Roberto Bolano's "The Savage Detectives" discussion
This topic is about
The Savage Detectives
Music to Listen to While You're Reading and Reviewing "The Savage Detectives"
I'm seeing Lower Dens at a music festival tomorrow (http://www.xpn.org/concerts-events/xp...Lower Dens - Hospice Gates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScDgf5...
Lower Dens - Propagation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GafB7N...
and Jana Hunter solo:
Jana Hunter - Sleep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ubho_...
Lee Ranaldo will be there too :)
Lee Ranaldo - Off The Wall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Nwm9...
and for good measure:
Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2qYa...
Sonic Youth - Diamond Sea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnOi9V...
Thurston Moore - Benediction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wllPX...
Thurston Moore - The Shape Is In a Trance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avTVC0...
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Diamond Sea (acoustic, Sonic Youth)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dlGxk...
Kris wrote: "It's hard to decide which SY songs to post."
No it's not:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIIEbr...
No it's not:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIIEbr...
Ian wrote: "Kris wrote: "It's hard to decide which SY songs to post."No it's not:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIIEbr..."
OK, excellent choice. It was on my very long short list. :)
Kris wrote: "Ian wrote: "Kris wrote: "It's hard to decide which SY songs to post."No it's not:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIIEbr..."
OK, excellent choice. It was on my very long short list. :)"
Yes, please!
Question Mark & the Mysterians - "96 Tears"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7uC5m...
The Mexican Rolling Stones?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7uC5m...
The Mexican Rolling Stones?
Los Straitjackets - "Tempest"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls9-sm...
Who was that masked band?
P.S. Note the pause at 3:20.
Los Straitjackets - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP2H9g...
Make sure you at least look at the album cover (and the photo at 1:23).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls9-sm...
Who was that masked band?
P.S. Note the pause at 3:20.
Los Straitjackets - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP2H9g...
Make sure you at least look at the album cover (and the photo at 1:23).
Jenn(ifer) wrote: "I think what this thread needs is a little Mexican acoustic guitar brilliance a la Rodrigo y Gabriela:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qgum...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lvMQC......"
We all need more Rodrigo y Gariela in our lives.
The spanish rap in the breakdown of this Gogol Bordello song kept getting in my head while I read: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Dv8y...
s.penkevich wrote: "Jenn(ifer) wrote: "I think what this thread needs is a little Mexican acoustic guitar brilliance a la Rodrigo y Gabriela:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qgum...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=..."
haha! it's like Ricky Martin on crack.
Some pretty classical guitar (I love this film & the score)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNWb5c...
And some Segovia for your Monday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCeebW...
And of course, can't forget Malaguena (Jose Feliciano was one cool gato)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm5jiA...
Ooo, lots of nice things here! Segovia! The Youth! I like their song they hate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot_w3L...
dB's, anybody?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9vnIg...
s.penkevich, Jenn, and Mark - thanks so much! We definitely needed some Gypsy punk, the Spanish classical guitar choices were perfect as always, and I do love your choices Mark - the DB's' latest album is one I've been listening to a lot.Thanks for soundtracking my afternoon!
Les Negresses Verte - "Zobi la Mouche":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4ESuD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMeN8x...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4ESuD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMeN8x...
Ian wrote: "Les Negresses Verte - "Zobi la Mouche":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4ESuD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMeN8x..."
Thanks, Ian! I have some of their albums, and never listen to them enough. Great choices.
Ian, s.penkevich, Jenn, and Mark - all fabulous choices! Thanks so much!!I fell behind on all these threads while on vacation - got some catching up to do!
Ian wrote: "Les Negresses Verte - "Zobi la Mouche":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4ESuD...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMeN8x..."
They look like they'd be fun to see live.
Richard Brautigan - "Gee, You're So Beautiful Its Starting To Rain":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiCyDh...
Richard Brautigan - "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOr99Z...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiCyDh...
Richard Brautigan - "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOr99Z...
Cat Stevens - "Father and Son":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-7c4V...
"I was once like you are now..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-7c4V...
"I was once like you are now..."
Ian wrote: "Richard Brautigan - "Gee, You're So Beautiful Its Starting To Rain":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiCyDh...
Richard Brautigan - "All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace":
http://www.you..."
Brilliant idea to include poetry, Ian.
I need to read more Brautigan.
Ian wrote: "Cat Stevens - "Father and Son":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-7c4V...
"I was once like you are now...""
I've always loved this song. Thanks, Ian.
Kris wrote: "Brilliant idea to include poetry, Ian. "
Brautigan gets a mention in the novel. So does Cat Stevens.
Brautigan gets a mention in the novel. So does Cat Stevens.
Kris wrote: "I've always loved this song. Thanks, Ian."
This song always makes me cry. I've got to go away.
This song always makes me cry. I've got to go away.
Ian wrote: "Kris wrote: "Brilliant idea to include poetry, Ian. "Brautigan gets a mention in the novel. So does Cat Stevens."
Brautigan was a favorite author of mine, beginning in college. Here is a favorite Brautigan quote from my GR collection:
“Karma Repair Kit Items 1-4.
1.Get enough food to eat,
and eat it.
2.Find a place to sleep where it is quiet,
and sleep there.
3.Reduce intellectual and emotional noise
until you arrive at the silence of yourself,
and listen to it.
4. ”
Jim wrote: "Ian wrote: "Kris wrote: "Brilliant idea to include poetry, Ian. "Brautigan gets a mention in the novel. So does Cat Stevens."
Brautigan was a favorite author of mine, beginning in college. Here ..."
Thanks so much, Jim! Where would you recommend I begin with Brautigan?
At the beginning, "A Confederate General From Big Sur".
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...
Thanks, Kris! I started with Trout Fishing in America in Freshman English/Lit. His style takes some getting used to, and that one is difficult in places, but certainly gives you a feel of what he was all about.It has been a long time, but I was particularly impressed at the time by The Abortion: An Historical Romance, 1966, The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western, and The Tokyo-Montana Express. Those certainly illustrate the range of his styles and approaches.
I will be very interested in your thoughts about any of those, Kris!
I started with "Trout Fishing" and initially thought "Confederate General" was inferior (which it's not), but I would read them in chronological order.
Jim wrote: "Thanks, Kris! I started with Trout Fishing in America in Freshman English/Lit. His style takes some getting used to, and that one is difficult in places, but certainly gives you a feel of what he w..."Thanks so much, Jim! Very helpful. I'm looking forward to reading him, and I will definitely keep you posted on my reactions.
I think of John Irving as a long-winded Richard Brautigan, so that might make Brautigan a short-winded Irving.
It is highly distilled 60 proof genius and humour.
It is highly distilled 60 proof genius and humour.
Ian wrote: "I think of John Irving as a long-winded Ricrahd Brautigan, so that might make Brautigan a short-winded Irving.It is highly distilled 60 proof genius and humour."
OK, I must read Brautigan on my vacation. (I have planned this vacation around reading - traveling in my mind. :) )
Kris wrote: "Thanks so much, Jim! Very helpful. I'm looking forward to reading him, and I will definitely keep you posted on my reactions..."I look forward to that! And I agree with all of Ian's comments, including the comparison with John Irving.
One more Brautigan quote for good measure:“I will be very careful the next time I fall in love, she told herself. Also, she had made a promise to herself that she intended on keeping. She was never going to go out with another writer: no matter how charming, sensitive, inventive or fun they could be. They weren't worth it in the long run. They were emotionally too expensive and the upkeep was complicated. They were like having a vacuum cleaner around the house that broke all the time and only Einstein could fix it.
She wanted her next lover to be a broom. ”
Jim wrote: "One more Brautigan quote for good measure:“I will be very careful the next time I fall in love, she told herself. Also, she had made a promise to herself that she intended on keeping. She was nev..."
Oh dear. This is resonating a bit. :)
Ian wrote: "I want my next lover to be a ladder."For some reason, I keep thinking of completely antiquated domestic appliances that do not translate well into a lover at all - like one of those laundry wringers to get excess water out of sheets in the days of hand-washing. A ladder is a much better choice.
Ian wrote: "I want my next lover to be a ladder."Musical response (one of my favorite songs, and the best one related to a ladder that I can think of):
Eels, Climbing to the Moon (Jon Brion Remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcQngm...
(there are no songs related to wringers.... :) )
Books mentioned in this topic
Trout Fishing in America (other topics)The Abortion (other topics)
The Hawkline Monster (other topics)
Tokyo-Montana Express (other topics)





Thanks, Jim. Tinariwen didn't exactly fit in, but I love them.