We are all big fans of Tom Scioli around these parts – he’s one of our favorite all-time guests on The Hour Cosmic, in addition to producing some of the most vibrant work of his career with his free webcomics. One of those webcomics, “Satan’s Soldier,” now has its first installment available in print from Tom’s website, Ambarb.com. To celebrate this, we thought we’d ask Tom what Satan’s Soldier would be listening to as he flies around the world, popping people’s heads off, killing a sack of babies, and other hideous things. He obliged, and we couldn’t be happier.
And please pick up your signed copy of “Satan’s Soldier” #1 via PayPal!
Take it away, Tom!
“Satan’s Soldier” is an ominous fever dream of science, superheroes and madness. The music was chosen to match or enhance the tone and themes of the comic.
“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath
The original anthem of evil. This is a scary song. Ominous church bells, a description of a shadowy figure just out of focus. It could be describing Soldier’s shadowy companion, D’Ark, or the dark god himself, Black Sabbyth. I bought this in my late 20’s and was afraid the earth might open up beneath me on the walk home from the record store. It’s just that evil.
“Lightning Strikes the Postman” by The Flaming Lips
It’s off-kilter, with a tightening, escalating tension, and descriptions of dementia and sky power.
“Baby’s on Fire” by Brian Eno
Satan’s Soldier has a sometimes-antagonistic relationship with his offspring, viewing them as nuisances and possibly a threat to his absolute power. He has been known to incinerate his superbabies with his laser eyes from time to time. A main criteria for a song worthy of Satan’s Soldier is a sense of being off balance. It’s got to sound disconcerting and keep you looking over your shoulder. This track from Eno’s first solo album is exactly that: a frightening, moody, and surprisingly poppy journey. It’s a close fit for the comic.
“Aluminum” by White Stripes
This was the unofficial theme song for American Barbarian, but it probably works even better for Satan’s Soldier. It’s faux 70’s metal, boiling down the essence of Sabbath and Zeppelin to a repeated revolving speaker “ahhh” accompanied by a heavy minimalist riff. The riff from “They Live.”
“Take A Bow” by Muse
This song made me want to see Watchmen. It was on one short commercial, but never showed up in the movie itself, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s still up for grabs. An orchestral retro-synth Wagnerian electronica epic for my retro-synth pop epic supercomic. The lyrical content, bombastic overwrought adolescent meditation on the abuse of power, interests me less than the music itself which is transcendent.
“Helter Skelter” by the Beatles
The heaviest, scariest thing the Beatles could muster. “I’m coming down fast, but don’t let me break you.” Pretty heavy, pretty scary even if it is a little over-played.
“My God” by Jethro Tull
“My God what have you done?” It’s got a nice sense of impending doom paired with religious motifs. An instrumental version would work well in Satan’s Soldier: The Movie.
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” by Jimi Hendrix
It’s song about magic and super powers and an unforgettable syncopated riff. It explodes halfway through. “I stand up next to a mountain, chop it down with the edge of my hand.”
“The Bewlay Brothers” by David Bowie
I’m picking songs that make you feel off-kilter, but are still tuneful, with a bit of pop clinging to the bones, which is how I see my comic. It’s dark, but there’s a major key playing just beneath all the discord.
“I can See For Miles” by The Who
It describes an all-seeing all-knowing angry jealous dude. The sound is massive and echoes into cosmic infinity.
“In the Court of the Crimson King” by King Crimson
This was another unofficial theme for American Barbarian. The Crimson King is the most powerful man in his world and is dressed all in red.
Complete Playlist: