Archive for March, 2009
Next to Normal Creative Team
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
Over on Broadway.com, you can watch a fascinating video interview with the composer and lyricist of an upcoming Broadway musical called Next to Normal, about a woman with various psychological issues undergoing increasingly extreme forms of therapy.
I always find it interesting to get an insight into the creation of things like this, but primarily what fascinates me is how, in this case, they occasionally write lyrics first, and occasionally music first - and either way, it all comes out sounding pretty much the same - a style I’m not a fan of at all. It feels bland and predictable to me. I’m not sure what it is about this kind of music that leads people to either write it or listen to it. I honestly don’t understand.
But whatever it is, it’s not the fault of a songwriting team putting too much emphasis on lyrics, since those songs written music-first sound the same. So, I’m left with the unsettling conclusion that there must be lots of people out there who like this kind of music. The composers themselves must like it. It weirds me out.
That’s fine, I guess. I’ve long accepted that I have strange tastes in entertainment (not sophisticated, necessarily, just weird). I hope that it doesn’t mean that the music I create isn’t appealing to people in the way that it’s appealing to me.
Time for a Redesign
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
I think it’s about time I fixed up Narf’s Cavern to be something it can be for a long time. Narf’s Cavern reflects more my college sensibilities, running around England, etc. I’d like the website to be more adult, cleaner, easier to navigate, and brighter. I’m also tired of the tan.
Unfortunately, chrisguin.com is taken, but I’m looking for a cool domain name that will get at the heart of what this website is about - that being, whatever random things I want it to be about.
The current plan is for Reasonings and the Drawing Board to stay pretty much as they are, but with the new look. The C-File will also stay and have its look updated and simplified. The other categories will be condensed into a single Project category, where you can go to enjoy finished creative projects. There will be no Flash interface. Hopefully I will commit to updating things more frequently, because I often have things I want to write - I just seldom do.
If you have any ideas for a brighter color scheme (something light and airy?) or a cool domain name that isn’t taken, I’m eager to hear them.