Request for suggestions

[azekeil]

I'm sat here watching Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring on TV. I thought about how I associate my favourite band Led Zeppelin with LoTR (the book before the movie, but the story now the movie's out) due to a song on the first CD I own of theirs. zeke_hubris has posted recently about reading Lucifer: Exodus which appears to be a Sandman extrapolation.

All of these types of things I find fascinating - Heaven and Hell, epic, fantastic, sometimes serious, stark, dark, reflective on our own lives and philosophies.

Knowing myself as I do, I'm a terrible perfectionist. I don't like starting something that's going to require considerable effort. I simply haven't had the time to look into what is really worth reading/watching/listening to because my own personal experience is going to be limited however I decide to investigate. Is this just personal taste, or stuff that lots of people think is great? If the latter, then I have a hope of being able to be recommended stuff that I will love. Neil Gaiman, Trent Reznor, Terry Pratchett, Tori Amos etc. I don't even pretend to know most of the major works of just the few I've listed here.

So people, make me recommendations (preferably with links) to stuff like the above you have enjoyed (and/or know to be recognised as very good) to read/watch/listen to.

Thank you :)

UPDATE: I've found an animation film shown at least twice that I remember on Channel 4: Angel's Egg. I'm off to see if I can get hold of it :D

Comments

[zeke-hubris.livejournal.com]

I thought about how I associate my favourite band Led Zeppelin with LoTR (the book before the movie, but the story now the movie's out) due to a song on the first CD I own of theirs.

Battle of Evermore?

:-)

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Yes that'll be the one. :)

[teadaemon.livejournal.com]

I would have said Misty Mountain Hop, but then that's just me I suppose.

Personally I remember listening to my Dad's vinyl copy of Physical Graffiti one Christmas on my new record player whilst reading H.P. Lovecraft for the first time. For some reason I always end up associating the track Kashmir with At the Mountains of Madness.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Funnily enough I'm about to purchase a (new to me) record player and hope to buy a complete 'Zeppelin LP collection off a friend of mine who's emigrating.

[teadaemon.livejournal.com]

That should be fun.

[zeke-hubris.livejournal.com]

And for stuff to read you could do far worse than Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis.

Or for something more fantasyish try the Alan Moore years of Swamp Thing.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

I'll have to look into them :)

[emilydongray.livejournal.com]

I enjoy Lucifer. They really developed Him in a way not able to in Sandman.

'Tis good.

[sepheri.livejournal.com]

For Gaimen stuff try 'Smoke annd Mirrors' which is a collection of short stories, that might ease you back into book reading gently. Also 'Neverwhere' is a fantasic book of his and the most recent novel 'American Gods' is one of my all time favourite books. All of which are available on Amazon.

How much of Pratchett's recent stuff have you read? I really liked 'Maurice and his Amazing mice' (I think that was the full title) even if it was supposed to be a Disc World book for kids. 'Wee Free Men' and the book that follows it 'Hat Full of Sky' are possibly my favourite books of his ever. If you like the witches at all then you'll love those two (they have to be read in that order mind).

Tori has a new album out I think. I got 'Tales of a Libraian', her "best of" album recently and that was fabulous. She's playing a couple of dates in London in June so I am guessing that she also has a new album.
The new NIN album is out now too I think, if not its certainly on its way.