Maybe a little OT.....Session "opening theme"

[Tegyrius]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Six

How about something by Steve Earle? "Copperhead Road" or "The Devil's Right Hand" both spring to mind, but there are others..."Ben McCulloch" for example...love the chorus of that song -

Also, Home to Houston and Warrior. I'd use The Gringo's Tale for a specific story involving PCs who can't go home because of politics or personal misdeeds. Johnny Come Lately needs an added verse for the Twilight War.

Originally Posted by Rainbow Six

Maybe Bruce Springsteen as well? I'm not as up to date on his newer stuff, but there are acoustic versions of both "Born to Run" and "Born In The USA" out there, or there's "My City In Ruins".

Devils & Dust and Further On (Up the Road) both work.

A heck of a lot of Warren Zevon's work has imagery or themes applicable to post-apoc. Just off the top of my head: Jungle Work, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, Transverse City (admittedly verging on cyberpunk), Quite Ugly One Morning, Searching for a Heart, Renegade...

- C.

[B.T.]

I don't work with much music. One of my players is a musician himself - he tends to listen to the music, not to the GM.

A nice openig track is good. It helps, to settle the mood. But during play, I would use music sparingly. And if you use it as background, you should chose slow and more instrumental tracks. If the tracks have to much rhythm - lots of drumbeats - this can distract the attention. Soundtracks are ideally suited.

On the other hand: Some of the "louder" tracks, thrown in on occasions, might do it, from tome to time:
Iron Maiden - The Trooper
Motörhead - Overkill (An edit, song's too long)
System of a Down has same real loud ones, that could be played as an opener to a scene.

There is an album of Apocalyptica with cover songs from Metallica ("Apocalyptica plays Metallica"?). Some were really scary.

Pomp and Circumstance might work, too. (You know, when the job is done and the players can feel like real heroes)

I once played with a guy, who must have had literally hundreds of soundtracks. He used several tracks as musical themes for certain NPCs. This was fun - every player instantly knew, what was happening.

[Legbreaker]

Given the game's set in the second half of the 90's, perhaps leave the 1960's and 70's sound tracks alone and go with more contemporary music and bands?

[stg58fal]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Given the game's set in the second half of the 90's, perhaps leave the 1960's and 70's sound tracks alone and go with more contemporary music and bands?

2012, actually, since we'll be playing T:2013, but your point remains valid, and that's why I said that even though "Gimme Shelter" would be great, it's probably not appropriate.

I'm looking up the suggestions that have been made thus far on YouTube.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by stg58fal

2012, actually, since we'll be playing T:2013, but your point remains valid, and that's why I said that even though "Gimme Shelter" would be great, it's probably not appropriate.

Ah, good point. Makes selecting music even easier for you though - don't have to think back a decade and a half!

[Rainbow Six]

Can't believe I forgot about "99 Red Balloons" by Nena yesterday. Even better in the original German version, "99 Luftballoons".

[dude_uk]

For that the late Cold War feeling:

Two Tribes Frankie goes to Hollywood

Everybody wants to rule the world Tears for Fears

Russians Sting

Land of Confusion Genesis

When the Wind Blows David Bowie

When the Children cry White Lion

[copeab]

Originally Posted by B.T.

There is an album of Apocalyptica with cover songs from Metallica ("Apocalyptica plays Metallica"?). Some were really scary.

Four Cellos Play Metallica

I found their cover of "Hall Of The Mountain King" kinda scary

Their more recent instrumentals, with drums and distortion effects, also work well as background music.

[copeab]

I always thought "Re-Jigue" by Alan Parsons was a good theme song waiting for a series. "Lucifer" by the Alan Parsons Project is also a good choice.

[stg58fal]

Originally Posted by B.T.

A nice openig track is good. It helps, to settle the mood.

That's the idea. JUST an opening theme. Like how "Paint It Black" was used as the opening theme for the TV series "Tour of Duty". Other than that, I prefer for music to stay OFF during a game session, to help reduce distractions.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll check them out. I may also change the opening every so often, for the sake of variety and so people don't get too burned out on one song.

I also like, and may use, the Five Finger Death Punch version of "Bad Company". Funny, cuz that's the ONLY song I've heard them do that I can actually stand.

[Raellus]

I started a thread on war-related pop music a few years back but I can't find it in the archive. A lot of folks pitched in and it was pretty exhaustive. Here's a more recent thread about mood music for T2K-

http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.p...ighlight=music

I'll keep hunting for the other one.

[stg58fal]

Originally Posted by Raellus

I started a thread on war-related pop music a few years back but I can't find it in the archive. A lot of folks pitched in and it was pretty exhaustive. Here's a more recent thread about mood music for T2K-

http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.p...ighlight=music

I'll keep hunting for the other one.

Thanks. Checking the thread right now.

[WallShadow]

How about the "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" riff from the end of "Dr. Strangelove"? It has a brittle, despondent, desperate, fatalistic, militaristic feel to it. And the source material is _so_ relevant.

"Black Friday" by Steely Dan--after all IIRC the TDM actually took place the day after Thanksgiving, when all the capitalistic materialistic bourgoisie were out shopping for Christmas.