It’s Meme Central in The Scribosphere of late and I haven’t even got round to posting my own 20 Questions like everyone else, yet Maryan rocked in yesterday and tagged me for another… As I understand it, this one requires its participants to post the lyrics and/or videos of a song that has inspired them to write something. This is a difficult one, since music is probably the one thing that inspires me most so technically everything I write is connected in some way to something I’ve written; pinning it down is hard, so here are my top three.

Nine Inch Nails, Deep. I think this is a fantastic example of non-linear narrative structure and its simplicity is key to its success. Like everyone else in the known universe, I’ve attempted non-linearity in my scripts and think I was able to get a handle on it in one of them thanks to this video.

Korn, Here To Stay. This is another great narrative and shows the power of image over words brilliantly; the best use of archive footage I’ve seen in ages.

My all-time favourite then:

Tool, Schism. It helps that this is one of my favourite songs of course; what I love about Tool is their epic and dark sound, I find it really inspiring and certainly the lyrics (below) gave me plenty of ideas. The video for it is unquestionably weird and almost certainly twisted – if I knew what the flaming hell it was about. Whatever the case, the whole package inspired me to give arthouse a go myself and I came up with Thy Will Be Done, easily my most “successful” script in that it’s got me the most meetings.

I know the pieces fit ‘cos I watched them fall away:
Mildewed and smoldering, fundamental differing,
Pure intention juxtaposed will set two lovers souls in motion;
Disintegrating as it goes, testing our communication.
The light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so
We cannot see to reach an end crippling our communication.

I know the pieces fit ‘cos I watched them tumble down:
No fault, none to blame, it doesnt mean I don’t desire to
Point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over.
To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication.

The poetry that comes from the squaring off between,
And the circling is worth it.
Finding beauty in the dissonance.

There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away.
Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting.
I’ve done the the math enough to know the dangers of a second guessing;
Doomed to crumble unless we grow, and strengthen our communication.

Cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion…

Between supposed lovers
Between supposed lovers.

And I know the pieces fit.

Right then, tagging — how about Helen, David, Scott, James and Jason?