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

As Seton and I have written in previous posts music plays a big part in The Running Waves. Every song or band that is mentioned in the book has a back story for us, and that is what is so fun about having a blog. We can actually go into to some of those back stories. The other night my good friend Vals sent me a text message from The Mighty Mighty Bosstones show at the House of Blues in Boston. I was already jealous of Vals that she was at the show considering I love the Bosstones, but she wrote - You'll never guess who's opening for them.

I didn't have to guess but I wrote back - Bim Skala Bim?

Her text back was one word - Yup.

I was tempted to hop into my car and fly to Boston, but I knew it would be a futile trip. Bim Skala Bim was the band that got me into loving Ska and also loving the Bosstones. I'll never forget the first time I heard them. I was 16 years old, killing time with friends on the wall in Wood's Hole when someone came up to us and said, "Hey, there's a bunch of people dancing at the MBL club. We should go."
We were too cool for dancing and laughed the kid off.

"No," he protested, "It looks like fun. There's a Ska band playing. We should check it out."

I didn't want to admit that I had no idea what Ska was so I followed the crowd of kids down the street. I will always remember seeing the silhouettes of people dancing and the sound that came from the MBL club instantly brought a smile to my face. I had discovered Ska! I sprinted ahead of the group, paid my 3 bucks, and danced the night away. I would go on to introduce Bim Skala Bim to my friends, coworkers, and siblings (Seton and my sister Sarah became big fans) via my mixed tapes. Eventually Bim's music would then lead me to discovering the Bosstones. I have seen both bands numerous times, and I always wonder what joy I would've missed out on in life if I hadn't walked into the MBL that night!

Below are two of the songs mentioned in The Running Waves (coming out May 30,2010).

The first one is the fast version of "Wise Up" by Bim Skala Bim. In the book, the main character Dermot actually listens to the slow version of this song (my personal favorite version which I couldn't find on YOUTUBE), but you'll get the point.




The second song is "Where'd You Go" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. BTW, if anyone has a connection to Dicky Barrett, the Bosstones, or Bim Skala Bim please pass on this post. Seton and I would love to get them to give us a blurb for the book! Thanks everyone who is passing our blog on!



-Ted

Tags: music, ska

Seton and I just got word from lead singer of The Samples Sean Kelly that we could use his lyrics to Feel Us Shaking in TRW. This is wonderful news on many levels. The first being is using the song lyrics (we are only using a few but they are so timely) will enhance a major scene near the end of the book. But I also hope if our book has any success it can help put the spotlight back on Sean Kelly who is such an amazing singer and lyricist. I was first introduced to The Samples back in 1993 by my summer friend Mark Penta. He brought the CD The Last Drag down to Falmouth during a cold, February week. Over the years, it had become a tradition that Mark would come and stay at our house for several days, and during that time he'd try to introduce me to what the next hot band was going to be. There were many times I said, "No, thanks. Turn it off." But when he played The Last Drag I was hooked! I was a fan for life! So when Seton and I began working on TRW I knew I wanted to get a Samples song mentioned, and when I was listening to my favorite one - Feel Us Shaking (the live acoustic version which you can buy on their website) - one day as I was driving over Falmouth Heights' hill looking out at the sparkling ocean, I knew that was the one. I raced home and played it for Seton (who had never heard the song before), and his eyes lit up and he said, "This sounds so much like us as kids growing up on the beaches of Falmouth." Then a few months later I was at a show at The Paradise and Sean Kelly said to the crowd, "I wrote this next song when I lived in a town called Falmouth one summer." It was Feel Us Shaking. It absolutely blew me away! He did know us (Cape Codders) and how we felt. The song was so inspirational to Seton and I when we would hit a snag while working on the book. So Seton and I would like to publicly thank Sean Kelly and The Samples for unknowingly helping us complete this project! Now if we ever could only get Sean with his guitar to the Cape for the Book Launch Party at The Beach House in May to celebrate with all of us..... We can dream. Can't we? Here are the lyrics and a more upbeat version of Feel Us Shaking.

Feel Us Shaking by The Samples

Gentle thoughts meander through the sand
as the ship made currents reach the land
the omniscient sun paving through the sky
and when it's done all the seabirds fly

I'd like to stay but I couldn't stay with you
I have to go, but I have a lot I want to do
pleasures be waiting by the sea
with a smile for all the world to see

diamond waves through sunglass days go by
so beautiful to be here and alive
though I've built sometimes so hard did I survive?
CAN YOU feel us shaking?

beneath the sea another world exists
it's tugging me by the ankles and my wrists
the morning wind come and pull me away
out to where the dolphins play

diamond waves through sunglass days go by
so beautiful to be here and alive
though I've built sometimes so hard did I survive?
CAN YOU feel us shaking?

pleasures be waiting by the sea
with a smile for all the world to see

Tags: music