I *knew* music for Beg Me For It was going to be tough

[icarus]

... but I had no idea how tough.

This is brutal. I'm looking for musical that cynical yet quirky. I thought I was on the right track with The Smiths, but while their lyrics are great, the music is just too... airy, detatched, happy in a miserable way.

I thought maybe The Ramones. But they're just too... bratty. And simple and direct. And violent.

So I checked out R.E.M. I have Losing My Religion and Orange Crush, but I'm not entirely satisfied.

Circle Jerks were action-clumsy. I tried X. Too modern. Pearl Jam. The lead singer's vibrato just doesn't work for this.

I tried Talking Heads. Swamp and Once In A Lifetime were sort of... but they weren't. Too much pep. Velvet Revolver, appropriate for SNAFU, not Beg Me For It.

The Smiths and R.E.M. come the closest I think. Any ideas?

ETA:

The Dandy Warhols!
There's a new R.E.M. option So Fast, So Numb.
I'm going to check out some early Clash.

There was a group that came out right around Soundgarden (mid-late 90's), but they were darker, with a heavier baseline. I recall a video of theirs had a macabre series of images of torture and dismemberment in claymation. There was a sort of resigned observant hopelessness to their lyrics. They're a major band... damn, what was the name?

ETA2: Tool! Thank you, aquatryst.

Now to check out Tool, Placebo, I'm definitely adding The Clash's Career Opportunities ("they offered me the office / offered me the
shop / they said I'd better take anything they'd got" -- ha!), and maybe Red Angel Dragnet, Complete Control, and What's My Name?, possibly Overpowered By Funk (these are hard to tell from 30-second clips, but the only Clash CD I own is London Calling). *back to scoping out music*

Comments

[simmysim.livejournal.com]

A few all girl bands have reminded me of that fic, actually, unless you want one with a male singer?

[cyanei.livejournal.com]

Stone Temple Pilots have Scott Weiland as the singer so the vocals have the same sound as Velvet Revolver, but the music is somewhat mellower.

You might try Placebo; they have clever lyrics, and their songs are kind of ironically edgy. Some of their songs are mellowdramatic and mopey, so probably not what you're looking for, so if you want specific recommendations I can give them.

The Dandy Warhols are cheerful and sarcastic.

Depeche Mode might work?

Oh, have you heard of Fiction Plane? The lead singer is Sting's kid, so his voice has a similar quality, but the music is cynical and pointed. You might try "Hate" or "Everybody Lies".

Hm. I have more suggestions, but I guess you could start with this?

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

I might have said Squeeze, but if Talking Heads are too peppy, then they're right out.

How about Elvis Costello (something early, but not too early...like, maybe from Imperial Bedroom or Spike?).

Ian Drury? Nick Lowe? John Doe (without the rest of X?)

[adred.livejournal.com]

REM 'So fast, so Numb'?
Dandy Warhols?

[cordelia_v]

Did you think about Talking Heads' Take Me To The River?

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

I second the Elvis Costello recommendation.

Maybe Richard Thompson, if he's not too flat-out melancholy?

Robyn Hitchcock has a lot of stuff that fits that description, though maybe he's just too weird?

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I put on The Smiths a lot when going to write Harry/Draco. It's just so British and convoluted.

[stinksap.livejournal.com]

Adam ant.
Not his mainstream/ Pop songs like Prince Charming and Goody Two Shoes, but his early Punk songs that were cleaned up and relegated to the B-sides of some of his singles.

'Beat my Guest' 'Plastic Sugery' 'Deutchster Girls' "Whip in my Valise' 'Physical' and one of my favorites; 'Dog Eat Dog'

You may not like
The things we do
Only idiots
Ignore the truth

It's easy to
Lay down and hide
Where's the warrior
Without his pride?

We're gonna move real good - yeah right
We're gonna dress so fine - OK
It's
Dog eat dog eat dog eat dog
Eat dog eat dog eat dog eat dog
Leapfrog the dog
And brush me daddy-O

It's easy to
Lay down and hide
Where's the warrior
Without his pride?

You may not like
The things we say
What's the difference
Anyway?

We're gonna move real good - yeah right
We're gonna dress so fine - OK
It's
Dog eat dog eat dog eat dog
Eat dog eat dog eat dog eat dog
Leapfrog the dog
And brush me daddy-O

It makes me proud
So proud of you
I see innocence
Shining through
(repeat 'til end)

For the lyrics to these and other Adam ant songs look at; http://www.xs4all.nl/~antlady/

They tend to be light hearted, cheerful and good naturedly perverse songs. Adam wrote odes to fetishes from Cross Dressing, Rubber, S&M, polyamoury and even tongue in cheek allusions to bestiality.
If you want quirky, this is a goldmine.

I have MP3's of just about every Adam Ant song listed on this site- some studio, some bootleg live recordings and demos. Let me know if you want copies of any.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*listens to Adam Ant clips*

I can tell right off you're thinking of the kinky and wacky Sex, Drugs and Death Eater Rock. I'm actually trying to find songs for the utterly impossible first part, Beg Me For It. Somehow I have to find music that fits a bleak situation (Ron captured and working for the Death Eaters, pre-Draco) that's viewed through an amused if somewhat ironic perspective. But it has be rather intimate, too, since it's an intimate story. Augh.

Then find something that fits the Arena scene... *whimpers, face in hands*

The other parts were so much easier.

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

A male singer would be better, but it really does depend on the song.

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool. From the Dandy Warhols have these possibilities:

Nietzsche
Plan A
Sleep
You Were The Last High
Whipping Tree (maybe)

Stone Temple Pilots fit SNAFU better than Beg Me For It, the same reason Velvet Revolver got nixed.

Do you have any specific songs you can think of from Depeche Mode?

I'm off to check Placebo and Fiction Plane. Hmm. What do you think about Smashing Pumpkins? Too hopeful?

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I checked out Elvis Costello, but I had to nix him for the same reasons I nixed Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen (though I might revisit Cohen for the right song) -- they're just so... present... in their music. You don't think of Ron, you think of Elvis or Lou singing this to you.

Ian Drury? Nick Lowe? John Doe?

I'll check them out. I was also thinking maybe Morrissey from The Smiths, but he does tend to hit one note over and over in his songs, and that doesn't fit Ron.

The hunt continues...

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Dandy Warhols!

Nietzsche
Plan A
Sleep
You Were The Last High
Whipping Tree (maybe)

I have to hear more than a 30-second clip of So Fast, So Numb to get a feel for it (curses Rhapsody for crashing on my Win98 with a dial-up). But R.E.M. definitely has the right attitude.

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I love the Talking Heads, and Take Me To The River is one of my all-time favourites.

I'm wishing I had Hermione in this story just so I could include The Book I Read. The only tune that's cynical enough for Beg Me For It (the first part, and I really not have named the entire series after the first story...) is Life During Wartime, but it's too coked-up and hyper. Someone recommended the Dandy Warhols, so now I'm looking for something with a little more rock than them, something for the stadium scene.

And the search continues...

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Elvis Costello's a great idea. Can you think of someone who has his attitude, but who rocks out a bit more? Costello's like Lou Reed. You feel like you're reading his personal journal when you hear is songs, but it gets in the way when the song's supposed to be about Ron.

I don't know either Richard Thompson or Robyn Hitchcock, but I'll check them out. I mean, melancholy might just work. I was, after all, going to resort to Leonard Cohen (okay, he has the same problem I have with Elvis Costello and Lou Reed). ;)

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, The Smiths are very Draco, especially Never Had No One Ever. I'm thinking I might keep Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me for either Scarred or maybe even Beg Me For It.

Ron's attitude and the bleak situation are just... damn it's hard to find music for a faked rape scene in an arena, not to mention forced labor viewed through an ironic sense of humour. It just doesn't seem to come up much in the Top 40. *laughs*

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm an idiot. Why haven't I checked out The Clash? There's gotta be something in their early stuff... *rummages*

Icarus

[aquatryst.livejournal.com]

There was a group that came out right around Soundgarden (mid-late 90's), but they were darker, with a heavier baseline. I recall a video of theirs had a macabre series of images of torture and dismemberment in claymation. There was a sort of resigned observant hopelessness to their lyrics. They're a major band... damn, what was the name?

This really sounds like Tool.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Tool! That was it! You wouldn't happen to recall any of the names of their songs, would you?

Thank you. Can you believe I just found a Clash song for Beg Me For It called "Career Opportunity"? LOL! It's a little angry for Ron's mood in the story, but it's just so perfect.

Icarus

[aquatryst.livejournal.com]

I can't think of the name of the song that was most popular and had the very catchy bass guitar riff. I will keep thinking . . .

In the meantime, here's a link to one of their song lyrics and below the lyrics are links to other bands with similar sounds. This might prove useful!

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/tool/139403.html

[aquatryst.livejournal.com]

I found it! The song was Sober. Here's the link to the lyrics:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/tool/139422.html

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Their sound couldn't be more perfect for the very dark mood of Beg Me For It, especially in a Metallica and Soundgarden-heavy soundtrack. Thank you.

I suspect Grudge and Sober will be just right.

Icarus

[aquatryst.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome!

[jellynougat.livejournal.com]

Placebo? I'd go with "Nancy Boy", "Special K" and "Every Me and Every You." Oh.. then there is...never mind. I'm a huge Placebo fan, so I could suggest nearly everything and make it apply. I'd also suggest you check out The Tea Party and maybe The Doors.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Cool. I've got The Grudge, Sober, and Intolerance from Tool in my hot little hand.

Icarus

[adred.livejournal.com]

Well, when I've sorted out your Metallica and Beatie Boys, maybe I can send you that too. I think it has an amazing undercurrent of energy and might just be right for your fic :-)
Dammit, you have a slow connection: this exchange might take forever ...

[alafairnadia.livejournal.com]

really early suicidal tendencies and beastie boys -- when both were making punk. (yes, the beastie boys made punk before they made rap/hiphop)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Metallica and Beastie Boys (and Helmet, Midnight Oil and Rush) were what I listened to when I wrote SNAFU, so the rhythm and energy is exactly what's in the story.

The songs so far (not in order and this isn't final -- parenthesis means I don't have the song or am not sure about it):

It seems to be that BMFI is a dark and quirky mix, not-quite dominated by Tool.

Tool - Sober
The Clash - Job Opportunities
(The Police - Canary In A Coal Mine)
(The Ramones - Pinhead)
R.E.M. - Orange Crush
Tool - Intolerance
Dandy Warhols - Nietzsche
(The Ramones - Beat On The Brat)
(The Ramones - The Crusher)
R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
Tool - The Grudge
Dandy Warhols - Plan A
(The Clash - London Calling)

Drabbles series.

(Garden of Serenity - The Ramones)
(You Were The Last High - Dandy Warhols)

Death Eater Rock is uber-sexual, overwhelmingly dominated by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Blood Sugar Sex Magic - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
The Power Of Equality - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
If You Have To Ask - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Smooth Operator - Sade
Funky Monks - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Suck My Kiss - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
(Jezebel - Sade)
The Righteous & The Wicked - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Give It Away - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Naked In The Rain - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
My Lovely Man - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
(Sleep - The Dandy Warhols)

Hey You is bleak and airy, dominated by Soundgarden.

Hey You (of course) - Pink Floyd (Percy theme)
Fell On Black Days - Soundgarden (Ron theme)
Superunknown - Soundgarden (Draco theme)
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd (Percy theme)
Head Down - Soundgarden (Ministry workers' theme)
Like Suicide - Soundgarden (Percy/Mabel)
Limo Wreck - Soundgarden (Ministry theme)
(O, Caritas - Cat Stevens)

Music is very dark/acoustic.
Fade To Black - Metallica (hey, it's short - Ron plays it)

Clutching At Rainbows is, well.
(Breaking The Girl - Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Screw Your Ethics and Six Week Charade don't have music.

SNAFU is pounding, driven, non-stop metal, dominated by Metallica.

No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys (Ron and Draco theme)
(In The Meantime - Helmet)
Unsung - Helmet
Turned Out - Helmet
Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil
Brave Faces - Midnight Oil
Stick It Out - Rush
Enter Sandman - Metallica
The Unforgiven - Metallica
Master Of Puppets - Metallica (Draco and Lucius theme)
Orion - Metallica (Percy theme)
Let Me Drown - Soundgarden (the Drowning Room theme)
The Day I Tried To Live - Soundgarden (Percy theme)
Fight Fire With Fire - Metallica
Ride The Lightning - Metallica
For Whom The Bell Tolls - Metallica
Trapped Under Ice - Metallica (Draco skating)
Escape - Metallica
Added! -> The Call Of Ktulu - Metallica
(Might move Limo Wreck - Soundgarden here)

Stand In The Ruins is wistful, airy and dark, dominated by Soundgarden again.

Fourth Of July - Soundgarden
Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden

Celebrate Life is soft and painful, dominated by... okay, no one dominates this one.

Ruins - Cat Stevens
(Sleep - Dandy Warhols might go here instead of end of DER)
Never Had No One Ever - The Smiths
I Could Have Lied - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
(Also open to suggestions. Very.)

Scarred is sexy, sensual and soaring, and doesn't have enough songs to be dominated by anyone.

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - The Smiths
Sir Psycho Sexy - (edited by ze_dragon to remove the part about the lady cop :)

Thank you, I've got Enter Sandman downloaded. *rubs hands together*

Icarus

[dingdongdevious.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about this, but have you heard of "The Servant"? They're a British band. I'm not completely sure how appropriate their lyrics are as they can be kind of cryptic, but check them out - maybe something will click.

Beg me for it vs Sex Drugs and DE Rock

[stinksap.livejournal.com]

Ergh. Yeah, I think I was. I saw quirky, and that is what I focused on.

Serious but quirky?
What about 'The Cure?' or better yet;

"The Violent Femmes"

Chack out these songs and see if they fit your mood better- lyrics at the links.

I'm living in a bad dream.
http://www.violentfemmes.net/lyrics/bad_dream.htm

Living a Lie
http://www.violentfemmes.net/lyrics/living_a_lie.htm

Confessions
http://www.violentfemmes.net/lyrics/confessions.htm

Promise
http://www.violentfemmes.net/lyrics/promise.htm

Re: Beg me for it vs Sex Drugs and DE Rock

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Serious but quirky?

Yeah, strange mood to find. I have Tool for the hellish external environment at the Ministry, but Ron's songs have been tough.

"The Violent Femmes"

The Femmes! How could I have forgotten them? I guess I usually think of "Raisin in the the Sun."

Here's what I have so far on the playlist (for just BMFI):

Sober - Tool
Career Opportunities - The Clash (it's a little too peppy by itself, but if I follow it with...)
Pinhead - The Ramones (...it might work)
Orange Crush - REM
Intolerance - Tool
The Grudge - Tool
Beat On The Brat - The Ramones (or maybe...)
The Crusher - The Ramones
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me - The Smiths (this song is utterly perfect for the arena)
Plan A - The Dandy Warhols

Thank you!

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm off to check out Placebo. I love The Doors, but if I had them anywhere I'd put them with the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Sex, Drugs and Death Eater Rock. The Tea Party is a good idea.

Thank you!

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

You know, I believe that The Beastie Boys started as a punk band. They are such punks after all, eh? ;)

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think I have the majority of the bands set, at this point it's a matter of fine-tuning the list -- though if The Clash's Career Opportunities sticks out as much as I think it does, I may have to go hunting again.

Icarus

[alafairnadia.livejournal.com]

they did. cookie puss. omg. yay!

[cyanei.livejournal.com]

I'm just realising that all of the scenes I had Depeche Mode down for are in SNAFU. *g* So nix that.

The Smashing Pumpkins might work! I hadn't thought of that.

How 'bout the Vines, or ... hm, Oasis?