//ooc; I’ve thought about this for awhile now, it’s been almost a month 😛 and I think it’s a little unfair of my Lestat to answer, bc he’s clearly going to like what I like, to some extent! And my taste is fairly limited bc I don’t keep up with what’s popular, I tend to wait out the hype and then discover things on my own 5-10 years later, and then I’ll go, “Have you heard Crazy by Gnarls Barkley?? It’s mah jam :DDD” And my best friend will pat me on the shoulder and go “Honey that was 11 yrs ago.” *laughcries*
[X] With @roselioncourt‘s help on our REAL LIFE visit last wknd, we made a rough list of bands/artists we think Lestat would love, and I’ll reblog this post with that list, as I don’t have it with me rn, but basically, I think he’s very into the performance aspect of it, the stage presence, and he’s into pop culture, he’d probably keep up with the current music scene, the top 100, what albums are selling, etc. He also likes to do covers of his fave songs and make variations to “improve” them ;D
Perhaps I’m feeling macabre, but tonight I’m digging out my favorite spooky classical pieces and listening to them. So I thought putting together a top ten list of these would be fun while I drink my scotch. Note: These are not really in any particular order. I love them all.
1. Beethoven: Piano Trio in D major, op. 70 no. 1, “Ghost” – 2nd movement. Rattling of chains, shrieking of spirits; the nickname of this trio fits it well. The first and third movements are good as well, but only the second movement is really spooky. 2. Schubert: Der Leiermann (from Winterreise). A heartbroken young man sings about the hurdy-gurdy, an outcast who sits just outside the village and plays his instrument while dogs snarl at him and people ignore him.
Particularly chilling is that this is the last song of an hour-long cycle, and it drones on without clear resolution, ending with the line: “Strange old man, should I go with you? Will you accompany my songs on your hurdy-gurdy?” 3. Mussorgsky: Night On Bald Mountain. You may know this one from Disney’s Fantasia, which is featured during the Witches’ Sabbath sequence. 4. Schubert: Der Erlkönig. Based on a poem by Goethe, this song tells the chilling story of a father and his ailing child riding through the woods on horseback, while a malicious spirit tries to lure the boy away, unseen and unheard by the father. 5. Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre. Death plays his fiddle in the cemetery, rousing all the skeletons from their graves and dancing with them until they have to slink back at the first light of dawn. 6. Brahms: Ballade in D minor, op. 10 no. 1, “Edward.” Based on a Scottish ballade, the story is of a mother who knows that her son has murdered his father – she just wants to hear him say it himself. 7. Shostakovich: Viola Sonata. Shostakovich composed during the height of Soviet censorship, and his music almost always has a hunted, almost panicked feel to it. He composed this viola sonata just a month before his death. 8. Shostakovich: String Quartet no. 8 in C minor, op. 110. Between the frenzy of the second movement and the insistent “knocking on the door” of the fourth, this quartet can really put you on edge. What makes this music even freakier is Shostakovich’s musical signature (D E-flat C B) throughout the work. 9. Mussorgsky: The Hut of Baba Yaga the Witch (from Pictures at an Exhibition). This one always sounds like Baba Yaga’s “Hut On Chicken’s Legs” is chasing me through the woods, but that might just be my wild imagination. 10. Scriabin: Piano Sonata no. 9, “Black Mass.” Some of the directions that Scriabin writes in the score are “mysteriously murmuring”, and “with a sweetness that becomes increasingly poisonous,” which is a pretty apt description for much of this work. It begins mysteriously, then builds in tension until it all explodes in some kind of orgiastic climax. It ends just as enigmatically as it begins.
01. Aphex Twin – aisatsana [102] 02. Agnes Obel – Dorian 03. Thomas Newman – American Beauty 04. Gavin Luke – Emotions Becoming Clearer 05. God is an Astronaut – A Deafening Distance 06. Have a Nice Life – Emptiness Will Eat the Witch 07. Placebo – Song to Say Goodbye 08. Nine Inch Nails – 1 Ghosts 1 09. Clara Rockmore – Valse Sentimentale 10. Yann Tiersen – La Dispute 11. Erik Satie – Gnossienne No. 1 12. Ramin Djawadi – Light of the Seven 13. Poritshead – Roads 14. Billie Holiday – Gloomy Sunday 15. Dead Can Dance – Musica Eternal 16. Opeth – To Rid the Disease
Hello hello~~~ This post got very long! It’s a big question!
I guess I haven’t talked about Lestat’s singing voice bc I can’t find it, but YES, #headcanon accepted, Lestat would have a kick ass falsetto voice!
I just drafted this post and it’s too long, so much more can be written and more vids could have been featured, but I’ve spen
The short answer: As with Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is music in the ear of the beholder, and your idea of Lestat’s voice is as valid as anyone else’s. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
I’m gonna offer a few responses on this, from AR, from canon, from a mutual VC fan friend of mine, and then respond to your suggestions. I had to make a cut bc the post was getting long.
SO, AR has said, on several occasions, that Bon Jovi was a big influence on Prince Lestat. She even dedicated Prince Lestat to Bon Jovi (as one of her muses). [X]
I also seem to recall Lestat mentioning a love for Bruce Springsteen in canon, but that might have been fanon. In QOTD, Baby Jenks says Lestat sings like the Boss:
Baby Jenks did love the Vampire Lestat’s music,… Yes sir, that was the one she loved… It wasn’t the words that got to her, it was the way he sang it, groaning like Bruce Springsteen into the mike and making it just break your heart.
I’m on Fire, the lyrics and the way he sings it, seem very Lestatuesque to me. Try Dancing in the Dark, also very Lestatuesque to me…
What do you think Lestat’s band would sound like now?
Well, it always sounded to me like Jim Morrison. That was the band I based it on — Jim Morrison’s voice, physical beauty, and the sound of that band in a song like “L.A. Woman.” That’s how I imagined Lestat’s band sounding. I don’t know a lot about rock music right at this moment; I haven’t listened to a stadium band in a while. I don’t know the latest stuff. I really don’t know. The main thing in emphasizing Morrison is that I’m emphasizing hard rock. It’s really acid rock. It’s not lightweight rock music and there has to be a good voice at the helm. Morrison had an exceptionally good voice for a rock singer. But modernizing it? Sure, whatever. Bring it on.
Sorry I’ve taken so long to reply to this (which I thoroughly enjoyed reading by the way).
I definitely visualised Lestat as a rock star that was heavily influenced by Jim Morrisons style. Style; referring to his vocal abilities, the way he moves on stage, the fact that he is a intelligent, complex beautiful godly Vampiresque enigma of a man. Oh, and how could I forget those infamous leather pants. Vampires love their jet black leather or black crushed velvet. As far as his fashion influence goes, he really made leather pants a rock stars trademark.
It’s like if you watch The Lost Boys, there’s a huge homage paid to Jim. For example, Michael (Played by Jason Patric) pretty much looks just like him with his chiseled jawline and curly brown hair. Then there’s a huge poster in the Vampire gangs cave. Also they play a cover of People are Strange. Jim Morrison to me was exactly how I pictured a Vampire.
As far as The Doors songs go, I can definitely hear a sense of otherworldly, deep spirituality. They just have that sound which is both timeless and touches on ancient rituals and folklore.
What Doors songs are ‘Lestatesque’ to me:
-The End (Oedipus complex, very Lestat) -Wild Child (Enough said) -When The Musics over -My eyes have seen you -Five To One -Not to touch the Earth -End Of The Night -L’America -Changeling -Waiting for the sun
Lestat answers a Fan Question for Lestat re: his taste in music, 10/12/14 [X]
Lestat here. I want to answer Scott Hunsucker: “Lestat, I would like to know how you feel about music. You’ve been around long enough to hear some of the greats play and sing. Do you have a personal preference for a certain genre or style of music. If so, does the music move you, does it take you back or evoke memories of your past as it does with some of us mortals?” Scott, I love music. I have to be careful with it; music intoxicates me; I can become completely taken over by music, to where I don’t want to do much else but listen to it. It’s like a powerful drug. I love music of all periods, especially my own century — Mozart in particular. And some French composers who were earlier favorites at the French Royal Court. Vivaldi energizes me, as do many of the Italians. But I can be overpowered easily by Beethoven and Brahms, and 19th century opera as well. Verdi and Puccini and Saint Saens especially delight me. Of course I am enchanted by popular music of all kinds — Jim Morrison, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett. I find myself highly susceptible to the most emotional and intense music. But I can be hypnotized by the gentle melodies of Eric Satie or Chopin as well. I am consumed from time to time with the desire to make music, to sneak off to some little tavern in the French Quarter of New Orleans and take to the stage with an electric guitar. I do this from time to time, actually. Though not as much as I would like. Thanks for the question. There are many more composers and performers I could name, but you get the idea. —– Now, if anyone has a new question for me, by all means post it in this thread.
Hello hello~~~ This post got very long! It’s a big question!
I guess I haven’t talked about Lestat’s singing voice bc I can’t find it, but YES, #headcanon accepted, Lestat would have a kick ass falsetto voice!
I just drafted this post and it’s too long, so much more can be written and more vids could have been featured, but I’ve spen
The short answer: As with Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so is music in the ear of the beholder, and your idea of Lestat’s voice is as valid as anyone else’s. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
I’m gonna offer a few responses on this, from AR, from canon, from a mutual VC fan friend of mine, and then respond to your suggestions. I had to make a cut bc the post was getting long.
SO, AR has said, on several occasions, that Bon Jovi was a big influence on Prince Lestat. She even dedicated Prince Lestat to Bon Jovi (as one of her muses). [X]
I also seem to recall Lestat mentioning a love for Bruce Springsteen in canon, but that might have been fanon. In QOTD, Baby Jenks says Lestat sings like the Boss:
Baby Jenks did love the Vampire Lestat’s music,… Yes sir, that was the one she loved… It wasn’t the words that got to her, it was the way he sang it, groaning like Bruce Springsteen into the mike and making it just break your heart.
I’m on Fire, the lyrics and the way he sings it, seem very Lestatuesque to me. Try Dancing in the Dark, also very Lestatuesque to me…
What do you think Lestat’s band would sound like now?
Well, it always sounded to me like Jim Morrison. That was the band I based it on — Jim Morrison’s voice, physical beauty, and the sound of that band in a song like “L.A. Woman.” That’s how I imagined Lestat’s band sounding. I don’t know a lot about rock music right at this moment; I haven’t listened to a stadium band in a while. I don’t know the latest stuff. I really don’t know. The main thing in emphasizing Morrison is that I’m emphasizing hard rock. It’s really acid rock. It’s not lightweight rock music and there has to be a good voice at the helm. Morrison had an exceptionally good voice for a rock singer. But modernizing it? Sure, whatever. Bring it on.
AR also sort of answered this in response to her Fan Questions for Lestat series on FB, I’ll post the whole response momentarily, but here’s a relevant snippet:
“Of course I am enchanted by popular music of all kinds — Jim Morrison, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett. I find myself highly susceptible to the most emotional and intense music.”[X, 10/12/15]
@liquorandptsdvarietyshow, VC fandom friend of mine, had commented on a post re: Bon Jovi:
1) Lestat has pretty schlocky taste in music, all things considered. Yes he is a musician and a rock star but basically he likes anything you can dance to;
2) Bon Jovi are tbh pretty cool. I’m not saying rush out and buy all their albums, but Slippery When Wet is a good time with a gross title.
Personally, I’ve always felt Brett Scallions of FUEL would have done well as Lestat, and Last Time feels very Lestat/Akasha to me.
ANYWAY. Anon’s suggestions!:
I personally always thought of him as having an almost Bowie sounding voice
*nods* I think that’s possible, but subtract the British accent. I bet Lestat could emulate it easily, though.
but with the energy and range of Brendon Urie from Panic at the disco. Idk if you’ve heard the song Emperor’s New Clothes by Panic!
I’m not a Panic! fan, I’m still stuck in my love for 80′s + 90′s music, but listening to this song now, first of all, yeah, I hear some Bowie in Urie! And there’s a lot of charm and silliness, but it’s all grounded in real feeling, IDK, you may be starting to turn me into a Panic! fan, Anon!
^I also really like the sass in the lead singer, and the lyrics are pretty Lestatuesque!
Ave Cesaria by Stromae – Well, it is a nice song, but something about the singer’s voice seems smoother and older to me? Not really snazzy and cheesy enough? Like this is how David might sing if David was a singer. Nice example for French music, tho!
♛I love Aerosmith. Just Push Play is an excellent album. The title song in particular is a guaranteed spirit-booster for me:
Other notable songs: Sunshine, Light Inside, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Avant Garden, Under My Skin… and the obvious ones: Dream On, Janie’s Got a Gun, Livin’ on the Edge, Dude Looks Like a Lady (which will forever be linked to Mrs. Doubtfire for me), I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing (I hum this at Louis sometimes as he’s drifting off to sleep *blows kiss*).
I read somewhere that Aerosmith tests each song by recording it to cassette or CD and then piling into a car together and blasting it out of the speakers. If it sounds good there, the song is done. If not? Back to the studio! I’ve adopted the same method, but I prefer to test songs on motorcycle *winks*
That’s a great combo bc Savage Garden got their name from VC!
Two of the members, Daniel Jones and Darren Hayes, split off from their original band, Red Edge. Their new duo together was called Crush, and then “was renamed Savage Garden after a phrase from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, “Beauty was a Savage Garden”.” [X]
Lestat loves Savage Garden. Definitely. Idk what he thinks about Lestat the Musical but I would guess that he would be pissed that they didn’t just hire him to act as himself. Not that he would audition. Or that they would know how to reach him. But still!
Without appropriate papers or permissions I’m known to bite in tight situations And I head into your french windows I thought there was a big connection I only got my name I only got my situation I just need my number and location…”♫
I-want-my-IWTV 