Dieselpunk + Steampunk Culture
Creating Dieselpunk Music
I was unsure whether to put this in the music part or in the philosophy part, but I ended up choosing this one.
Ok, so i've been thinking a lot about starting to record some of my "dieselpunk" ideas, when I thought to myself, what exactly is there dieselpunk about them. I'm not sure if this will upset many people or not, but the overall trend of dieselpunk bands mentioned in this website has been pretty much only swing revival bands, and I was hoping to do a brainstorm in order to fully explore the dieselpunk term.
So, I intend this to be an open discussion as to what defines dieselpunk music. What instruments? How to play them? What lyrics? What context?
In my opinion, I would include as dieselpunk music which:
- Includes the use of punk distorted guitar (in a more or less fast paced manner)
- Includes traditional instruments such as trumpets, trombones, pianos, violins
- Includes synthesizer experiments intended to explore a faster paced, yet still vintage sound
- Includes lyrics describing certain dieselpunk cities (and the retro-futurist technology present), alternate history themes (such as, maybe, a prolonged world war 2, atomic energy, promise of ideology utopias, and their consequent lack of realization).
- Includes singing in a faster, punk-based way, yet with the use of cappellas or other vintage techniques.
As inspirations, I would say to fellow dieselpunks to look into:
- proto-punk as an inspiration for softer, less paced punk. Example:
- Swing/Boogie Woogie/Jazz/Ragtime/Rythm and Blues/ Blues for that oldies feeling reminding the listener the context in which the music is occuring (the hypothetical dieselpunk context). The website is full of examples in this regard. Don't forget to check out bands like The Chordettes or The Andrews Sisters for cappella examples.
- Electronic music, with the purpose of using synthesizer for new background sounds (Reason software has some pretty good synths for post-apocalyptic feels) as well as the occasional crazy drumming, as exemplified by this video:
This is, of course, only my opinion. I therefore launch myself to the lions to await your take on the subject!
Ok, so i've been thinking a lot about starting to record some of my "dieselpunk" ideas, when I thought to myself, what exactly is there dieselpunk about them. I'm not sure if this will upset many people or not, but the overall trend of dieselpunk bands mentioned in this website has been pretty much only swing revival bands, and I was hoping to do a brainstorm in order to fully explore the dieselpunk term.
So, I intend this to be an open discussion as to what defines dieselpunk music. What instruments? How to play them? What lyrics? What context?
In my opinion, I would include as dieselpunk music which:
- Includes the use of punk distorted guitar (in a more or less fast paced manner)
- Includes traditional instruments such as trumpets, trombones, pianos, violins
- Includes synthesizer experiments intended to explore a faster paced, yet still vintage sound
- Includes lyrics describing certain dieselpunk cities (and the retro-futurist technology present), alternate history themes (such as, maybe, a prolonged world war 2, atomic energy, promise of ideology utopias, and their consequent lack of realization).
- Includes singing in a faster, punk-based way, yet with the use of cappellas or other vintage techniques.
As inspirations, I would say to fellow dieselpunks to look into:
- proto-punk as an inspiration for softer, less paced punk. Example:
- Swing/Boogie Woogie/Jazz/Ragtime/Rythm and Blues/ Blues for that oldies feeling reminding the listener the context in which the music is occuring (the hypothetical dieselpunk context). The website is full of examples in this regard. Don't forget to check out bands like The Chordettes or The Andrews Sisters for cappella examples.
- Electronic music, with the purpose of using synthesizer for new background sounds (Reason software has some pretty good synths for post-apocalyptic feels) as well as the occasional crazy drumming, as exemplified by this video:
This is, of course, only my opinion. I therefore launch myself to the lions to await your take on the subject!
Tags: creating, define, defining, dieselpunk, music, philosophy
Views: 18
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jonny B. Goode on -
I see early rock-and-roll, and the whole greaser movement, as the apex of the dieselpunk era. I end dieselpunk in the mid 50's, myself.
-
Permalink Reply by Beauregard on -
While I definetely see Swing, Jazz and RnR music as suited to Dieselpunk, thiese genres to me stand more for the "lighter"/brighter sides of DP. I'm more a lover of the weird and dark versions of DP and so my "definition" (don't know if I would really call it that way...) goes somewhat hand in hand with my personal likes of the way Dieselpunk generally may take.
One of my fave aspects, the whole "weird war" stuff, to me is best musically undelined by various ambient/martial industrial acts. Take e.g. "Les Joyaux De La Princesse" - the man behind this name takes old speech recordings, marches, classical fragments etc. and mixes them with some electronic/ambient effects to create a dark, sometimes hopeless, sometimes menacing sound:
Another take on Dieselpunk I like, the dark, depressive and dystopian one, I personally find in some post-rockish, droning music like "The Angelic Process", which also fits to post apocalyptic sceneries
"Ocean Machine" ( a project by the genius that is Devin Townsend), check this fantastic song....
"Slowdive", who come along somewhat lighter and with a form of hope but still carry depressive aspects:
French band "Amesoeurs"
and finally the great "Ascension Of The Watchers", who were labelled in some review as the perfect soundtrack for a drive near dawn in a Blade Runner setting
(sorry for the many youtube links but I wanted to make sample listening easy for you ;) )
and I absolutely love (and find fitting) bombastic, heroic soundtracks for the pulpy, adventures Dueselpunk stuff. Obviously there's the Indy scores but of course there are tons more. It doesn't really matter if the mvie itself is dieselpunkish as long as it has that heroic flair. The Superman theme, the Back To The Future theme, the A-Team title,...
-
Permalink Reply by Beauregard on
-
@Tome: hah, great - some of my fave bands in the martial/neoclassical listing. :-)
just one thing - if you care about politics in music, stay away from Von Thronstahl and Wappenbund. Though most of the martial bands are neutral in politics, these two def. carry a strong right-wing message. Not for the sake of "art" or some kind but due to actual belief/opinion... if one doesn't speak german this may not be clear just from hearing their music...
-
Permalink Reply by Beauregard on
-
yes. or in other words: the two mentioned bands are fucking nazi assholes
-
Permalink Reply by Beauregard on
-
All songs (above and also the following) I posted here aren't dieselpunk by the way a sound in that time period would have sounded like, but are more music which to me would underline dieselpunkish scenes (say, like a soundtrack).
And I forgot these two more electronic outfits....
Derniere Volonte:
a French Military Pop band. Their early sound was more in an industrial way but it evolved to a fantastic both bombastic and danceable sound. Despite an obvious 80s wave influence, I personally find them very much fitting some kind of bridge between "weird war" and "noir" dieselpunk.
http://www.myspace.com/dernirevolont
this picture shows quite good why I find them fitting ;-)
You can listen to some of my fave songs here:
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/Les+Orages+du+Crime
(damn that is soooooooo good!!!)
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/Verbes+Fragiles
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/Ami
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/Vienna
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/La+Nuit+Revient
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/Der+Zorn+Gottes
http://www.lastfm.de/music/Derniere+Volonte/_/Hymn
and (as mentioned in the Musci section before) there's the great album "Perdition City" by Ulver.
Though the instrumentation with quite a lot electronics may not always be fitting to the era, the used saxophone, some classical instruments and the overall atmosphere of a dark, filn-noir like city suit just fine to DP.
Also some light jazz parts appear now and then (just so light that I - as a non-jazz fan - like it)
Think of deserted subwaytrain stations, barely lit backalleys, glass and metal buildings, night, rain and a single person taking a long walk through this.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
© 2012 Created by Tome Wilson.
