Today it's time for fun facts about "Willoughby Spit", the freebie short that comes between Riot Boy and Re-entry Burn, for those who'd like to know just what Brady and Etienne have been up to. It takes place while Brady and his band Willoughby Spit are recording their first EP--to take on tour with them. Probably.
If you're seeing this on a feed, like Goodreads or something, it'll look a lot better if you click through to the blog, since this is image/video heavy, as posts go.
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| Willoughby Spit EP cover Download the book and get a pdf of the cover art, front and back! |
Fun Fact #1: Brady and Et live in my best friend's house in Pittsburgh. It's true, my best friend since I was six (see also: the dedication to Equilibrium) lives in precisely the house Brady describes, in precisely the location he describes--well, as much as he does describe it, since I'm not trying to advertise my best friend's address. That'd be awkward.
I grew up about a half hour (depending on traffic) outside of Pittsburgh, so it was really My First City. I miss it a lot.
Fun Fact #2: "I Like Fucking" is Brady's favorite Bikini Kill song.
It is amazing. Riot grrrls ♥
And Melissa, who gets roped into singing it (because a dude singing it just doesn't work, come on)... it's kinda her theme song.
Fun Fact #3: The line 'an unhealthy thirst darkens my veins', which Brady assures Tyler "was written by a horny sixteen-year-old French boy in 1872" is from my favorite Rimbaud poem, "Song of the Highest Tower". Actually it's not just my favorite Rimbaud poem, it's probably my favorite poem full stop.
Fun Fact #4: As for the rest of the EP's track listing, Brady wrote "Freezer Burn" about Mal, "Bookshop Boy" about Etienne, and "Liar" for certain politicians.
Fun Fact #5: This one is for Jess, who asked about George a week or two ago. George the Fox, whom Brady puts on his amp before every rehearsal and/or show, is real. This is him:
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| Poor George has a rough time of it in "Willoughby Spit". Tyler, why you gotta be so mean? :( |
Brady picked him up after he left home the third time (because how could he not? Look at that face!)--the time that stuck, and he figured that made him good luck.
I put him in both Riot Boy and "Willoughby Spit" as an oblique reference to Nicky Wire of the Manic Street Preachers. Those jerks (aka my favorite band ever--also Malory's, but that's another post) didn't come to the US and play a show for ten years. I'm not exaggerating, it was literally ten years. Then, finally, I think it was after Send Away the Tigers (ETA: Nope, sorry, the Journal for Plague Lovers cover is right there on stage behind Nicky in the pic below. Ha!), they appeared, and Irene--yes she of Superpowered Science--got us tickets to see them in New York.
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| Most people go to New York to see Broadway shows. I go for random bands, apparently. I don't even know. |
So when they came out on stage, my teenage years flashed before my eyes, obviously. But also, Nicky Wire, fabulous bass player and all around source of awesome frocks, boas, and accessories, set up some little stuffed animals on his amp.
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| Okay it's a crappy picture from the cell I had like 5 years ago, but you can still kinda see them behind Nicky there. Also his signature mic draped in boas and pretty things. Nicky ♥ |
And I thought: holy fuck, that's perfect. I don't know why he did it, or if he does it at every show, or what. But I had Brady do it in, um, homage, I guess, to one of my favorite bass players. Because Brady totally would.
Also, the Manics still haven't been back since. Sigh.
Bonus music:
Buzzcocks - "Raison D'etre". If you've read the story, you know why!
And that's all she wrote!
"Willoughby Spit" cropped up on B&N too recently, so here's the list of ways to get it, for the curious. Please mind the warnings within, though:
My Box.net folder (separate zip files for mobi, epub, pdf, and htm--take whatever you like!)
Smashwords (all eBook formats)
Awesome!
And thanks for answering my George question :D
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