The Golden Path
For the last couple of years, I have grown increasingly obsessive about certain songs, movies, or ideas. What I mean is I will have an idea, or hear a song, or see a movie, and that thing inspires me in some way. That thing is all I can think about for weeks, actually it is more accurate to say, that thing gets me through for weeks, sustains me in some way. The time when I have not seen something that inspires me, seems to pass painfully slow, and I obsessively seek another one of these things to satisfy this part of my mind.
Music is the most productive type of this obsessesion for me because when a song engulfs me, it usually plays like a movie in my head. I can visualize a narrative, and by replaying the song over and over, the narrative becomes more complete. The type of music that trigger this changes. One time could be an alternative song, and another, bluegrass. I have tried to figure out how to trigger it when I want to, but it does not work in that fashion, It comes and goes when it wants to. Maybe it is when I am extremely depressed, or the opposite, when I am feeling immense contentment. For certain, I can say that I have little control over it, except to steered into a direction, until it runs out of steam. This inspiration is like a boat with a broken accelerator, it takes off full throttle and can be steered, but not slowed down. It goes until it runs out of fuel and is empty, and then I have to experience something else it wants to get it moving again. These things that inspire me are not necessarily great songs, movies, or ideas, but instead fill some other need. It is like the combination of my need for a particular experience, crosses an exact experience that fulfills that immediate void, which intern, gives me an idea. My goal is to get the idea out as closely as possible to what I have imagined, but I am still working on that part. Here are a few of the songs that gave me that experience. For example, Daniel Johnstons-Walking the Cow, Del McCourys- Vincent Black Lighting 1952, Erik and the Vikings-Whole Wide World, The Flaming Lips-The Golden Path, or, Steve Earls-Copperhead Road, to name a few. I am not suggesting the greatness of these song, just they temporarily filled a need.
Having explained all of this, I will discuss the Golden Path by the Flaming Lips. I think I first heard The Golden Path on the radio while driving to work one morning. I remember feeling trapped and anxious about going to work that day, as if my life would be this same non-changing, unfulfilled routine. This song came on and captured my ear, it filled my mind with images. This song sets a great mood with repetitive beats and honest moving lyrics. This is a outline for the Golden Path. Follow through the storyline thumbnails and watch the animatic video at the end.
The Squareman dies and his soul is falling:
