Laura Lidster

I FEEL GHOSTS AROUND

With Halloween, it is a time to embody your wild and mischievous side, as this playlist is meant to encourage. This selection is a myriad of rock, and other genres that will make people want to dance at a late night Halloween party. My first song,"black sheep" by "Clash at Demonhead", is inspired by that feeling of wanting to become the guitar; become the vibrations of the chords, as you feel the tempo climbing. I want people to feel inclined to party, in their favourite, most empowering costume. That's why my next song is from a superhero movie, with relatively no lyrics. People create the words with their dancing, and essentially create their own lyrics, from the beat. The third song, is a classic by Iron Maiden, "fear of the dark". The title may be enough, to invoke a spooky feeling, but the album art acheives this even better. The fourth song is about "ghosting", referring to when someone doesn't show romantic interest in you anymore, and ignores your text messages...indefinitely. That is rather scary to some people...ha ha. But I chose the song, specifically to further the dancing mood, because it has a playful edge. Then this leads into the next high intensisty rock song, Zombie, by the Cranberries. This, I find, is oddly empowering. It's not just a great song to rock out to. Telling people that they are acting like zombies, is a way of subtly bringing down the vibe of my playlist. To make people think for a moment, and stop behaving like a sluggish zombie, if they are. So that they can truly enjoy themselves, and have a great Halloween. I also like that in the music video, there are unique outfits, and body paint, which I think more Halloween costumes should look like. Like they are showing off a work of art. So, as the playlist dipped in tempo for this song, it rises again with the sixth masterpiece. This is a personal favourite of mine, from the movie "The Corpse Bride", called "remains of the day". Tim Burton's unique animation style, has an interesting affect on me. Because the animation can feel creepy, and simultaneoulsy not creepy at all. This is a funny song, and great to force out certain dance moves, that you didn't know you would think about expressing. The next song is by "The Smashing Pumpkins". Their song, "tonight, tonight", has a romantic quality to it, other then the theme of the music video. Although the smashing pumpkins are formally known as an alternative rock band, this has a romantic feeling to it. But I don't necessarily see the meaning of this song is as an ode to romantic couples. People can feel this way by themselves, or with friends, when the night and the stars are so beautiful, that it brings romantic feelings out in you. That's how I want people to experience Halloween through this song, it's a special day, and night. My final song, is actually a female cover, of the song "this is halloween" from the movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas". This was an unexpected version to find, and just like Halloween, new and unexpected experiences/situations can arise, because people are being a bit more adventurous and playful. Or letting their imagination roam, creates a new and unexpected experience. I hope to be able to play this for people I know, because I think it is something that inspires people to let go of old habits. Halloween is a time period when the veil between the invisible world, and the visible world, thins. People actually have purported seeing ghosts around this time, and connecting with them. Everything can change on this day/night, when you are simply aware of the possibility that ghosts might reveal themselves to you.