Bad Moon Rising

Way back on September 13th 2005, Supernatural aired on the WB. Two brothers, monster hunters, looking for their missing father. I cannot remember now if I actually started watching then only that in the ensuing years it would become a large part of my life. It was probably my first foray into fandom as a collective action. The only show-specific con I ever went to.

(side note: I lost interest in the show sometime around 2010 I think, even though I went back and watched the earlier seasons several times. The constant use of fridging as a plot device was something that grated more and more on my nerves. To this day I still haven't watched the last few seasons and I don't know if I ever will. But that's a whole other newsletter topic, I think.)

But of topic today - the music. The amazing iconic music of that show. Back in '05, streaming services weren't really a thing. Pandora had just made an appearance, and digital music was steadily becoming a thing. But you couldn't just type in Supernatural Season 1 soundtrack and get a list on Amazon. (which did exist at this point but not in the way we see it now)

So the collective fandom's incredible sourcing of all the old school rock that was used in the first several seasons of the show, turning it into a master file of music that we shared around, was something to behold. AC/DC, Bad Company, Blue Oyster Cult, Spinal Tap, Three Dog Night, Foreigner. The list goes on. Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas would become the de facto anthem of the show.

Again of note - you sometimes never realize the impact music has on your viewing experience until it's not there. The Netflix version of these shows doesn't have some of the key music pieces from the original soundtrack (due to rights issues) and the impact it has on the show is undeniable, I can't even watch it because of this *laughs*

My personal favorite will always be the use of Styx's Renegade in Season 2 Episode 12 "Shapeshifter" - it's a masterclass in using music for emphasis of a scene. Watch it, it's just fucking chef's kiss. (that whole episode is one of the top ten for me I think, though there are so many in the first three seasons that are great)

I have always been a playlist maker. Back in the days of cassette tapes all the way to today. (Which honestly makes the process so much easier than listening to the radio hoping your song would come on so you could record it ... but also carries with it the ever present ethical concern about artists getting paid for their work.) Almost all my books have had a playlist at some point or another. My workout playlist tends to kick my ass on a regular basis. Jenks even got a playlist during Ghosts of Trappist production.

Some people can't write to things with lyrics. I'm the opposite, with the exception of classical music. But any soundtrack that's only music is going to make my brain think of the story being told there, rather than the one I'm trying to tell on paper. It's easier to filter out songs with lyrics for some reason (or listen to them on repeat while writing scenes like I did with Daughtry's Undefeated while writing Jenks's championship fight in A Pale Light in the Black).

I've been thinking a lot about how arts influence each other and the ways in which artists are inspired. There's just no lack in finding something to spark an idea - though as we've all said over and over the ideas are the easy part. It's the execution of it that's challenging. Worth it, in the long run.

Love,
K

Currently Reading: 
On Repentance and Repair by Danya Ruttenberg
Generation Kill by Evan Wright 

Currently Listening: 
Playlist for Immortal Wolves duology

Where you can find me these days:
Bluesky: @kbwagers.com
Instagram: @midwaybrawler
Discord: @greenskywarning
Patreon: kbwagers