When you read The Running Waves you'll see that Dermot has countless mixed tapes. The song Red Hill Mining Town was on my Crew Mix. I'd play it early in the morning right after I'd open up the gates at the Island Queen parking lot. A couple of cars would pull in and by the end of the song the cars would be bumper to bumper going past Dr. Fitch's office.

Two weeks after we lost Marc and Pete the confusion and anger really began to set in. What I once knew of my life was now vastly different as I tried to prepare for my last year at Falmouth High School. Senior year is supposed to be the paramount year for high school students, but the accident in the summer of 1993 would change that notion for my friends and me. Right before my sister Sarah headed back to Bridgewater State College; she made me a mixed tape filled with bands and songs I had never heard before. Just like any good mixed tape it brought me solace on some of my most painful days. Listening to each song I was reassured that I still had a very big support group that cared about me and wanted to help ease my pain. The song Vapour Trail by Ride was on that tape. This song was chosen to be part of The Running Waves as a way of saying thank you to my beautiful sister. We love you, sis.

Tags: mix tapes

Not all the songs made it into the book. Unfortunately, Alone was one of the songs that was cut out of the manuscript, but we hope to write it into the screenplay. I'm sure a lot people might ask "Why even include this song if it wasn't in The Running Waves?" As Ted and I have said before, this book is a tribute to friends that have passed and to artists and bands who have had such a large influence on our adolescence. Even though the song was taken out, we felt it imperative to pay homage to them.

I was introduced to Blues Traveler's self-entitled album by my good friend, Michael Forns. After listening, I was instantly hooked. I loved all their tracks and felt John Popper's harmonica skills were not only impressive, but extremely beautiful.

As I said, I loved all their tracks, but the song Alone struck me on a personal level. At that time, I had a crush on a girl, whom I was also good friends with. Sadly, I didn't have the nerve to tell her how I really felt. Spending time with her was bittersweet because she was the funniest and most beautiful girl I had known, yet I was fearful to share my true feelings. It was a very complex and distracting quandary to be in when you're seventeen years-old. This experience helped me write a scene where Colin is trying to persuade Eric not to make the same mistake as him and ask out Natalie from Coffee Mania.

The song Alone was used symbolically due to Dermot's pain from being dumped by his dream girl and Colin for simply being alone. Unfortunately, this song gets cut off. I couldn't find a decent video on YouTube. Maybe this will inspire someone to put one up. Enjoy, my friends.

-Seton

Tags: blues traveler

This song is from the album Diver Down so again there was a well thought our reason we picked this song for our book. It's also about a beautiful woman getting into a guy's head. And finally, we believe every book should have a little VH!

Tags: van halen

I think some of my fondest memories in life consisted of my years at Mullen Hall, Morse Pond and Lawrence School. Alcohol and drugs weren’t even a thought and innocence still prevailed. One of my best friends during that time was Peter Hurd. Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Pete loved his bright smile and infectious laugh.

Now, driving around Falmouth as an “adult,” I often think about the miles Pete and I put on our ten speed bikes, riding freely around town as kids. Our route was pretty basic. Usually, we would stop off at Smitty’s Variety Store and stock up on penny candy before heading to Ryan Family Amusement to spend our loose change on Karate Champ and Rampage. And if the weather didn’t permit bike riding, we would hunker down at Morgan’s, Goldman’s or Simpson’s house for a day of movies that always included either Fletch, Caddyshack, Jaws, Porky’s and Revenge of the Nerds.

After Lawrence School, Peter attended St. Georges in Newport and I didn’t see him as much. I regret that a lot because a short time later he died, along with another friend. It was the loss of these two boys that inspired The Running Waves. Fortunately, I still have great memories of both of them that will last a lifetime. Today, May 23rd, Peter would have turned thirty five. Wherever you are I hope you’re smiling and laughing. This song is for you, my friend. Happy Birthday.

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Love,
Your buddy

Tags: allman brothers

A critic recently went off on us for mentioning too many songs in our book. This was not an unexpected criticism. Going into writing the book, Seton and I talked a lot about how music back in '94 was so prevalent in our lives. We listened to it at parties, summer jobs, family cookouts, etc. We also listened to it as a coping device as we reflected on losing loved ones to tragedy and/or breakups. When you are young what is being played during that time period becomes a part of who you are (and were) because a song is indeed a time capsule holding that memory. As you age, not so much. Time for the classical...  

For example, I recently heard "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and I was instantly back in the sixth grade at the Morse Pond School on the playground. In my mind, I could see my friend Mike Gomes holding his "boom box" in the air while the song played. I also saw the class bully coming over to me and bloodying my nose (not for my lunch money because he stomped on my brown bag) just for the fun of it. Mike jumped down, ran over, and protected me - he was that kind of kid.

So when Seton and I talked about using music we wanted it to be an actual character in the book. We knew not everyone would know all of the songs and to us that was ok because when you read a book you go into the characters' lives. You become them. But we also thought wouldn't it be cool for the book to live on in the virtual world by having the back stories of each song. So if we briefly mention 20 or so songs in the book people could then go to our site and get twenty or more stories and also hear the songs themselves enhancing the experience. As far as we know, this is a new approach, but it is also a fresh one. With Ipads etc we will not be surprised if they'll soon be links to buying the song mentioned in the book you are reading. If it's not already being done. 

The story of choosing The Last Goodbye by the Jeff Buckley Band is one of those "meant to be" moments. The character Dermot (who makes mixed tapes for everything) has decided no longer to make them (we don't want to spoil the book so we won't say why). Anyway, he is down Cape and decides to put on the radio. Well, talking with Seton we naturally thought of WKKL - the Cape Cod Community College station that always entertained us when we were downCape. Dermot needed a song he had never heard before since it wouldn't be on a mixed tape and it also had to be hauntingly beautiful. Seton and I couldn't think of anything and then it happened. I woke up in the middle of the night humming a song trying to remember what it was and then it came to me. The Last Goodbye by the Jeff Buckley Band. I immediately hopped out of bed and ran to my computer to search for when that song had come out. I knew it was the early to mid 90's but was it before '94? I googled it and couldn't believe it. It had been released in August of '94. The scene we were working on was the end of August of '94. Then I scanned down to see something that made me stare at the screen for a good ten minutes. Jeff Buckley had passed away a couple of years after the song was released. But it was not that he had died, but how he had died. It was the same way that our character Colin lost his two friends. I listened to the song and down to the guitar that sounded like a wailing gull, I knew it was a "meant to be" moment for the scene. I called Seton at 6 a.m. and played it for him and he was speechless.

"That's it, bro." was all he said.
 
So, again, the music in this book does not apply to the Beethoven crowd, but those are not the readers we are going after. If we were going after them we'd probably write about Beethoven. Just a thought. We want good readers who are willing to jump into the time period we created with our use of music. In the case of The Last Goodbye it's late August 1994 on Cape Cod in the middle of the night on a lonely highway known to Cape Codders as route 6.

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-Ted

Tags: jeff buckley

I remember "back in the day" being at a party at Stephen Kapulka's house. It was late at night and the party was winding down. On cue, my buddy Pat Bellavance took out his guitar and began playing Nightswimming. The few remaining party goers immediately stopped talking and listened as he played a song that was known for its piano on his guitar. It was truly a beautiful moment; one that you actually reflect on as it's happening. I remember thinking I wish I could stay young forever laughing and partying with my friends for the fall was coming and we were all going somewhere. My reflection ended after Pat finished playing the song because something that I only noticed occurred. It was an extremely funny moment that Pat and I still talk about. For all of our local friends who will buy (no sharing you cheap etc...) and read T.R.W. the quick scene that features Night Swimming is all Bellavance. That's how our boy played his game. God love him!

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-Ted

Tags: r.e.m.

I always liked this song because it sounded like the lead singer even knew he was sounding a bit pathetic for singing about the control his girlfriend had over him = a broken hearted foul. Obviously, to us that meant it was perfect song to be on a mixed tape that Dermot is listening to while thinking about his ex girlfriend.

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-Ted

Tags: new order

There were a couple of reasons we chose this song. We knew we had to have a song as a shout out to the BoDeans in honor of our older sister Joanna who introduced us to their music back in the day. But we wanted to also pick a song that captured what was going on with both main characters - Colin and Dermot. This was the perfect choice.

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-Seton & Ted

Tags: bodeans

An unruly sorrow drove me to ramble
Shadowed roads and lifeless faces
Years of compounding mistakes and indefinite floundering
And like a fish out of water I begged to breathe again
The loving touch of a mother’s hand
Told me who I was
Hope, once extinguished, was feverishly ignited
“Remember son. You can do anything you set your mind to.”

Love,
Seton

Tags: poetry

It's nice that today's youth like to wear Ramones' tshirts, but they should at least know the songs the band sings. I've asked more than a few questions about the Ramones, and it's clear they bought the shirt 'cause it looks real cool. So today's song of the day goes out to the old fans out there.

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-Ted

Tags: ramomes

I remember when I first got my license and popped in a mixed tape and blasted this song while flying a good 56 M.P.H. on the highway. Such a rebel...

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-Ted

Tags: the cult

“On Seton’s Thirty Fourth Birthday”

Well-traveled you are, my son.
Not always obstacle free, your journey.
Over-sharp edged stones and stinging
thorns painful and restless you hid in
darkness and despair.
But now you travel to a place of budding
flowers and cleansing waters.
I will always see you where you stood,
where generations stood before you.
You tasted family history, a much stronger
brew than the one you held in your
hand that day.
Even as your father, I knew my place
was silence to respect your wandering.
It is sweet-scented spring, the moment
of your birth.
It is a time of renewal. Your journey is complete.
You have come home, my beloved son.


Love,
Dad

Tags: poetry

My respect for “oldies” really blossomed when I moved off Cape Cod. One of the downfalls of growing up in Falmouth, Massachusetts was the limited music stations. Before Internet, I-Pods, and I-Tunes, the greatest media outlet for music was radio.

I remember when I first started living in Boston. As I made daily trips to Massachusetts Bay Community College in my 1984 faded red Nissan Sentra, I quickly wore out the bag of tapes I kept in my back seat. Buying more cassettes seemed silly because they were becoming archaic and purchasing a CD player was only a pipedream for a broke college student. My only option was to surf the Boston radio stations. I was already a fan of 104.1 WBCN, 101.7 WFNX, and 100.7 WZLX, but my ADD wouldn’t allow me to listen to commercials, so I soon became an avid listener of 105.7 WROR and 103.3 WODS.

I was familiar with the artists played on WROR and WODS and their more popular songs, but I soon discovered additional ones. Smoky Robinson, Tommy James and the Shondells, The Animals, Chicago, Steely Dan, it was all beautiful stuff and quite refreshing, even though it was music from decades earlier. What I love about listening to music from the fifties, sixties and seventies, is hearing the influence it has on today’s music. History does repeat itself.

Donovan became a huge favorite of mine. His song, Sunshine Superman was a must to add to our soundtrack. In The Running Waves, Colin, an ex-lifeguard, was once called Aquaman. We try to make little connections throughout the book, especially with the music. There is more to it, but you will have to read it yourselves.

As for the Grass Roots Live for Today, I always loved this song. The scene where we use it, Colin is hitting rock bottom. He isn’t living for today, he actually isn’t living at all.

I hope you enjoy these classics.

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-Seton

Tags: donovan, oldies

Back in 94, on spring days when it couldn't even decide if it was going to rain, I used play this song while driving around town wondering if I was going to work in a parking lot for the rest of my life (No disrespect to PL attendants. Some of my best friends are parking lot attendants etc.) I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I was afraid to write. So on those rainy days, I wore this song out (and the whole Big Red Letter Day album). Seton reminded me of that fact and also how much this song relates to both main characters. We decided we had to give a shout out to it in TRW. After all, Buffalo Tom is also a BOSTON band. Thanks Buffalo Tom!

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-Ted

Tags: buffalo tom

People who know me well, understand my appreciation for music. I’m not exaggerating when I say I listen to everything. Like my brother Ted, music motivates me in all aspects of life.

One of my favorite brands of music is hip hop. I especially love what was produced in the early 1990’s. Critics of this musical genre are quick to point out the tension and violence that erupted in that decade between east and west coast rappers. Fact is, outside of personal “beefs,” there were legitimate artists and groups making some amazing music. Originally in chapter three I wanted to use a song from Biggie Smalls or Tupac Shakur, but stayed away from east and west and opted for the south.

During that controversial era in hip hop, something unique was brewing in Atlanta, Georgia-Outkast. This band’s debut album Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik brought a new and distinct sound in the spring of 1994. My good friend, Wayne Rose, introduced me to Outkast and I was instantly hooked. I loved all the songs, but was particularly fond of “Git Up, Git Out.” I loved the beat, but it was the lyrics that really drew me in. This song bleeds positivity. It’s about being in a rut, or having a habit that can be detrimental to becoming the person we are capable of being. This song is a reminder that there is light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s up to us to make the right choices in order reach that light. This song sums up Colin Brennan’s struggle.

For this jam Outkast teamed up with another group from the “Dirty South,” Goodie Mob. So sit back, close your eyes, and listen to the message.

Further along in the book, I came to the conclusion that it was imperative we pay tribute to another hip hop band. I’ll never forget being fifteen years-old and hanging out with friends, Dave Romiza, Gilbert Mendoza, Damien Anderson, and Damien’s cousin, David from New York. As we chilled in Dave Romiza’s car (I believe a maroon Hyundai) David, from New York, pulled a tape out of his pocket and handed it to the front to be played. He smiled at me and said, “You’re gonna like this.” It was A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory.

He was right. I sat back and let it wash over me. The beats, the lyrics, everything appealed to me. I had never heard anything like it before. Along with the Beastie Boys, Tribe was who ignited my love for hip hop music.

Because The Running Waves is a period piece, we give a shout out to Tribe’s follow up album, Midnight Marauders, which dropped in November of 1993. It was another musical gem that defined the group as a hip hop power house. Here is “Electric Relaxation,” off Midnight Marauders.

I would like to dedicate this post to three of my friends who are holding it down in Baltimore. Big Rod, Dorian, and J Spot. I can’t wait for Fantasy Football 2010! Thanks for supporting the Murphy brothers and The Running Waves. God Bless.

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-Seton

Tags: hip hop, outkast

As mentioned in many previous posts, we chose every song for the book for a reason. It may be symbolic and it may just be a shout out to the time period and then there are times it is both. Seton and I picked this song because it's about dealing with losing someone you love, but the other reason we chose this song is because our sister Sarah used to put it on all of her mixed tapes. Sarah made some great mixed tapes back in the day! I remember a spring day like this one (the Sun finally coming out after a long winter) and I was cleaning out the shack (which is called The Shanty in TRW) and I was listening to one of Sarah's tapes. This song Tears came on and it stopped me in my tracks. I was flooded with so many memories of a couple of friends I had lost over the previous few years - one to cancer and one to a car accident. The lyrics spoke to how I had felt. It then hit me that Seton was now going through the same thing after losing his friends, and I realized how I wasn't able to help him deal with the pain. All these feelings and thoughts came to me from just pressing play on my walkman. Is there a happy ending to this post? I was later to find out how much Seton also loved the song Tears and listened to it often because it swirled up many emotions he normally kept hidden. This song Tears is one of the many little connections that brought us together to write a book that we hope will help other people who have to face losing a friend or relative especially at an early age. Of course, you can't give a shout out to The Chameleons UK without adding Swamp Thing! Enjoy who you are and have a wonderful holiday weekend with your family and friends!

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-Ted & Seton

Tags: the chameleons

I needed a song for a party scene in Chapter three. Ted and I discussed it for a while. We kicked around a lot of ideas and then remembered a great jam from that time. "Cannonball" by The Breeders. This song was everywhere during 1994. Every time this song was played, it got people jacked up to party. I still hear it on the radio and am instantly reminded of parties behind the Nickelodeon or at the Creek, the power lines, Coonamessett Pond, and countless other places. Enjoy this one. It's a classic.

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-Seton

Tags: the breeders

The worst part about editing is when you have to cut out something that means a lot to you. In The Running Waves, Seton and I had to cut out our mention of one of the greatest garage bands ever - The Replacements. Our publisher made the correct observation that it seemed our mention of them singing Left of The Dial was just a shout out and slowed down the scene. We argued a bit before we had to face the realization that she was a hundred percent correct. But it seemed almost like a sin not to mention a band that meant so much to not just us but to other family members and friends (Sarah, Joanna, Tim Simpson, David Cohen, and Sean Keating) in a book that glorifies music from the eighties through the mid nineties. So even though Left Of The Dial didn't make it in the book, we are putting it on our site as our Song of The Day. We are also including some other Mat's songs for your listening pleasure. In our opinion, Paul Westerberg is one of the best song writers of our generation and should be recognized for that fact. Maybe, if this book takes off Ben Affleck or some director with talent like him will decide to direct the movie and put this song in or any of the other songs listed below (especially Here Comes a Regular which is such a Colin Brennan song)!

-Ted

Tags: the replacements

I was so happy that I could use my favorite artist, Beck, in The Running Waves. I was torn though. Originally I wanted to use the song “Loser” because it really was the anthem of “Generation Xers” back in 1994, but opted for “Blackhole.” This song has a very personal connection to me and it is used in a scene that was very difficult to write because it brought me back to place that caused a lot of pain for me and many of my friends. I figure I might as well give you both songs. Ladies and Gentlemen, off the album Mellow Gold, here is “Blackhole” and “Loser.”

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-Seton

Tags: music, beck

As you'll read in the book, this is quintessential Dermot Brennan wallowing-in-his-depression music. We could've picked many New Order songs to illustrate that point, but the ocean references in this one were just too good to pass up. We figured since it is a foggy morning on the Cape (Yes, people off Cape the foghorn in the harbor is moaning its lonely tune) that this should be our song of the day. Enjoy and embrace your John Hughes' inner child!

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-Ted & Seton

Tags: music, new order

I’ll never forget when I was fifteen years old and seeing the video Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana for the first time. I sat, hypnotized, in homeroom at Falmouth High School. My peers were in awe too. It was very refreshing and such a contrast to what was being played on the radio during that time. That band and song definitely shook up the music scene. I have a lot of love for Nirvana, but at the same time they overshadowed plenty of other great bands with their popularity. For this reason alone, I picked bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden to be in The Running Waves. A couple of months ago I posted Nutshell by Alice in Chains. Today, I give you Soundgarden. Enjoy, my friends.

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-Seton

Tags: music, sound garden

I’ll never forget when my sister, Sarah, came home from Bridgewater State College for the summer in 1994. It was early June and she had all of her CD’s that I loved, but with them she had the new Beastie Boys album, Ill Communication. I remember how psyched I was and I immediately made a copy on tape. That same night there was a party at the power lines and I brought the tape with me. We played it in my friend’s car, Bob Fox, who had a booming system, and we blasted Sabotage over and over. Later that summer I saw the B-Boys perform at Lollapalooza. That was an “interesting” day. The Beasties have always been one of my favorite bands and I was so happy that we included them in TRW. Here are two songs off Ill Communication. Enjoy!

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-Seton



Beastie Boys - Ricky's Theme

Tags: beastie boys, music

Many would think that we would spotlight U2 on St. Patrick's Day, but Seton and I decided today to give a shout out to another Irish band that we loved while growing up - The Waterboys. I remember playing the tape This is The Sea so much that the ink faded from the tape so it was just a white tape. In the book, we mention the song Medicine Bow because in the scene there is a storm brewing but it's not just the weather - it's Dermot's feelings about his ex girlfriend Francessca. Thank you Mike Scott for writing songs that were so meaningful to us back in the day. They will always stay with us! Here's a few for everyone to enjoy. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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-Ted & Seton

Tags: music, waterboys

In the book, we call the converted garage where Dermot lives the Sea Shanty as an ode to the Irish band the Pogues. In honor of the St. Patrick's Parade up in Southie today, Sea Shanty is our song of the day. I must warn you it is not a great version of the song, and as you listen some of you may ask, "Is there a great version of any Pogues' songs?" I will admit, that the Pogues are an acquired taste almost like drinking whiskey or eating broccoli. Or maybe even more acquired like drinking whiskey while eating broccoli! haha!

NOTE: IF YOU'RE READING THIS ON FACEBOOK YOU'LL HAVE TO VISIT OUR SITE TO HEAR THE SONG.

Slainte!



-Ted & Seton

Tags: pogues, music

The lyrics in these songs match so perfectly how Mrs. Brennan is feeling about her boy Colin. They also match what Colin is feeling about losing his two friends, and what his brother Dermot is feeling about his ex girlfriend Francesca breaking up with him.

NOTE: If you are reading this on Facebook visit our site so you can hear the song. Enjoy.

- Ted and Seton

Tags: music, u2

Our dream was to have an iTunes tie-in with our book so people could download The Running Waves Mix and experience the music while also reading the book. The music plays such an important role in our novel. It really is a character. Anyway, at least for the first printing it looks like that is not going to happen so instead Seton and I decided to do a SONG OF THE DAY. It will feature one of the songs that we use in the book. Today's song is I Burn For You by The Police. We have two versions. The album version by The Police and the live version by Sting. We hope you enjoy.

-Ted & Seton

Tags: the police, music

Some will argue how I discovered the legendary Boston band O Positive back in the mid eighties is truth literally mixing with fiction. There are many versions, and many family and friends claiming that they were the ones who introduced me to one of my all time favorite bands.

This is how I remember it. It was either August of 85’ or 86’ (hence the fiction) and I was heading to the Falmouth Heights Beach for a late afternoon swim when I bumped into my buddy Mark Penta (the “tan man from Framingham” we used to call him) returning from his day on the sand.

He grinned and handed me a mixed tape. On the back of the case in black marker were names I had never heard before – New Order, General Public, Echo and The Bunnymen, Psychedelic Furs, etc.

I opened the case and on the black and gold Maxwell tape written in cursive lettering – Progressive Mix.

“What’s progressive?” I asked.

“I’ve heard some of it before. It’s pretty good. I think you’d like it.”

“I don’t get it. Can’t you give me a better description since you made the tape.”

Mark smiled. “That’s the point. I didn’t make it. I just found it lying on the bench down at the beach. Someone must’ve lost it. So, do you want to come over and listen to it tonight?”

That night I went over to Penta’s patio and we drank Slice soda and listened to this new music (to us) called, “Progressive.” Song after song spoke to a part of my soul. I knew the main reason was that these songs had real lyrics that told stories I could relate to. In my head, I pictured the videos I would make if I were a director (my dream at the time). But of all of those amazing songs there were three (the most by one band on the tape) by O Positive. Mark and I played them over and over. The songs were:

“With you”



“Say Goodbye”

Listen on their site!

“Up, Up, Up”



After that night, there was no turning back for me. I had to find out who this O Positive was. In a world before Google, this wasn’t an easy question to get answered. But one day that fall, I was listening to WUSM (which was the radio station for what is now UMass Dartmouth) and I heard the DJ talking about the Boston band O Positive. I couldn’t believe my new favorite band was from Boston!

Armed with this information, I soon found more of their music up in a record store (yes, record store) in Cambridge as well as friends who listened to it (My sister Sarah’s friend Brooke Aldrich who proudly owned the album, Jen Jensen, Kim English, Todd Humphrey, to name a few).

There now was a group of us at Falmouth High School that continued to grow into our own little nation of O Positive followers and we tried to see them at any underage venue they played.

I remember coming out of Mr. Cali’s English class and finding out that O Pos (as we liked to call them) were opening for the Psychedelic Furs at Great Woods. Christen Nelson packed about ten of us in her powder blue Volkswagen station wagon and drove us to Mansfield (which was usually an hour trip that took us about four hours!). The Furs were great but OUR band O Positive stole the show that night!

A few months later, Todd Humphrey, Jane Smith, and maybe Paula Soares told our parents we were going to study late at the library so we could see O Positive have center stage at S.M. U. (now UMass Dartmouth).

When I got home at 1:30 that morning my Dad was sitting in the darkness and said, “Library closes pretty late, huh?”

I confessed to him where I had been, and he said, “Never lie to us again. OK, pal?”

I apologized profusely and agreed to always to tell my parents the truth… Well, most of it.

Before my father headed for the upstairs he stopped and said, “Were they any good?”

“Yeah, Dad. They’re the best.”

“Ted,” he sighed, “I won’t claim to understand your music but I do know that feeling you get when music moves you. For me, it was Bing Crosby. Every time I heard that guy sing… Wow! It sent chills up my spine. Of course, now that I know he beat the crap out of his kids it’s not quite the same listening to the bastard. Goodnight, buddy.”

It is those memories and many more that occurred - seeing them play back to back shows at the Paradise or meeting lead singer Dave Herlihy before they played at Conte forum that will always make me love O Positive. The other great thing that happened was I was able to get my little brother Seton into them. That is why it was a must to give O Positive a brief shout out in The Running Waves. Our ultimate dream is when the book comes out May 30th and ever does take off and later becomes a movie they would actually use the music we loved. That’s a lot of ifs but we can dream, right?

The song we picked in the book is “Holding Onto You.” It is important in the book as it was important to Seton and me in real life. We would listen to the song while thinking of our friends who had gone before their time. I wanted to post a video of the song but I couldn’t find one so I contacted band member Dave Martin, who in one day, graciously made the video you’re going to see below. That also tells you how classy these guys are! It was our hope that this post would be our way of thanking all of the members of O Positive for the impact their music made on us, our friends, and family, but that won’t completely happen because on October 20, 2009, O Positive’s drummer Alex Lob passed away of diabetes. I hope you when you view this video you do it as a tribute to him and all of the bands known and not known who have moved you over the years.

Please check out Dave Martin’s solo music! Great stuff!

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/davemartin

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/davemartin2

-Ted

A friend recently asked me why there is an action figure on the cover of TRW, and I told them that it is a symbol of a more innocent time in the main characters' lives. When you read the book you'll experience their time of innocence in many flashback scenes, and also from pop culture references from their childhood. One of the references is to the Davey and Goliath show. When we were kids, all six of us would get up at the crack of dawn and watch the claymation show while eating our Cheerios (Cap'n Crunch with crunch berries on those special mornings). Well, today the creator of Davey and Goliath, Art Clokey passed away. Mr. Clokey will be remembered by the world more for creating Gumby, but for me, he'll be remembered for creating a show that every Saturday brought all the Murphy kids together.

Read more on Clokey at Wikipedia.



-Ted

Growing up, music was a staple in the Murphy house. While my mother prepped meals for eight people, she either sang along with the melancholic lyrics of Dan Fogelberg, or danced to the uplifting tunes of John Denver. If you traveled to the second floor, Nina and Joanna were most likely jamming out to U2 or The Police and if Ted wasn’t joining his two older sisters, he was probably in his room, sulking about some girl he had a crush on, while blasting Echo and the Bunnymen and New Order. Then, a little further down the hall, with the help of bands like The Cure and The Smiths, Sarah spent hours scribbling down beautiful poetry. Finally, at the other end of the house, Courtney and I usually had our own radio battles. The screeching voice of Bon Scott and the hard guitar riffs of Jimmy Page usually beat out her pop diva Madonna and the lighthearted tone of James Taylor. All of this was going on as my father escaped to the silence of the basement to write in peace

Music is everything to us. For me, I need it in the car, at the gym; while I take a shower, clean the kitchen, etc. So when Ted and I first began this book we both agreed that music was going play a significant role. We wanted to use songs that were important to us during 1994, but soon realized that we had too many and needed to cut some from the manuscript. It was not an easy task considering how much we adored the songs we had chosen.

We have explained that this book is a dedication to friends of ours who have died young. Many of the songs are dedications to artists who have died young too. Here are two we needed to keep in TRW. Enjoy.





-Seton

Tags: blind melon, alice in chains

It is January 5, 2010. The current temp is 32 degrees, and Falmouth is covered in icy, dirty, old snow that will taunt me in some variation for the next six weeks making this the boringest place on earth to live. I know I’m being a little dramatic, and I also know that boringest isn’t the proper use of “boring” in the English language, but it sure as hell is when it comes to the Cape Cod vernacular.

When dealing with this process, the Patriots will help me a bit since they’re in the playoffs. At least for this week, I can grab a cup of Midnight Rebel from Coffee O, park at Trunk River, turn the heat up in my car, and listen to Dale and Holley (followed by The Big Show) dissect the upcoming game against the Ravens. But, God forbid, if they lose it will be a long winter.

As I write this, I have just changed that thought. The Sox have just signed Adrian Beltre, and Dale and Holley’s heated discussion on WEEI about signing him has just ignited the hot stove! I have hope now that the news segment of the Red Sox equipment truck being loaded and then heading to Florida is not that far away. I will survive another winter on lonely, Cape Cod.

As in The Running Waves, baseball has always played a big part in my life. Like most New Englanders, my Dad raised Seton (my brother and co-author) and me to root for the Red Sox and love the beauty of the game.

Being a drama director, Dad would always tell us that, “Baseball is the best theater around.”

At early age, I agreed with him and how I would act my baseball dreams was playing wiffle ball games with Seton in our backyard. Of course, Seton was much younger than me (7 year difference) so I would always let him gain a big lead before I tried for my last inning heroics. After I sent him in tears stomping off our field a few too many times, I realized I was being a cruel big brother and decided to pick on someone my own size.

Enter my best summer buddy Mark Penta (http://MarkPenta.com)

Penta (who years later would go on to be my cover illustrator for The Belltown Mystery Series, and then write his own entertaining books, but his biggest claim to fame in my opinion was he played at Framingham South with major league utility great Lou Merloni) had a very small backyard so the style of wiffle ball we played was fast pitch. So the games didn’t end on towering home runs. They ended usually with the pitcher pumping his fist in celebration and pointing at the batter. It was on this field, Penta dubbed me, “The Strikeout King”, a nickname that haunted me for several years until we were able to move to the Heights’ ballpark.

It was at the Heights’ field we changed our rules. More space meant it to strictly become slow pitch wiffle ball. It was also homerun derby. No singles, doubles, or triples. Hits only slowed down the game and by this time in my wiffle ball career the whole neighborhood was lined up to take on the winner. There was only one other way to get on base. We used a beach chair for the strike zone. 8 balls was a walk and if you hit any part of the chair with your pitch it was a called strike. That gave that added tension of 7 and 2 counts. Why did we play eight balls and not four? The field was across the street from the beach, and as you’ll read in The Running Waves at times the winds were tough to deal with.

Anyway, after being embarrassed by Penta by playing his “small ball” (interesting description), I found my game and began to dominate the Heights’ field. Well, at least I can say that when I discuss Penta. There were some visiting teams that fared pretty well. John Gagnon who came from the land of Greengate and Sean Keating who’d journey from Fisherman’s Cove are certainly a couple of names that come to mind.

Occasionally, I would go on the road to play at other friend’s houses. Every house had different obstacles so that meant different home team rules (“If you hit the third level of the house it’s a grand slam” or “If you hit it in the thorn bush it’s an automatic two outs because it’s a pain-in-the-ass to get the ball”).

But one of the most interesting obstacles was at Harding’s house. Anyone who played wiffle ball in Falmouth in the eighties and early nineties will remember Ethan Harding’s Park. Ethan had an actual moving foul pole. Yes, a moving foul pole. When he was up at bat it was in one place – the place that allowed his ball to be fair for a home run. When I would hit the ball in that same area (sometimes the following inning) it always seemed to move –

“No, it’s not that tree.” He’d bark and point, “It’s that one!”

“But when you were up it was that tree.”

“No, man. You’re looking at the wrong tree. That’s a foul, man!”

Ethan is now a Major in the Marines and whenever we get a chance to talk we still argue about our wiffle ball games. We instantly go back to that time.

And that is the greatest part of playing wiffle ball in the summer -having memories that will keep you warm on a 32 degree day.

HERE’S SOME WIFFLE BALL INFORMATION YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiffle_Ball

http://www.newazone.com/xnationallinks.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxVjDz1uFqw

-Ted

This past weekend I was a guest speaker in my brother’s creative writing class at Boston College. Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I’d be a guest speaker, especially in a classroom. Growing up school didn’t come easy. I had a lot of problems focusing and retaining what was being taught. After high school, I was diagnosed with ADD, which definitely answered a lot of questions I had as a student. What I found so frustrating was that there were many times I was trying my best and my teachers thought I was just a “slacker.” Once I began taking medication and using the proper tools my grades in the college level increased and I actually enjoyed learning. This is when I really started to love writing.

For me, writing was not only therapeutic, but it allowed me to be my own boss. I looked to my father and brother as my mentors and found my own style. So last Saturday, I walked through the doors of Boston College, the same doors I walked through eleven years ago when I took a Saturday morning math class. It was a very emotional feeling to be back because this time I was a published author.

The class was great. They were a fun, energetic group who were eager to learn about writing. I gave some advice. It was the same advice that has been handed down to me by my father and brother and I hope that it helped and inspired them. What I stressed to the BC students is that you can’t let anyone’s negativity get in the way of your dreams. Always believe in yourself. So many people told me I was crazy when I was writing this book with my brother. They said that I should be realistic and that I should put my energy into something that will pay off. I chose not to listen and happy I didn’t because now The Running Waves is a reality.

Other than our parents, teachers have the greatest influence on us growing up. We spend most of our time in school and we look to these men and women for guidance and validation. At a very young age I was told by some teachers I would never amount to much. I never forgot those people and what they said.

Fortunately there were some amazing people in the Falmouth school system that believed in me and helped me every step of the way and I would like to thank them now. Mrs. Coyle, Mrs. Goodman, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Andrade, Mrs. Hampton, Mr. Hill, Mr. Hale, Mr. Kozens, Mr. Montiero, Mr. Laquidara, Ms. Anes, Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Funfar, Ms. Twitchell, Mr. Rainnie, and Jim O’Brien. These teachers gave me hope and hope is the foundation for all success. Happy Thanksgiving.

-Seton