepting James, who has a mysterious cursed injury and a mother he does not know.

I wanted him to transform in the curse of suffering his curse, figuring out that not only is he a proper god, his mother is Primordoal Darkness, making him at least as powerful as Francis, and perfectly matching him to chthonic existence once he sheds his inborn nymph disguise. He is Francis equal in all but seniority, he has a matched sundog halo (or moondog), and matching powers.

I also wanted Francis to relax a little around him, losing his sungoggles, losening up his regalia. I am so so happy with how the actual fic turned out! It’s everything I wanted, I do so adore arranged marriange and gods. Hades and Persephone is not even my favourite myth, but it really suited them. How was I to resist?

[bestfrozentreats2]

Mad Daddy - Myers, Mintz and the Moondog and How Cleveland, Ohio Changed Rock Radio

“Rick (Lux) would be upstairs in his bedroom at our house spinning his countless collection of early rock n roll records, reading Mad magazine, and listening to the Mad Daddy radio show fueling his fire for his love of rock n roll. I was his young toddler brother first witnessing all this and seeing for the first time who was to become the great rock n roll madman Lux Interior of the Cramps. It was a powerful sight that created my own fire for music. Lux would be the first in line to buy this book.”

- Michael Purkhiser, musician, writer and electronics designer

“The story of Pete Myers and his on-air persona, the Mad Daddy, is finally set straight in Janice and Mike Olszewski’s ultimate bio of this legendary Cleveland radio god. This long-anticipated tome is a bubbling brew of history and hysterics, filled with facts and foibles of the fast-talking disc jockey who unknowingly influenced generations of bop-infested no-counts, and reset the horizontal for all inspired radio to come. Essential reading and absolutely recommended!”

- Miriam Linna, Cramps / Norton Records / Kicksville Radio

[denizbevan]

The first song on this playlist (for my piña coladas inspired fic) used to be the trailer for S1 of Our Flag Means Death.

As of today, the trailer has been taken down off the Max site.

Let me get my makeup... 🤡

@dickfuckk @bizarrelittlemew

[fearsmagazine]

HELL HOLE - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Shudder

SYNOPSIS: In the heart of the remote Siberian wilderness, an American-led fracking team is dealing with pushback by government-appointed environmental advisors. Amidst the tension, the crew receives approval to commence drilling operations. However, their expedition uncovers an unimaginable horror - a dormant parasitic monster buried deep within the frozen rock. When they accidentally awakened from its slumber, the monstrous entity rampages through the mining facility, relentlessly searching for the ideal host to possess.

REVIEW: From the family-run production company Wonder Wheel Productions, led by Toby Poser, John Adams, and their daughters Lulu and Zelda Adams, comes HELL HOLE, a delightfully wicked creature feature. Their profound passion for genre films is evident in their cinematic creations such as this entertaining adult horrorfest. To borrow a line from George Carlin, their films possess the power to "infect your soul, curve your spine, and prevent the nation from claiming victory in war."

The plot is straightforward, timeless, and includes some delightful nuances. The film's opening sequence, set in 1814 Siberia during one of Napoleon's battles, is particularly hypnotic as it starts the film off with a thrilling bang. The characters are appealing and draw the viewer into the story. The environmentalists are a contrasting scientific duo, with one exuding a mad scientist persona. The drilling crew is humorous, and while some of their dialogue may seem excessive, their heartfelt performances make it enjoyable.

Regarding the creature mythology, some of the proposed scientific explanations are intriguing, while others are intentionally far-fetched to add dark satire. The plot has a subtle Lovecraftian touch, as it feels like a prehistoric Cthulhu, envisioned as a shell-less, tentacled mollusk seeking a refuge similar to a hermit crab, but with a distinct attitude. The writing skillfully blends genre elements, satisfying fans' cravings while simultaneously leaving them wanting more.

The creature design in HELL HOLE is a combination of the work of artist Todd Masters and his team at MastersFX and Trey Lindsay of Moondog Pictures. The creature is fast and elusive, and the filmmakers wisely chose to only show glimpses of it, maintaining an air of mystery and magic. This simple but effective design portrays the creature as a multi-tentacled beast with a mischievous personality, reminiscent, again, of a young Cthulhu. Despite the film's many "wtf" moments, the creature design never grows old.

HELL HOLE showcases exceptional production elements that enhance its overall impact. The film's location selection, cinematography, and editing are meticulously executed, contributing to the creature and special effects sequences' effectiveness. Moreover, John Adams' superb score elevates the film's atmosphere and energy. The music begins with classical movements to punk and heavy metal themes as the film intensifies and aligns perfectly with the film's tone, creating a harmonious blend of sounds and visuals.

In addition to the film's local cast it includes the filmmakers Toby Poser and John Adams, who create distinctive characters that captivate the audience. All the performances maintain the film's energy and engagement, ensuring a consistent level throughout. Notably, the accents of certain characters are a blend of authenticity and cheesiness, intentionally adding a humorous touch to the dark comedy.

After completing its festival run, HELL HOLE is set to make its premiere on Shudder on August 23rd. This is an excellent opportunity to subscribe to the platform if you haven't already. Prepare snacks, gather a selection of refreshing adult beverages, and get ready for a hell of a thrill ride. Additionally, Shudder offers other notable features by the Adams Family such as "The Deeper You Dig" and "HELLBENDER," which you might consider and make it a double feature night. While I have yet to see these films, I've added them to my watchlist and will rectify that soon enough. HELL HOLE has sparked my interest in the Adams Family films, and I eagerly anticipate their future projects. If you enjoyed the musical score of HELL HOLE, I recommend exploring the family's band, H6LLB6ND6R, whose music is available on Spotify.

CAST: Toby Poser, John Adams, Max Portman, Anders Hove, Olivera Perunicic, Aleksandar Trmcic, Petar Arsic, & Bruno Veljanovski. CREW: Directors/Screenplay - John Adams & Toby Poser; Screenplay - Lulu Adams; Producers: Justin Martell, Matt Manjourides, & Miloš Ðukelić; Cinematographer - Sean Dahlberg; Score - John Adams; Editor - John Adams; Production Designer - Vladimir Vićentić; Costume Designer - Ivana Mazić; Creature Designs - MastersFX, Inc.; Visual Effects & Stop-Motion Animation - Trey Lindsay; Special Effects Makeup - Kristina Miljački & Veroljub Naumović OFFICIAL: wonderwheelproductions.com FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/wonderwheelproductions TWITTER: x.com/adams_films TRAILER: https://youtu.be/hqV4y6z24Y8?si=3wg8XZGBbvr7o3qg RELEASE DATE: Streaming, August 23rd, 2024 Listen to our Interview with John Adams & Toby Poser: HERE

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

[jaeellec]

This is not the soundtrack, this is a playlist I made comprised of songs that reminded me of or felt like the story. Some show up in the final, some don't. A lot of these are actually cut! But that doesn't make them feel any less like Wandering Star to me.

Go ahead and give a listen: YouTube | Spotify

Track list below the cut!

True Colors - Richie Kohan, Faux Fix {YouTube Playlist Only} Main trailer music; feels so much like Wandering Star it hurts.

When It's Cold I'd Like to Die - Moby Feels just so vividly like Carmen and her story. Really wish I could convey how much.

This Is War - 30 Seconds to Mars I have a bitchin' amv in my head for this one.

Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea - MISSIO Stripped version used in episode 3.

Put Your Head On My Shoulder - Paul Anka Actually used for a scene in the camp!

Some Things Last a Long Time - Lizzie Grant/Daniel Johnston Couldn't decide which version to put on the playlist so one is on Spotify while the other is on YouTube.

Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes - Perry Como Still debating if I'll use this in a scene or not. Because the lyrics? C'mon on.

Fire Up the Night - New Medicine

Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Joe Anderson/Salma Hayek Makes a tiny acoustic/background appearance.

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival Cut song for castle siege prep at the beach camp.

Ho Hey - The Lumineers Cut camp song.

Time of the Season (Mono Version) - The Zombies Cut camp song (maybe)...

Say Yes To Heaven - Lana Del Rey

Counting Stars - OneRepublic Important, uncut camp song!

Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Lorde Trailer 2 music

Dancin' (feat. Luvli) (Krono Remix) - Aaron Smith Used for Carmen's "name game". Also, I have a little promo music video in my head to this one.

The Night We Met - Lord Huron

Dark Paradise - Lana Del Rey

Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass The very first thoughts I ever had about Wandering Star were to this song

Misery - Maroon 5 Reminds me of Carmen and Law for some reason??

No Surprises - Radiohead Another Law one. May use it

I Wanna Get Better - Bleachers Just feels like some of the story to me. But like...alot...Reminds me alot of the Heart/Kid Pirates

Knee Socks - Arctic Monkeys Cut song, but the vibes...There's one part in particular...

With You in My Head - UNKLE

High On A Rocky Ledge - Moondog This one I just HAD to have in Wandering Star the moment I heard it in Our Flag Means Death. Brook will sing some of it

Will the Circle Be Unbroken (Bioshock Infinite) - Courtnee Draper {YouTube Playlist Only}

Still Here - Digital Daggers

Coming Undone - Korn There is an episode of the same title

Celeste - Ezra Vine Cut song for the "bar incident" scene. Liked the lyrics, but not the sound for it

Come Out and Play - The Offspring

You're Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring pfft...there's def not a cut lapdance scene to this song...

Lost at Sea - Lana Del Rey Does show up. Super important. Major moments - 'dress drop' scene.

Do You Feel It? - Chaos Chaos

Mermaid - Skott

Saturn - Sleeping At Last This one hits hard....really like it

Stars - fun. A certain character's theme song

Paradise - Coldplay Really good fit for the story - just feels like it

Song To The Siren - This Mortal Coil Yeah...This is another major one. It always shows up for Carmen. Even in Gundam it played for a key moment. It feels so much like her and will show up on her own playlist

Black Bird - Evan Rachel Wood Debating on whether to use this song or the one above for a major moment. They both just fit so well and hit so hard

Kingdom Fall - Claire Wyndam Wandering Star end credits

[sivavakkiyar]

My best Halloween costume in HS was that I went as Moondog, who I was obsessed with. Sounds obnoxious but I figured most people would assume I was a lazy Viking, which people did.

But the fun thing is that I was at school in NYC, and so random teachers and staff would come up to me and say—-you look just like this guy who I used to see on the street when I was a kid—-and I’d say yeah, Mooondog! And they’d tell me wild stories and reminisces for hours, about this nice eccentric homeless man. and then say ‘wait, why do you know Moondog?’

‘Oh he’s one of the most important minimalist composers of the 20th century. Leonard Bernstein conducted him.’ And they’d lose their minds

[londonspirit]

Our Flag Means Death is special. From creating a surrealist version of the Golden Age of Piracy, to centering a later-in-life coming-out story, to including people or many races, gender identities, abilities, and cool freaking hairstyles, to moving production for season two from LA to New Zealand in order to highlight the beauty of the land, Lord of the Rings-Style, and build a majority Kiwi crew. It’s makes our pop cultural heart swell to see a production being so intentional with its decisions.

But nowhere is that intentionality more apparent than in OFMD’s music. More than just fun, jokey needledrops, each song in Season One acts as a counterpoint to the action, adding emotion and depth to what becomes a surprising queer love story. A lot of the credit for the show’s unique tone can go to Music Supervisor Maggie Phillips and her team. Leah Schnelbach recently got to speak with Maggie about baroque pop, “The Beautiful Ones”, making “the non-obvious choice”, and—the long-awaited SEASON TWO.

Season two debuts on Max in the U.S. on October 5, and Neon on October 6 and is coming soon to Sky Open in New Zealand.

(This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.)

How do you start? Do you get the script and let you mind wander, or do you pick a period and do a deep dive on songs from a period?

Maggie Phillips: It depends on the project. For [OFMD] I got the scripts—at least the first four or five—so I had enough to have a sense of the love story, and the themes. I made thematic playlists. Sometimes I do character driven playlists. But across the board it starts with scripts and playlists. Then I send the playlist to the director or showrunner and we start a back and forth. And this one, same, except that I’d worked with David Jenkins before on People of Earth, so I knew his taste already, and it’s very similar to mine, which is very melodic, we both like baroque pop, we both like a lot of classical elements in our music and in our pop.

And he’s very encouraging of me to—I realized when we worked on People of Earth—he pushed me to go weird. Some people have me rein it back, but he pushed me to go even further. So, I just start a general playlist, thematically driven, mostly romantic. We wanted to play up the romance in the first season, so a lot of romantic music and songs, pop songs about unrequited love, pining, heartbreak, heart-loss, it’s been a long time since I started these – longing, leaving behind a part of your life and moving on to another part, transition…and then another part was just like, ocean life! And the sea! I made a lot of playlists and sent them over to David, and what actually happens—sometimes we’ll pull from the general playlist. I work closely with the editors on specific scenes and send over specific playlists for each scene that we were listening for. I’d make playlists of 500 songs, and then listen to that for each moment—mostly end credits in Season One—and then send playlists over for spots. But that’s how it starts, and that’s the fun part.

That���s about twenty-five percent of my job. The rest is clearing songs and tracking rights and dealing with budgets, and blah blah blah. (laughs)

One of my favorites is Moondog. How did Moondog… happen?

MP: That’s a song that I’ve had, I love that song. His music is very avant garde, there’s only a handful of his songs that I thought could be synch-able. Even that one, I had saved on a playlist years ago, and hadn’t pitched it to anyone. It hadn’t worked in any moment, this I did not put on the general playlist, i tried specifically for the end of the pilot, and I almost didn’t send it because I thought, there’s no way they’ll go for this. And luckily the editor, the editor is sometimes the middleman, they’ll try out the stuff and show it to David. They’re in the rooms with David more than I am. So like sometimes I’ll send my stuff out to editors and not know which one they’re going to show. I’ll send them 15-20 songs, and they’ll show the director or showrunner three to five choices. But Hilda [Rasula], the editor of the pilot was very collaborative and communicative, and she responded and said which ones she liked and would try, and I knew this was one of them, so I was excited. There was a handful of songs that I loved for that pilot, but this one was one of my top favorites, and she said she was going to show it, but I still didn’t think this was going to be the one they’d pick.

Sometimes I’ll get an email saying we’re putting on [one of the choices], but I didn’t get it for this one, so I got to watch the pilot like an audience member not knowing which song they selected—I immediately knew it from the first note, and was like, “Oh they went with Moondog!” And then I got to watch and see how it works.

It worked beautifully.

MP: That was a really hard spot to nail, and that song is perfect because it’s melancholy and wistful, but there’s also hope. It hits both notes, and he just left his—you have to gloss over that so you can still love Stede, but he left his fuckin’ family. He’s having this intense mid-life crisis and he does what some people dream of, which is starting over, but most people don’t do, you know? I think we hit both notes with that song. And we wanted to hit the humanity on all those characters, we see Jim, we see a few characters in that montage. And the humanity of all of them being in the boat at sea all alone…

Heading out!

MP: Yeah! For the adventure of their lifetimes! (laughs)

It was perfect, I thought. I know from other interviews with you that you had a 300-song playlist for season one, were you able to use any for this season?

MP: For season two? Yes. I definitely we still… we still haven’t scratched the tip of the iceberg like there’s so many songs I have for this show… and there’s only so many songs in the show. There are fifteen in season one and even fewer in season two, and we only have eight episodes to work with. We use one in Episode 1: “Strawberry Letter 23”, the Shuggie Otis. We used one in the trailer, “The Beautiful Ones” by Prince…

That was uhhh pretty great!

MP: That was one of the first songs—I think the first song that David and I spoke about for the show?

Oh! Like, before season one started?

MP: Yeah, even before we spoke about “The Chain”—I can’t remember if “Beautiful Ones” came from David or me? But we talked about Prince and we both bonded on the fact that we loved that song specifically. That literally was the first song I had in my head for the whole show. I think in season one the estate was off-limits because it was soon after his passing, but then by season two his music was licensable again. I’ve been doing this for almost 18 years, and it’s the first time [I’ve licensed his music]. And he’s one of my top ten artists of all time.

When we posted the trailer, I’m pretty sure the tweet I wrote was just screaming about “Beautiful Ones”, I was so excited.

MP: My Instagram post I did like a purple heart, I made my own Prince purple heart background, and put the trailer on top of a ton of purple hearts, and I put a crown on top of one of them. Just the teenage glee of ohmygod, we got a Prince song!

Were there any songs that were absolute no, whether because they were overused, or they just didn’t fit?

MP: There’s one from season one and one from season two, and the one from season one is “Perfect Day”, for the reason you just said. I think it’s been overused, that was one I didn’t pitch, but I kept trying to beat it—it’s an amazing song. There’s a reason it’s been used a bazillion times, cause it’s a perfect song, right? I tried so hard to beat it, and I think I did, to be honest, but there’s an inherent familiarity and comfort when you hear a song you know, and I think that helps that scene. And David was just in love with it, and I understand why, and I’m sure it was very satisfying for the audience.

The one from season two—it’s a Kate Bush. I had advised against it, but, this one I don’t think we could beat it. I had used it myself, “This Woman’s Work”, in Handmaid’s Tale. It wasn’t a song I pitched. I pitched “Running Up that Hill”—which then was in Stranger Things—I pitched that for an end of an episode in Handmaid’s Tale, and the showrunner didn’t want to use that one, but it made him remember “This Woman’s Work”, and he put it into a very controversial scene, for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale—some people hate it, and some people loved it. So, I of course read all the backlash online about using song, and people have strong opinions about it. [OFMD] was right after the Stranger Things TikTok phenomenon, and I thought “We’re gonna look like we’re copycats”, but David was like… “I don’t care.” (laughs) he said, “People have a short attention span when it comes to music and TV”, and he’s right. And it was a Taika [Waititi, OFMD’s Blackbeard/executive producer/sometimes director) song, Taika really wanted that song, he’d wanted to use that song for many years. Then I saw it cut into the episode, and I think they transformed the song. They re-contextualized it and made it their own, even so the lyrics have different meaning than I’ve ever heard listening to it previously. They clearly had a vision, and it gave me chills to watch it.

I’m excited to see how it’s used in this context.

MP: And that’s what I love about my job, you put song and image together and they both change, and in this instance it was really powerful. But I mean, I always, unless it’s a show that doesn’t care about overusing, I always tell David if I have a reaction or an opinion, and one of the things I’ll react to is if a song’s been overused, or feels uninspired—but this one felt inspired once it was cut in.

I feel like this show is so off-kilter, and it’s always surprising. So the other one that I absolutely love was the use of the Beach Boys for the Blackbeard reveal. How did you jump to that? To me that’s their meet-cute, but it’s not actually cute.

MP: No, it’s demonic/angelic, weird vocals…I had tried to use that song in a different tv show, and we got denied actually, because it was a violent scene, so I had that song on a bunch of playlists. I love that song. I think that was one that was on my general playlist. And when I’m trying out music what I do for these scenes is I’ll do a brainstorm playlist where I’ll throw on a whole bunch of songs without knowing what’s going to work and without thinking about it, just like “That’s worth trying, that’s worth trying”—I call it my kitchen sink approach—I try not to overthink what I throw onto that playlist and then I just play those songs against picture, because you never know what’s gonna click, and that’s where you get the non-obvious choices, or like, the counterpoint choices, because you don’t know until you put them together how they’re going to play off each other. And so that was one that when I tested I was like, “Oh fuck, this is beautiful.” Then I sent it to the editor, and fingers crossed that they’ll have the same reaction. I try not to color…like I don’t say in my emails which ones are my favorite, because I want them to have an unbiased reaction. But that one worked, and everyone fell in love with it.

That one, well, they’re all my favorite, but that one might be my favorite favorite. It’s such a good contrast! Stede’s almost dead, Blackbeard’s covered in gore, and then there’s these angelic voices.

MP: Right? They’re saving each other. The relationship is that they’re each others’ saviors, right? I feel like that moment, that song sort of captures that.

But without being too sappy, it’s not a song I ever hear anywhere, so it’s startling. Bigger question: I know for The Dropout you did mid-‘00s indie, because it’s a period piece, horrifyingly, that’s becoming a period piece.

MP: I know right? That made me feel old, those were songs that felt like just the other day?

Yeah (laughter) but for this, obviously it’s the Golden Age of Piracy, but it’s also kind of a surrealist fantasy did you have in mind an era, like “Oh I’m going to use a lot of ‘60s pop to create a thematic contrast���? Or more hodge-podge?

MP: It was more hodgepodge-y, and then David and I both like baroque pop, we both love a harpsichord, and that style’s heyday was ‘60s and ‘70s, and that’s where my sensibility—I love music from that time period. There’s psychedelic rock, and there’s just so much cool stuff that happened back then. It has a timeless classic feel, and then there’s yacht rock happening.

I’m a sucker for yacht rock.

MP: I am too! And it fits the whole fantastical/dude/extreme-mid-life crisis. I hate to call it Dad Music, but there’s an element of that. And not that I think this is a male-driven show, but there is a lot of male energy, and it’s these two dudes’ love story, mostly. But the whole fantasy of escaping your normal existence and going off to live as a pirate has that whole dude-dad-driven energy. So that music works. But I think it if I look at my playlist, it was maybe half ‘60s-‘70s, and half more modern stuff, and that’s just the stuff that was working. For me, the way I listen for music is very emotional and gutteral it’s not as much thinking and making it logical and setting rules, it’s more just what feels right, and the we just kind of ran with it. With The Dropout we wanted a hard timestamp. I was given rules from the outset, and with Dropout, I loved working on it, but it was one of the easier shows I’ve worked on because we had those clear delineations. This song needs to be from these couple years, and it needs to have been a radio hit, there’s only so many songs you can choose from, but when you’re doing a show like Our Flag and there’s no rules at all…

Did you set any boundaries for yourself?

MP: The only boundaries I set was… stuff I hadn’t heard before. I wanted to honor the off-beat weird tone. This is something I’ve never seen before. There’s almost no comparable show. I wanted to honor that with music that was new and different.

The only show that feels similar to me is People of Earth.

MP: I loved that show so much. Not enough people watched that show.

It was so clearly ahead of its time.

MP: There’s been enough TV shows that are weird, people have… it lives in some sort of niche. But when People of Earth came out there hadn’t been enough of those kinds of shows.

Did you come into season two with a different approach at all, or was it more of a flow from Season One?

MP: The only thing that was different is that we get to dive into more of the characters, and we wanted to flesh them out a little bit. We picked a lane that was successful, and we want to stay in it. There’s so much I haven’t done yet [from the first playlist] I hope we get a third season.

Do you have a moment from a movie or TV show that is the perfect music cue for you?

MP: I like really understated music supervisions, like Succession or Roma—it’s such a beautiful movie, very understated, and there’s no score actually. The sound design is so beautiful. You don’t need music, they played up all the soundscape to score it. And there are songs, but they’re very diegetic, just like, on the radio, very elegant and quiet. I like a reserved, economical hand. Or if they make me laugh with their musical choices, like a bold unexpected choice that makes me giggle.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

I just caught up on The Ghost of Frigate Point Lighthouse and I am INTRIGUED! Twist after twist! The curse and seagulls and the memory shifting and stuff! Can you give us any clues?

Oh and feel like you’re being VERY sneaky here with this bit:

“wait, Ed, what does this have to do with witches?”

“Oh!” Remembering, Ed jolted. “Yeah, I made a deal with some sea witches to help my body look more like me. Fixed my chest, deeper voice, shit like that. Beard still took fuckin’ forever to come in, though. Honestly, I don’t even think those witches are important here, I just couldn’t think of a better way to ease into that conversation.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to tell me,” Stede frowned. “I don’t want you to feel pressured into telling me something like that.”

“I wanted you to know,” Ed shrugged. “In case that’s important. Later.”

In case that’s IMPORTANT. LATER. Huh? 🧐🧐🧐😆

Ahh I'm so glad! This fic is one of my favorite things I've ever written and I'm sooo excited to be sharing it finally!

The biggest clue I'm willing to give out is about the chapter titles, which are taken from the song in OFMD's pilot, High on a Rocky Ledge by Moondog, and they're leading up to something. I know that sounds vague now, but I swear the point will become incredibly unsubtle soon enough!

As for the witches...the witches in Ed's story are genuinely unimportant, but when it comes to witches in general...🤔🤔🤔

[burnt-scone]

10 Songs/10 People

Tagged by one of my most mutually interactive @ghostboyjules hi♡

1. Space Oddity by David Bowie, my most listened to song in 2021 & 2022 because just listen to it. Brain likey.

2. You Will Be Okay sang by Sam Haft for Helluva Boss, omfg they didn't have to go off like that. This song tickles the brain and is magic on the ears. I fear a reprise of this song.

3. Devil's Train by The Lab Rats, try not to walk in sync to it if you're walking, this song is fun on the ears.

4. High On A Rocky Ledge by Moondog, was introduced by Our Flag Means Death, and haven't gone anywhere without listening to it.

5. Exit Music (For Film) by Radiohead, have yourself a main character moment staring dramatically out a window or image your favorite traumatized character.

6. As The World Caves In by Matt Maltese, fun on the brain nice for late night car rides.

7. Hotel Service by Pit Bull, it was the song my Highschool Theatre Troupe listened to before and after everything. So it gets an honorable mention

8. Nineteen by Rob Araujo, heard this song at a party and instantly loved it, it sounds like the shades of lavender and sage

9. Enter Sandman by Metallica, funny story actually, one time I was listening to this in a Playlist I have and I paused it because I decided to listen to the radio and when it turned off it Enter Sandman right where I paused it. That was weird.

10. Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles, listen to this in the same Playlist as Enter Sandman. Fun fact: Hans Zimmer is the keyboard player, and it was this songs music video (first music video on MTV) that made him want to compose for film. I feel like Hans Zimmer will be on the same list as like Bach and Chopin one day.

I really just judge music on how it makes my brain feel, and if it makes me think up stories.

♡10 People♡

@wiremouth @biscuitbi @fishfingersandscarves @piss--enjoyer @frankly-alien @gaybeardthewise @ripkarl @twottie-m8 @kibsss @wizardofgoodfortune

[loop-deloo]

no idea what album thing that anon was referring to but BOY DO I HAVE RECS:

hopping off their billy joel talk, MY personal favorite bj album is glass houses. some of his best work, everyone’s a banger. i feel like i have some credibility here being from long island, so i have many opinions about our boy billy and their all right.

other albums hmmm. i LOVE the kink’s village green. mystery jet’s twenty one is one of the best early band albums out there, the shit that they pulled being so new is INSANE. also the doors’ soft parade.

one of my favorite albums of all time has to be the lemon twigs’ go to school. it’s an experimental musical about a chimp raised by humans who experiences culture shocks and it’s insane. those boys are my everything, THE THEORY. THE KEY CHANGES UGHHHH

what else what else uhhh talking heads’ more songs about buildings and food is up there for me. moondog’s h’art songs. PAUL MCCARTNEY’S RAM THAT’S THE ONE THAT’S IT.

kinda went off oops my bad. these are just some off the top of my head 🤪 anyways love you let me know if you take a listen i love music talk <333

ok claude you sent this like a month ago, i’m so sorry. it takes me SO long to listen to albums bc i have to listen at least 5 times to be confident that i’ve actually listened to most of it. i get distracted :/ i’m sorry. anyway. i am very much working my way through

here are my thoughts so far but i’ll keep going later.

you definitely have lots more authority than me i’m from philly. tell me more opinions on bj though i’d love to hear. i think i was like a solid 8/10 on glass houses. good story. fantastic work album listened to it for most of the day while i organised boxes of pipette tips and inputted hours of mind numbing data oh my god. also some bangers for cleaning the kitchen. i liked you may be right (kitchen dancing). honestly i liked all for leyna even though it was giving slightly musical theatre vibes. just. solid. and erm also v much enjoyed sleeping with the television on. c’etait toi was very sweet and the smooth voice mm, his accent threw me off a bit but that’s my problem. and close to the borderline was a good second-to-last always brought me back when i’d zoned out. did catch myself singin along when my coworker came in the back room where i was which was. er. we’ll oh well (i can’t fucking sing).

ok i have to go now but i’ve been alternating village green and twenty one in the shower (i lost the songs a lot in here so my thoughts are really jumbled and half done but i’ll write me down soon) and making my sister play doors n lemon twigs in the car. bops. i drive in a car like maybe once a week though so it’s slow going. i will sit perhaps soon and report back.

jesus that was a lot. oh welll. there’s more coming ;D

p.s. thank for this message it’s been making me happy when i come back to it.

GIVE ME MORE (not just putting this on claude. all of u come broaden my horizons pls)