The importance of being musical

I had such plans for this weekend - a bit of writing, a bit of editing, a couple of book reviews. What with Spotify and the BBC 6Music festival highlights online, however, all that got shelved and I've been indulging in music. I air-guitared to some instrumental rock 'n' roll, fired myself up with gritty early Kinks, bounced around to Maximo Park, and did a whole exercise session to Adam and the Ants. Marvellous, but not helpful on the writing front.

I've mentioned before how I struggle to write to music these days, and how I wish that wasn't so. I'm often drawn to fiction that has a strong connection to music, like John Harvey's detective Resnick and his jazz, or Kate Atkinson's blunt Jackson Brodie with his surprising penchant for female singer-songwriters. It's an added dimension and a way into a mood. Perhaps part of my problem is my eclectic taste, I skip around from Slayer to Joy Division to Half Man Half Biscuit, and if I was writing at the same time it would infect the words, resulting in a complete dog's breakfast of a story. What I need is to plan a playlist to match what I'm working on at the moment. If anyone has suggestions for songs suitable for editing sci-fi noir, let me know...