I am a huge believer that music can and should be a vital part of the creative process.

When I write and draw I will usually slip on a pair of headsets and fall deep into the world of the brokenmoon or any other project I am involved in.

When I am working on scenes or specific moments, I usually focus on soundtracks. Instrumental only. I look at bean as a movie in my head. The characters and the action that goes on is very much alive and so a soundtrack in my opinion is needed.

Many times the sound tracks are to movies I have not seen. This is done on purpose so I can keep a scene pure. Yet sometimes a sound track is so good I cannot pass it up. These soundtracks I usually keep to myself.

Yet I also enjoy a wide variety of music and over the years, I have found myself returning to these songs to help define the characters. Especially their moods and emotions. It makes it easier for me to write, when I identify a song or several songs to make the character a little more emotionally realistic.

I guess there are some minor spoilers, or not as you see personalities from certain songs…so read at your own risk:) Also some songs fit multiple characters as well.

Bean- There are a wide variety of songs that helped make up the bean and some of them I wont post yet, since he is pretty simple as a character. He does get a little more complex as the story matures.

Little Wonders- Rob Thomas

I’m going to go back there some day – Paul Williams & Great Gonzo

I’m with you -Avril Lavigne

I’m still here – GooGooDolls lead singer

– Ravna is as complex as the bean. She has a wide variety of songs that also fit her personality. Yet for now, I will post a few that have added a depth to her character that I really appreciate.

Iris- Goo Goo Dolls

Drive- the Cars

Woman in Chains- Tears for Fears

Don’t Get me Wrong – the Pretenders

Round here – Counting Crows

Siv These songs also just don’t represent the character, but also feelings they might have for another. I use these songs not always for the message they bring, but the emotion they might stir to make a characters action believable. Some songs have even changed the course of certain character interaction and have even made other character relationships stronger. Siv hits both of these categories as does Ravna.

Angel – Sarah Mclaughlin

I’m moving on – Rascal Flats

Walkaway Joe- Trisha Yearwood

Wandering Star- Paint your wagon, Lee Marvin

Alive and Kicking- Simple Minds

Gort is pretty simple- In fact certain songs just fight his mood perfect.

Everybody want to rule the world- Tears for Fears

Funny little Things- Hobbit- Glen Yarbrough

Folsom Prison- Johnny Cash

A boy named sue- Johnny Cash (and its sue either:))

A good place to stop-

In light of making this a really long post I think this is a good place to stop. It is important some songs I didn’t post because it would ruin the story and so I might do this again with other characters:).  I just thought it would be fun to show you a little of where some of the inspiration came for certain characters. There are many other factors that go into character creation well chat about that at another time.

For now…. just sit back and enjoy the music. As you read the comic though you might want to shuffle through some of these songs and you might catch something about these characters that you might or would not have caught before.

Until then- keep creating

trav