Writing Fuel: The Dream Project Playlist - Vol. 1

Upon embarking on my dream writing project, I've come to the conclusion that I need to get back into the music I was listening to back during the time when this story will be set. The purpose is to help me get into the right headspace to write this stuff, to help spark ideas for scenes and story elements, and to bring back details of memories that will form the foundation of this story.

I've also decided to post said playlists on Ye Olde Blog. It's gonna be coming in several volumes and contain tunes and bands we were rocking out to back in the day. Some of these are going to be character-specific, as I listened to different tunes depending on who I was hanging out with. Others will be general stuff that we jammed to when we were hanging out as a group. The rest will be made up of stuff I was way into back then.

First up, I think an overview of what will be coming is in order. This will set the mood and put pictures of harassing farm kids and weekends spent on movie marathons and epic video game sessions in my head. Get your headphones, get comfy, and prepare to experience what my teenage world sounded like...

Track 1: Tecmo Superbowl opeing theme

This is the ONLY way to open this playlist. My homies and I wasted soooooo damn much time playing this game, and I don't know what they thought, but I had way too damn much fun! And to this day, this, the intro to my favorite video game of all time, still gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

Track 2: Sad But True by Metallica

Far from my favorite Metallica tune. I'm a much bigger fan of their thrashier shit and if you put a gun to my head, I'd probably say my favorite Metalli-track is Trapped Under Ice. That said, The Black Album was a huge record back in the day, and is also where my friends jumped on the Metallica Express. And in terms of sheer heaviness, this tune is the shit.

Track 3: Three Little Pigs by Green Jelly

The artists formerly known as Green Jello were a big deal to us for like one summer. Not because it's actually good music, cuz it's not. Actually, it kinda sucks nutsack. But it was funny, the music video for Three Little Pigs was a fucking riot, and that was what was important to us back then. These guys will reappear in a future volume.

Track 4: The Wild Life by Slaughter

This was a staple of driving around with my good friend RV (yes, I will be using nicknames). Not sure why we dug Slaughter so much, although I suspect the hot woman on the cover of their Stuck It To Ya album cover had something to do with it.

See?

Track 5: The Lumberjack by Jackyl

Another tune that became a cruising classic for my friends and I. Just some good old dirty rock n' roll, complete with a fuckin' chainsaw solo. This tune gets bonus points for bringing up hilarious memories of my buddy Ham trying to sing the chainsaw part. Good times.

Track 6: Basketball Jones by Cheech & Chong

"I got more moves than Ex-Lax!" Thanks to RV, I'll never forget this song as long as I live. Thanks, buddy!

Track 7: Skin O My Teeth by Megadeth

I was a dyed-in-wool metalhead. Still am. My friends? Not so much. They all dug the loud shit, but they didn't tolerate the heavy, thrashy stuff I was getting into towards the end of high school. So when I could get them to listen to full-on metal, I counted that as a win. Megadeth's Countdown to Extinction record was one of the metal platters they tolerated the best.

Track 8: Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen

My friend Halfstack introduced me to Queen. He also helped facilitate my falling in love with sing along with the radio in the car. So the next time you pull up to a stop light and hear me slaughtering some Cheap Trick or Fountains of Wayne song, you can send your hate mail Halfstack's way.

Track 9: I Saw Red by Warrant

One of the greatest hair metal sing-along records ever made. Just screaming along with Cherry Pie gets you all stoked for mischief and shit. But this song stands out for me cuz we came up with some gory alternative lyrics. That was good practice for making up lyrics so I could sing along with Babymetal years later.

Track 10: Rock of Ages by Def Leppard

We were into Def Leppard back then. Of course, we were into Def Leppard back then. Wasn't everybody?

Track 11: Slow Ride by Foghat

Another album that got a lot of playing time with RV at the wheel was the Dazed & Confused soundtrack. For good reason, too. It's a kickass compilation of killer classic rock tunes. I honestly don't think I'd ever have come to appreciate classic rock without this album.

Track 12: The Rooster by Alice in Chains

Ending this volume with a little Alice in Chains. Layne Staley was a god, the best singer of the grunge movement, and all you Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder fans can fuck right off. The Dirt album was the soundtrack for many a misadventure back in the day. As RV once said, "Good things happen when you listen to Alice in Chains."

Well... That's Volume One. Keep your eyes peeled for Volume Two.