From the Desk of William Pauley III
I love music. It’s such an integral part of my being that it’s rare I’m ever doing something without it. Even now, as I write this, I’m spinning the first Traveling Wilburys record. Good shit.
Every fiber of my being is infused with music, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Music makes even the most minuscule aspects of life more enjoyable. Even washing up dirty dishes can be fun with your favorite playlist humming inside your ear. Music may even be, dare I say, the most powerful of all art forms. After all, a song has the power to devastate within seconds. Sometimes a single line crooned in a song carries more weight to it than a film 50 times its length.
But I’m not here to argue that point.
This isn’t really about music as a whole either. It’s more about a specific group and how their music holds a special place in my heart currently, and always will, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
So, as I was saying, I’m completely obsessed with music. This has always been the case, even when I was a child. Some of my fondest early memories involve music in some way: going through my parents’ CD/cassette collection, making mixtapes of all the songs I was discovering, listening to those mixtapes with my dad in the car and all the discussions they conjured between us, and so on.
Anyway, during that era of my life, I often sought out music documentaries and biopics, because I found that knowing the entire history of an artist brought some context to their art, and more often than not, it had me loving their music even more than I did before. I could now visualize where songs came from and how they were made. I couldn’t get enough.
One of the films I encountered back then stands out miles above the others.
It was a made-for-TV movie that came out when I was a teenager, detailing the story behind the Motown group The Temptations. It fascinated me then, and still does to this day. It’s so wild! I used to watch it every time it came on TV, which (back then) was fairly often. A few years ago, I saw the DVD at Half Price Books and immediately purchased it. I’m really happy I did, because it allowed for a truly beautiful moment to blossom in my life.
About 2 or 3 weeks ago, I introduced my son to the music of Otis Redding and he immediately vibed with it. My son is a lot like me in that he is endlessly hungry when it comes to music, always looking to devour the best all artists have to offer. Otis Redding’s music eventually led him down the path to Motown. I showed him the Temptations film soon after and, just like me at his age, the film set his mind on fire. He’s completely obsessed with The Temptations now. Our house has been filled with their music for the better part of the month.
Last week, I surprised him with tickets to see them live later this year. Otis Williams is the only living member of the original group, but knowing he’s going to hear a real Temptation member singing to him live in concert has him thrilled.
I love sharing these experiences with him. It’s often a bit surreal to me, because now I’m in the role of the father/teacher, transferring my knowledge and bits of my musical journey with my son, who’s eager to soak it all in. A couple times a week, I take him on a long drive just so we can share music together. It’s one of my favorite things to do in life, and I suppose it always will be.
We both anxiously await the night of the concert.
Night On Bald Mountain
dir. Alexander Alexeieff & Claire Parker
Last Week / This Week
WARNING: “Strange Weather” is coming February 15th, 2024. Are you ready?
Last week, on Storytime!, we read an unexpectedly twisted tale of a deeply disturbed individual who thought a little “blood swapping” would cure her of all her troubles. I hope you all weren’t too grossed out by “Bad Blood”! What? Haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet? No worries! It’ll be available to stream for free for the rest of the weekend. Check it out here.
On this Monday’s episode of Storytime!, we’ll be changing it up a bit. Sound good? Instead of the typical jaw-dropping, skull-bursting DOOM FICTION insanity you’re used to seeing around here, how about we slow things down a bit and get to know some of the more reasonable, decent folk living inside the Eighth Block Tower? There must be at least one or two, right?
We’ll start with Rita and Tony, a newlywed couple, pregnant with their first child. Sounds like the beginnings of a sweet story, right?
WRONG!hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Be sure to tune in to “Heirs of the Abyss” when it drops on Monday! Oh, and by subscribing, you’re sure to never miss an update!
Check out this excellent reader review of The Doom Magnetic Trilogy! Thanks, Bill! Pick up a signed copy here.
This week, paid subscribers had a chance to view an early draft of the full cover design for my new short story collection, STATICMOUTH / BLOODBUZZ. It’s looking like a July 2024 release. Head over to the chat box to check it out!
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Oddities Theater
O-Bi, O-Ba: The End of Civilization is a 1985 Polish post-apocalyptic drama film written and directed by Piotr Szulkin. (Wikipedia)
Synopsis: The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where humans live in an isolated vault which is falling apart. Their only grain of hope lies in a vessel known as The Ark which is said to be on its way to rescue them; however the existence of The Ark is a myth planted by the main character, whose profession is to ensure that the morale is maintained. (Wikipedia)
The Couch Potato Memoirs
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