What are you reading?

[Spudman***]

I have found over the years that a good novel will keep me mentally stimulated and imaginatively creative for a long time. Besides you guys that play in Led Zeppelin, (you know who you are), what have your experiences with the written word been related to your playing?

1. What are you reading right now?
2. Do you get inspired and create music after reading something in
particular?
3. Do you tend to create with the themes of what you read or does it free
your mind to go other places?

[SuperSwede]

I am actually reading a fantasy book right now! The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. I read it when I was about 14-15 so I thought it would be fun to read it again. I found a lot of my old books when we moved to the house, so I have a huge pile of books that could be fun to read again. I tried to read lord of the rings before, but I couldnt get through it because I got that Lord of the rings DVD box for Christmas.
I dont think that I get inspired to write music when reading books...
I love reading history books as well, especially WW2 related books.

[Tim]

Well believe it or not … I have been attempting to read the “Good Book”. I guess my age is making me sit back and look over my life as it presently is. Both parents are in their mid 80s and are not long to leave this world. That’s on my mind a lot. Even thought I might have another 20 years of life left, I would like to do something that helps other people. Plus make a few adjustments to my own life with the help of the “Good Book”.

[Robert****]

I'm reading The Dark Tower books by Stephen King. Great stuff! It inspires me to play for sure. The main character in the book is an extremely focused person, and I think I attempt to translate that focusing into my own playing. I have no time to write music unfortunately. I just improvise whatever dark towers are in my mind.

[Tim]

Robert - It would be interesting to hear what your Dark Towers improvisations sounds like. Maybe on the style of Phantom of the Opera? You would do very well on one of those guitar synthesizers. I can just imagine your Stephen King back ground music enhancing a fear factor of 10 into the audience.

[Robert****]

I always wanted a guitar synthesizer. Maybe one day I can afford one - then I'll have to quit my day job and play around! It's a lot of fun to create big sounds and textures with synths. Maybe I could be a film music creator one day! Oh, I am a horror movie buff too, so....

[SuperSwede]

Robert, I really must check out that Dark Tower books.. I love (most of) Stephen Kings books. Do you know what they are called in Swedish?

I had a guitar synth before. It was really cool (but it was a older so the trigging wasnt perfect). Anyway, it was really cool to play drums on the guitar

[Robert****]

Not sure what they're called in Sweden. They are awesome! One note though - the first one is sluggish and hard to get through, but don't let that stop you. The 2nd one is just amazing. The first book makes better sense after you read the 2nd and the other ones.

[warren0728]

Just Finished...."The Lost Get-Back Boogie" by James Lee Burke

Just Started...."Torpedo Juice" by Tim Dorsey

[Spudman***]

I'm reading The Davinci Code right now. That is why I posted the question.

It really makes you re-think a lot of what you believe. And since a lot of song lyrics are about this very same thing; finding your place, contemplating your own existence, contemplating the reason for man's existence, hierarchy's of power and all those sorts of things I am find myself quite inspired musically and lyrically as of late. Plus, listening to the latest Flower Kings album Paradox Hotel is doing the same thing. There is a lot to think about on the album.

I was just wondering if anyone else's' brain gets in gear from reading novels.

[r_a_smith3530]

Hmm, I'm catching this one rather late...

Let's see, I'm actually reading a couple of things these days. First, I'm reading something called "The Complete Gospels," edited by Robert J. Miller. I guess you could call it a part of my lifetime spiritual journey. In addition to the four Gospels with which most are familiar, this book includes a number of other writings that weren't included in the "Cannon." My interest in these alternative books actually piqued after seeing the movie "Stigmata," which referenced the Nag Hamadi finds.

As you guys may remember, I had the opportunity to play a few bars with David "Honeyboy" Edwards at a local guitar shop a month or so back. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that he had written a book titled "The World Don't Owe Me Nothing." Well, it arrived in the mail two weeks ago, and it is quite an interesting read.

[6STRINGS 9LIVES]

I'm always reading something or other , last night i finished a great book , a fast paced techno thriller called PIRATE by author TED BELL , if you like spy , action books in the vein of TOM CLANCY , then this one will not dissapoint . one reviewer called it adren-a-lit , gotta agree , a real fast paced page turner . Anybody got any good recomondations ...

[SuperSwede]

I´m currently reading the Dune books by Frank Herbert (Yes the ones they based that horrible movie featuring a oiled-up Sting). The books are good if you like sci-fi.

[t_ross33]

I often have more than one book on the go at a time I like mysteries, Clancy-ish spy novels, adventures/sci-fi/fantasy (big fan of the Dune series, LOTR etc.) - whatever strikes my fancy at the time. Some Ken Follet is good, some is crap. Robert Lundlum is un-readable IMHO. Johnathan Kellerman, Richard North Patterson are others that I read often. Haven't read Stephan King, Clive Barker or Dean Koontz in a while, but used to read lots of creepy stuff like that.

One book that really surprised me was "The Painted House" by John Grisham - very different read than his normal "The Firm" type books. Also liked "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones (a Pulitzer Prize winning novel).

Currently reading "Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse" by Paul St. Pierre. It's kind of a Canadian underground classic. Very humerous story (more like a string of short stories that wind into the main plot) set in Chilcotin country in the interior of British Columbia. You wouldn't have to be a Canuck (especially a Westerner, rancher/cowboy-type) to "get it", but it would probably help .

Also reading "The Canadians at war 1939/45" from my non-fiction library.

Of course, the current issue of Guitar (Player, World, One, insert magazine title here) is always close at hand.

[Robert****]

I am still reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. I am a slow reader! I like, very cool vibe and environment in this story.

[jpfeifer]

Good topic.

For some reason reading has never been something that I've done for fun in the past. But over the past few years I started reading more due to being stuck on long flights for business trips, etc.

I've always been interested in books about philosophy and different ways of looking at life in general. I'm currently reading a book called "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". It's a very deep book about values, etc. It's a little tough to get through ... but interesting reading. Another great book that I read is called "The Alchemist". It's one of those books that you read and it makes you think a lot about your own life's journey.

I also read a biographical book about John Lennon recently, written by his first wife, Cynthia Lennon. It's a great read if you're interested in the Beatles at all. It gives you an inside glimpse of the price of fame and some of the destructive things that happen to the people along for the ride, such as your wife and kid.

-- Jim

[Tim]

I read the Zen Guitarist. The mental thing did not work for me. I have a hard time just trying to concentrate on the word "Om". I really do not care for reading. I always end up with headaches. The eyes must be getting old, even with glasses. Presently I am reading … you guessed it “Rock Guitar for Dummies”. I prefer videos to reading. I learn more by actually watching it being done, rather than trying to figure out what they are talking about. I’m still trying to figure out how to do the “easy chord inversions”.

[ted s]

I am trying to finish "Poland" by James Michener, and start an Emmet Fox book. But lately it's been alot of fret.net