Dieselpunk + Steampunk Culture
Give me one example of what you consider to be dieselpunk
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List one example of what you consider to be dieselpunk.
With your example, describe why you think it is dieselpunk.
This example can be real or conceptual, and can span any genre of art, craft, or entertainment.
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For example, I believe the song A Tap Dancer's Dilemma by Diablo Swing Orchestra is dieselpunk.
It opens with a swing-beat drum solo that was used predominantly in the 1930's. From there it progresses to the hook, which is performed on heavily distorted electric cellos. Then it launches into an opening performed by a brass section, and accompanied by a jazz piano.
The lyrics are sung in a distorted "gospel barker" tone, and are accompanied by a female close harmony section (a style popularized by The Andrews Sisters during the '40s), the bridge is performed in a non-distorted, technical guitar style, normally heard in '30s jazz guitar, and the lyrics have a pseudo-gospel feeling to them (harkening back to the roots of jazz).
Together, all of these disparate styles are mixed together in a post-modern way with contemporary production techniques, and include modern instruments and playing styles.
The end result is altogether modern in it's performance, but still includes elements and themes that were popular during the Interbellum, which is why I consider it to be dieselpunk.
List one example of what you consider to be dieselpunk.
With your example, describe why you think it is dieselpunk.
This example can be real or conceptual, and can span any genre of art, craft, or entertainment.
--
For example, I believe the song A Tap Dancer's Dilemma by Diablo Swing Orchestra is dieselpunk.
It opens with a swing-beat drum solo that was used predominantly in the 1930's. From there it progresses to the hook, which is performed on heavily distorted electric cellos. Then it launches into an opening performed by a brass section, and accompanied by a jazz piano.
The lyrics are sung in a distorted "gospel barker" tone, and are accompanied by a female close harmony section (a style popularized by The Andrews Sisters during the '40s), the bridge is performed in a non-distorted, technical guitar style, normally heard in '30s jazz guitar, and the lyrics have a pseudo-gospel feeling to them (harkening back to the roots of jazz).
Together, all of these disparate styles are mixed together in a post-modern way with contemporary production techniques, and include modern instruments and playing styles.
The end result is altogether modern in it's performance, but still includes elements and themes that were popular during the Interbellum, which is why I consider it to be dieselpunk.
Tags: dieselpunk
Views: 3029
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Damien Hewitt on -
I think that the game "Valkyria Chronicles",by Sega, is dieselpunk.
Though being set in a different world, the game is set in 1935 in a fictional Europe ("Europa"), and it has all the same political strife that was existant in OUR Europe of that time.
It uses technology that is a slight fantastical exaggeration of what we had at that point, and it uses that tech in much the same way that we did at that point.
To expound on the political strife, it was seen in Europe in 1935 that war was coming. In Europa, war had just started (a very real possibility for Europeans in 1935). Further, in VC, the continent is dominated by two major powers: The Atlantic Federation (knock-off of the League of Nations), and the East Europan Imperial Alliance (knock-off of the USSR, with elements of Nazi Germany). This is how much of the Continent felt at that time, particularily in E.Europe, where you were stick between Nazi Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
These political and technological factors combine to prove (to me at least) that Valkyria Chronicles classifies as dieselpunk.
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Permalink Reply by Tome Wilson on -
I agree. The setting and technology used are definitely inspired by 1930s - 1940s Europe.
Valkyria Chronicles for the win.
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Permalink Reply by Larry on -
The movie Oh Brother Where Art Thou is dieselpunk, in my opinion. It's placed in the interbellum era yet rewrites history by taking real people of that era but reimagines them and relocates them.
The real Governor Pappy O' Daniels wasn't the governor of Mississippi but actually of Texas. Both the real and the fictional made their wealth from having a successful flour business and both had a radio programs. Also, the real Pappy had a Western Swing band called the Lightcrust Doughboys. In the movie of course the stars became his band, the Soggy Bottom Boys, which was another rewrite for their name is a play on the real Foggy Mountain Boys. Add to that the character of Tommy Johnson, who was based on the real Robert Johnson. The use of bluegrass in the movie is also diesel for it actually originated in the diesel era and is, imho, as diesel as swing or big band. The same is true for Western Swing, which is diesel in it's origin as the use of the word "Swing" should indicate.
So I consider Oh Brother Where Art Thou very diesel punk.
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Permalink Reply by Hayen Mill on -
I think this hovercraft by Lipatov from deviantart is very dieselpunk.
I think the art deco lines plus the obvious retro-futurist technology itself fits the common subjective definition of dieselpunk. The badass look of the driver starts to enter the realm of punk, especially since he looks like he mounted that beauty all by himself.
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Permalink Reply by Dizzy on -
sky captain and the world of tommorow,
the clothing has a very deiselpunk feeling, as does the dark beautiful back drop of the city
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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I didn't know who the artist was of this and I'm glad you posted it. I agree completely. I love his work.
Hayen Mill said:I think this hovercraft by Lipatov from deviantart is very dieselpunk.
I think the art deco lines plus the obvious retro-futurist technology itself fits the common subjective definition of dieselpunk. The badass look of the driver starts to enter the realm of punk, especially since he looks like he mounted that beauty all by himself.
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Permalink Reply by Myke DeArden on -
The Pioneer Zephyr.
Streamlined, fast, elegant.
New technologies that set landspeed records and inspired a generation of travelers.
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Permalink Reply by humberto huerta ray on -
I think that the game crimson skies could also be cataloged as diesel punk or steam punk, not very sure thou..
There's also the Garbage video of 'Special' which has some of the Crimson Skies aesthetics.
humberto
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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Ok, I'm gonna cheat and post more than one. Shunya Yamashita "I Can't Explain."
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Permalink Reply by Cap'n Tony on -
Bel Geddes' Airliner #4:
Specifically, any world where this thing would actually fly...
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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Holy crap! Does anyone know if this thing could actually fly if it was built?
Cap'n Tony said:Bel Geddes' Airliner #4:
Specifically, any world where this thing would actually fly...
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Permalink Reply by Cap'n Tony on
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Fly? Very, very doubtful. Aerodynamically very unstable. Maybe with enough engines (more even than the several he proposed) it might briefly fly close to the water due to ground effect (ala the Soviet Ekranoplans and, some theorize, the Spruce Goose). Sustained, stable flight...I'd say no.
But if the Steampunks can have Zepplins to the Moon I think we deserve an transoceanic luxury flying wing.
Larry said:Holy crap! Does anyone know if this thing could actually fly if it was built?
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