What music was Stephen listening to while writing each novel/short story/etc?

[Unregistered]

Don't think that would be much fun for either him or me. Not to mention that it would either require a web cam or I'd have to make a 2-1/2 hour trip each way to do that as he doesn't do his writing in the Bangor office where I am. I might be willing to take the much longer trip, say around the middle of February when he's in Florida, though. I can only remember a couple times where he's kept a play list and in one case burned a CD of the tunes he was listening to as he wrote. Just don't ask me which book it was for as I'm not 100% sure which one it was at the moment. CRSS kicking in.

Do you remember the play list, by any chance? Might be fun to burn my OWN copy of this, and get on the King groove!

I vaguely remember King making a 'play list', perhaps for his "Pop of King" column, but I was never able to burn my own songs. Is this the same play list, or am I just hallucinating this?

[Unregistered]

"What do you listen to when you work?" a man in the balcony shouts.

King answers, "I've been working on the Dark Tower books for the last 14 months, and I listen to two things over and over again. I can't believe that my wife hasn't killed me, I know that she would really like to - one is a CD that has seven different versions of a techno-funk thing called James Brown is Dead. It's by a group called LA Style, and each cut starts the same way, 'James Brown is dead [big deep voice].

"Also I've got a dance-studio-size vinyl record of Lou Bega singing Mambo Number 5. And there are four versions of Mambo Number 5. There is the radio version, which you have probably heard, then there's the dance club version of Mambo Number 5 which is 7 minutes long, then there is a version called Mambo Boogie on the other side, and the last one is just called The Trumpet. It's a trumpet playing one phrase of music over and over again. Between cuts one day I heard my wife say to the housekeeper, 'He just does it to spite me'.

>>> Source

I need to get myself a copy of this. I am a HUGE Dark Tower fan. Mambo Number 5 is a rather obnoxious song, but not in a bad way necessary. I think I can see why he would listen to it, I'd imagine it got him into the zone with that hypnotic repetitive aspect to the song.

I can just imagine him in his writing room, while poor Tabitha hearing the song elsewhere in the house for the umpteenth time (and x amount of hours!) blaring out of the speakers. Hilarious.

[Unregistered]

"What do you listen to when you work?" a man in the balcony shouts.

King answers, "I've been working on the Dark Tower books for the last 14 months, and I listen to two things over and over again. I can't believe that my wife hasn't killed me, I know that she would really like to - one is a CD that has seven different versions of a techno-funk thing called James Brown is Dead. It's by a group called LA Style, and each cut starts the same way, 'James Brown is dead [big deep voice].

"Also I've got a dance-studio-size vinyl record of Lou Bega singing Mambo Number 5. And there are four versions of Mambo Number 5. There is the radio version, which you have probably heard, then there's the dance club version of Mambo Number 5 which is 7 minutes long, then there is a version called Mambo Boogie on the other side, and the last one is just called The Trumpet. It's a trumpet playing one phrase of music over and over again. Between cuts one day I heard my wife say to the housekeeper, 'He just does it to spite me'.

>>> Source

Thanks for sharing this, Bev! I do recall reading this at some point, but I had forgotten where. Thanks.

Who knows, maybe someone will one day take it upon themselves to write "The Music of Stephen King". No idea if there'd be an audience for that, but I find the idea interesting.

[GNTLGNT]

...ya know...you gaggle of folk from the Unregistered Ranch...can sign up fer reals and join us by the campfire...just mind the possum squeezins in the corner-Hoss uses it fer his tacos....

[blunthead]

[blunthead]

[fredthe3rd]

Have you listened to his Desert Island Discs radio interview on the BBC website?

[wakeupnow666]

Those unregistered posts were actually me (he said, embarrassed). I'm not sure why I posted unregistered, nor why I did multiple posts. Maybe I was tired? I've been super busy lately... had a class during the winter, and now spring classes, as well as having my own show on the campus radio station. So no time for the board.

I came across another music-related King item, that might be of interest to you folks. Basically, the band Black Flag on Facebook posted a picture of King (in VT, I believe) with some guy at a gas station. The guy was wearing a Meatmen t-shirt. King and the guy are both giving the photo the finger. It's a great picture! I'll post the picture, and if I can locate it, the story that goes along with it.

...ya know...you gaggle of folk from the Unregistered Ranch...can sign up fer reals and join us by the campfire...just mind the possum squeezins in the corner-Hoss uses it fer his tacos....

[wakeupnow666]

Attachment 16758

Here's the image of King and the guy in the Meatmen t-shirt. King giving the camera the finger, the other guy giving the sign of the devil.

I'll see if I can locate the story to go along with it, and post it if/when I do.

[wakeupnow666]

I found the original post to the King photo.

So, our four string slinger, Mr. Danny Dirtbag is out on the road with High on Fire, Goatwhore and Lo-Pan. Fortunately the driver had to take a tinkle in the middle of Vermont, and they ran into Stephen King who quickly called out Dirtbag’s hoodie and said, “We’re The Meatmen and You Suck! I own all the records!” So, they snapped a shot to say hello to Tesco!

Found on Black Flag’s Facebook page, shared from The Meatmen’s photo.

As of today, the post has 1,940 “likes”, 82 comments, and has been shared 213 times.

Attachment 16759

Hope you all enjoy.