A couple of weeks ago, when I was researching songs inspired by literature, I came across "Without You" by Del James. Apparently it was the inspiration behind the Guns 'N Roses video for "November Rain." Remember that video? It was 47 minutes long, cost 1.5 trillion dollars and featured a church the size of a sandbox that could miraculously hold 2000 people.
Reading the story, it's not hard to see how Axl would be attracted to the story. A self-destructing rocker who... well, self-destructing rocker is enough, isn't it?
Unfortunately, the story, like the troubled rocker, is full of cliches:
"...the only woman he ever truly loved..."
"...he'd spent the majority of his time inside a bottle."
Of course, people do make the same mistakes as everyone else. We're an inherently cliched species. I would just like a little more insight, a new way of looking at it, a new way of describing it. I liked one line in the entire piece:
"Sex was an ego addiction similar to the one felt onstage."
Perhaps an old idea, but it made me pause for thought.
(Did you write a post for Short Story Monday? If so, please leave a link in the comments below.)
6 comments:
I am a diehard Rock music fanatist. At one time I wanted purple hair..
Thankfully sanity prevailed.
:D
Forgot my link:
Yvette by Guy de Maupassant
I think I'll pass on your short story. It sounds like it's been done to death. LOL!
Mine is actually a children's book. It qualifies for the Canadian Book Challenge. Here's the link:
http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-raining-its-pouring-by-andrea.html
I loved the song and video for November Rain!! How cool!!
I just finished my 2nd book this week for the Canadian Challenge: The Dreaming Place by de Lint (http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/2009/06/de-lints-novella-doesnt-pack-as-much.html). And last week, Monkey Beach!
Ah, yes...November rain!
I read The Lottery this week -
http://lakesidemusing.blogspot.com/2009/06/lottery-by-shirley-jackson.html
I've always wondered the story behind November Rain of Guns N Roses... I see what you mean by the church holding an enormeous amount, without it being very big..lol AMAZING ;-)
What I am still curious about, as far as the guns video depiction of the story 'with you', is what actually happens to his wife in the clip, HOW does she die? There is no visible sign of how she dies... would appreciate knowing that, or is it all in Del James's book? Perhaps I should read that.
Thank you!
Chrissy Dingley
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