...who would they be? Since I have started comparing writers and musicians, I can't stop myself. Here's a little post I worked out to get it out of my system. Let's play that game together. Take your favorite writers and link them to a musician that is like minded in his lyrics or conceptual approach (or just historically similar). Here are twelve of my favorite writers and they musical counterparts, feel free to discuss if there are valid comparisons or not and add yours. In the comments, on your blog, it's just for fun.
Francis Scott Fitzgerald - The Beatles: They're both on everybody's list of influences and they pushed their mediums forwards within the classic structures. Both rock n' roll and literature wouldn't be the same without them
Ernest Hemingway - The Rolling Stones: Not as sophisticated as their counterpart, but rawer and more in-your-face. They both transcended their era anyway.
David Foster Wallace - Dream Theater: Geniuses in handling the structures of their respective mediums and twisting and turning it every conceivable way. Both are not easy to approach and understand
Jonathan Franzen - Bad Religion: I'm aware Bad Religion writes short and punchy songs, but I don't know better musician that tackle serious and difficult social issue with unflinching seriousness like they do. That's what Franzen does.
Jim Thompson - The Damned: Forever doomed to the underground of their art, yet they are at the very top of it. Their work is short, powerful and its boiling with anger.
Dennis Lehane - Eminem: Save your tomatoes. Who do you know mixes extreme violence and emotional content in above average prose better than Eminem? My point exactly. Also, both have hit the big time.
Elmore Leonard - Johnny Cash: Two strong, monolithic figures that have succeeded by doing very simple stuff with an unexplainable visceral appeal. Both are unconventional example of their respective styles, yet they contributed to the basics of it.
James Ellroy - Iron Maiden: Epic in length, crazy wild and engrossing storytelling and they are both serious-as-an-heart-attack about what they do. Notice that Ellroy and Maiden have known enormous success for over twenty year, yet they are an acquired taste.
Anthony Neil Smith - Motörhead: Loud, crass and violent, with an unexplainable sense of impending doom. They are artists that knows what makes them good and how to please their crowd.
Raymond Carver - Creedance Clearwater Revival: Simple melodies, sung with the most haunting voices. They get under your skin with simple words, because their stories are always more than meets the eye.
Stephen King - Megadeth: They have peaked in the eighties with violent stuff, gradually fell throughout the nineties and now they live off their past (but awesome) heritage. They also both released good stuff lately.
Philip K. Dick - The Doors: The melodies are simple yet witty and the words have been greatly influenced by substance abuse. They were two self-destructing units, also.
Whenever you can do this game with your favorite writers, you can always work it backwards...
Lee Child - Mötley Crüe: What created the success is the image they projected through their work. Nobody admits liking them but they keep selling over the years. More than enough to keep producing.
Stephenie Meyer - Simple Plan: They cashed-in on very simplistic stuff that revolves around the strange idea that your life will be more interesting if you're always sad.
James Patterson - Nickelback: Easy, formatted stuff, designed to reach the most ears and designed to reach the people who don't really like music or literature. Yet, they're making a lot more money than most people in this list.
And you, who would your favorite writers be, if they were, musicians?