May Discussion - Music

[Davrick]

Ahhh music!  What would the world be like if it didn't exists?!  If you haven't been able to figure it out by now, this months discussion will be on music.  It´s about what music people like to listen to while reading. What music do you associate with different books? What music makes you think about WoT? What kind of music do you associate with the BT, the taint, the light and the shadow?

 

To help us out with this discussion I've asked a member from The Band of the Red Hand to come and moderate. She has been a member of DM since July of 2006 and is also active in the White Tower and the Aiel.

 

I'd like to introduce to you all to BridMorgan!!  Brid discovered Wot in the late 90's early 2000's while she was looking for a new book to read.  While looking the cover of EotW caught her attention and she gave it a shot.  Fast forward a few years and I guess could say she got hooked on the series.

 

Please don't post till after Brid comes and starts the discussion.  You all get 10 points for participating.  Also please be respectful of others.  I know some people are very passionate about the types of music they like or dislike so lets not attack anyone for their tastes in music.

 

[BridMorgan]

Thanks for the intro Dav.     I'm very sorry I am late but I'm here and ready to go.

 

So we are here to discuss music, more specifically, music in relation to books.  Do you listen to music when you read?  What types of music to you listen to when you read?  Do you listen to specific music for certain books?  We'll look into these questions and more during this conversation. 

 

As Dav mentioned, lets al play nice, although I know all of us will. 

 

1.  Do you listen to music when you read? 

 

I can't listen to music when I read, it is too much of a distraction.  I find myself wandering off with the music instead of the book.  I used to study for exams in college with music though.  I found it would help me focus.  I would listen to instrumental music, (celtic, LoTR soundrack, etc.).  I definitely couldn't listen to anything with words, I'd find myself singing along instead of studying.  *g*  But if reading for pleasure, I just cant read and listen at the same time. 

 

2.  What music comes to mind when you think of WoT?

 

Anything by Howard Shore.  His LoTR soundtracks were amazing and those are the types of songs I imagine when thinking of music for WoT.  The epic style music.  John Williams also comes to mind.  (Star Wars, Harry Potter)

 

For this question, please answer as a whole.  Meaning what music come to mind when you think of WoT as a whole.  We will discuss music and certain scenes, characters, etc as we go on.

 

3. Are there any other books you read that evoke a strong music theme for you?

 

Another series of books I love are the Terry Brook Shanara series.  These evoke strong, dark, music styles for me.  Your more sad, again, instrumental music.  Although with some of the battle scenes in the books, I think of Danzig and Pantera.  *g*

 

Now I shall turn the floor over to you all, and I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say.

[Leyrann]

I always listen to music when reading. Mostly symphonic power metal. Some bands are Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire, Epica, Stratovarius and Edenbridge. And yeah, I'd most likely read a bit faster without music, but that doesn't really matter to me. Good music makes life a lot better.

 

For songs that make me think of WoT, the first one is obviously Wheel of Time, by Blind Guardian:
 

 

Some other songs that make me think of WoT are And Then There Was Silence, also by Blind Guardian, a couple of songs from Sonata Arctica (to be exactly the ones that my brother gave me as first taste of Power Metal. I was listening the songs he gave me all the time when reading WoT for the first time. Some bands that have songs that make me think of WoT because of this are Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian, DragonForce, Nightwish, Equilibrium).

 

And that's actually the only way that I "connect" books and songs in my head, except maybe the later albums of Rhapsody of Fire, that tell a fantasy story, where some parts are narrated by Christopher Lee, the actor who played Saruman.

[Nikonis]

1.  Do you listen to music when you read? 

No, as you said having music play while reading a book distracts me.  I do listen to music while playing computer games and performing everyday tasks but when I have to focus on something then the music needs to go off.

 

2.  What music comes to mind when you think of WoT?

I'd say orchestra music, just something instrumental for background music while containing no lyrics to distract from the text.

 

3. Are there any other books you read that evoke a strong music theme for you?

Nope, I don;t generally think of music when I'm reading a good book. I just let the text take me into the world and use my imagination to picture everything.

[lolguy26]

There's a song "42" by coldplay that seriously remind me of rand and the taint (I'm on the phone so I can't post it but its worth the search), but I love reading and listening to music and just music in general (like I'm doing now).

 

The fray have a song "the wind" some parts of it remind me of rand and cadsuane.

 

In general I like alternative music, indie pop, rock and abit of hip hop (B.o.B comes to mind cuz of his awesome lyrics), so I've gone through this phase of classic music, come fly with me, speak softly love, hotel calfornia, those, the script, tokyo police club, scouting for girls, three days grace, daughtry, paramore to name a few bands that I have on my phone now

[Turin Turambar]

1. I do listen to music when I read. Whatever comes out of my mp3 collection. I only use it as white noise to block out other distracting sounds. Occasionally sidetracked but just go back on reread whatever I didn't get the first time.

 

2. WoT evokes string instruments to me. As I generally feel it is being told by a performer. With the harp or lute or similar as a background to the voice telling the story.

 

3. See 1.

[BridMorgan]

Alrighty, I see that most of us don't listen to music while we read.  That being the case, we can open this up to a more general music conversation if Dav doesn't object.

 

1.  If you had to pick one song to describe your life on a daily basis, what would it be?

 

2.  When do you listen to music the most?

 

3.  Do you listen to music in the shower?

 

4.  What is your favorite music genre?

 

Please feel free to add your own questions too! 

[Niniel]

I usually don´t listen to music when I read as it distracts me. When I read LotR the first time I listened to Enya (The blue album). So everytime I hear those songs I see different parts of the story in front of me. As most of you know, I haven´t seen the films but I guess it works really good with her music. 

 

I haven´t listened to music while reading WoT but sometimes when I hear a song I can think of a WoT scene. One of my favourite songs, Paranoid (Garbage), makes me think of Rand. 

 

I think the Black Tower needs some dark, chaotic music. :D 

 

 

 

 

Pick a song that describes my life... Well, that was a tough question. I often listen to different kind of music depending on mood so I´m not sure that I can find one. Will think about that. 

 

I listen to music most when I wash the dishes because it´s so boring. I like it quiet most of the time. My family listens a lot to music though so I have to listen to their music. Also, my bf is a musican so I have to listen to his guitar play all the time. 

 

I don´t have a favourite music genre. I like old fashion grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam), heavier music (Metallica), dance music (trance) and pop. I don´t like soul and r´n´b.

 

I think it would be fun to see what kind of music you all associate with the different groups/scenes in WoT. 

[Davrick]

When I do find time to read I usually either read without music playing or I'll have something on shuffle so I'm not paying much attention to whats being played.  I used to listen to while in the shower but I haven't done that in a long time.  My favorite type of music would have to be rooted in rock/blues.  However I listen to all kinds.

[Drawwod]

I've always listened to music when I read it started when I was 12 i was reading legend of Luke by Brian Jaques and listening to the Bon jovi album crossroads then I'd here a song off of that album and I'd think of that book I love rock music so it's all it's all I really listen to lol

[BridMorgan]

Drawwod..Bon Jovi!! Old or new?

[Drawwod]

Old most definitely

[Tsukibana]

I enjoy music while I read. Unfortunately, I actually ruined listening to anything else while reading the WoT.

Before ToM, I was doing an EPIC reread (I mean 11 books in 14 days), and I looped a song called You are Not Alone, a remixed version of the Final Fantasy 10 song

 

 

 

Now, nothing else says WoT, to me.

[BridMorgan]

Figured I should answer my ownd questions.  *g*

 

1. If you had to pick one song to describe your life on a daily basis, what would it be?

Now I realize what a hard question this is to answer.  I have no clue what song I would pick.  LOL

 

 

2. When do you listen to music the most?

Probably in the shower or car.  I used to listen at work all the time, but now i"m in an office with 3 other people so we talk more than anything. 

 

3. Do you listen to music in the shower?

See number 2.

 

4. What is your favorite music genre?

I would have to say celtic/new age (Enya, ).  I've been on a woman voacalist kick for the past few years now.  Mostly rock/pop.  I am a huge 80s hairband freak too.

 

Anyone have any questions to add?  More discussion?  I'll ask more questions later today if no on has anything. 

[Locke]

I enjoy music while I read. Unfortunately, I actually ruined listening to anything else while reading the WoT.

Before ToM, I was doing an EPIC reread (I mean 11 books in 14 days), and I looped a song called You are Not Alone, a remixed version of the Final Fantasy 10 song

 

 

 

Now, nothing else says WoT, to me.

I recognize that song. (Although I think you mean Final Fantasy IX haha)

 

 

Does anyone else think there's a section of songs that has the just right amount of appeal. Like, it's good, but not so good that it distracts you from what you're doing. 

[Drawwod]

Doesn't everyone listen to 80s hair metal?! Can't beat a bit of Bon Jovi or Def Leopard!

[Niniel]

Of course. But I can´t imagine that Def Leppard and fantasy is a good mix. Pour some sugar on an elf?

 

Maybe celtic music fits fantasy the most? Hm...

[Niniel]

 

I love this song. I might have listened to it when I read LotR because I see a picture of Frodo and Sam walking in my head.

[Drawwod]

Personally the Celtic music from films like LotR does my head in I'd rather listen to something like def leopard or avenged as I'm reading

[Guest]

celtic music...frm lotr? lol ther is almost no celtic music in lotr, neithre brythonic or gaelic, an gievn tolkien was mosly basing on anglo-saxon an scandinvian myth, it wuold be strnge to have had much of taht in there. closest it evre gets is th two folk songs by merry an pippin, one sung in green drgon and the othre in meduseld, but thos cuold be easily the comon drnking songs of the germanic people too, and the shier theme dos suond a bit gaelic at parts, but not really anythng else. in the hobbit, the crack the plate song sonded something of insular celtic folk music, but tahts abuot it. most of everythng else suonded germanic/norse and wagnerian.

 

[suchmadness]

I have very eclectic taste in music and it all depends on what mood I'm in. From indie rock to techno and metal. I like listening to Liliy Alan when I'm bike riding for example and when I do house work I like to listen to Lady Gaga. She's fun and it makes the work goes quicker.

When I'm angry I like to listen to Slayer and Metalica.

 When I'm reading I like having classical music in the background as I found it enhances my reading experience. Especially Mozart.

For WoT it's Vivaldi and Beethoven especially the sixth and fifth movement respectively. So much passion and a sense of inevitability!

When I'm in the shower I like to sing as I'm in the choir and the bathroom has great acoustic for practising.

For this group I think you can't go past Madness 'welcome to the House of Fun' as greeting song for new member.

                                    

                                          GJ2X9SANsME

[suchmadness]

Whoops just wont allow me to download video at all because of copyright issue but look it up if you don't know it. It's suit this group so much.

[suchmadness]

here is the song. What do you think?

 

                                   

[Tsukibana]

I must admit I'm not a fan... late 80's??

Too much brass. :)

I prefer strings.

[suchmadness]

Yep that's ska for ya. You have to be in the mood for it.

 

To be taken in small doses.