Pulp Music

[Njiall]

Do you use music in your Pulp Hero game sessions?
What kind of music could you recommend me for that?

[mvoncannon]

Soundtrack to "Skycaptain and the World of Tomorrow" or Indiana Jones.

[BobGreenwade]

It depends on the physical setting, really. mvoncannon made a good call for "action" sequences; big band music (Basie, Ellington, Goodman, Kenton, Miller, and their contemporaries) could also work.

[Cancer]

Some latter-day Big Band style music is done by a band named Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

[mvoncannon]

Some latter-day Big Band style music is done by a band named Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

I hadn't thought of that. Nice. Rep to ya.

[Narratio]

If you're set in the USA, say Chicago or New York, for that late 20's feel, try Cab Calloway or early Big Bill Broonzy, maybe some Billie Holliday. The sound track for "Brother where art thou" has a couple of some gems.

If you can find the 1937 film Dead End, or maybe the 1939 Hells kitchen, there's some great ambience setting music on them too.

[Zane_Marlowe]

For the modern orchestral score that has that feel, it also depends on what kind of pulp (i.e., Flash Gordon sci-fi, high-flying less realistic stuff, or more historical realism). Some stuff to consider:

1. For European monster madness, look for the soundtrack to Bram Stoker's Dracula. The Vampire Hunters is an especial favorite.

2. For air adventure or bright shiny heroism, look for some tracks by Bill Conti from the soundtrack to The Right Stuff (I found it on iTunes).

3. There's always the Untouchables Soundtrack for villainous gangster stuff stateside (I don't personally own this, but my memory has it as very period-sounding).

Hope that's helpful!

[Ian Mackinder]

Soundtracks to 'The Mummy' and 'The Mummy Returns'. Assortment of "spooky" music, rollicking "fight" music, and others.

[BigJackBrass]

A few freebies for your phonograph from the early part of the century:

http://www.foldedspace.org/weblog/2006/06/in_the_good_old_summertime.html

[assault]

Jazz and "torch" songs. These give a nice "New York night club" feel. Pick the right songs and you can almost see the gangsters...

[Lord Mhoram]

maybe some Billie Holliday.



I was going to mention her. :) Can't go wrong with Lady Day.

The actual song on the Blade Runner soundtrack is perfect. Andrew Sisters could work too.

Most modern people, unless they are period audio philes, aren't that knowedgable about music of that era*, so just about anything up till the late 40s would work, I would think. :)


* I know I'm not.

[Kharis2000]

Something that's worked for me recently is to tune to the music channels available on Direct TV's satellite feed, select the 'Music of the 30's and 40's' channel, and leave the television running in the background. The mix is sometimes a little odd, but saves a lot of walking to the CD player if all I'm after is general atmosphere.

[SKJAM!]

If you have a used CD place not too far away, some dedicated digging can turn up some gems. (My local place is the Cheapo.) Some labels specialize in reprinting 20s, 30s and 40s music by particular artists. The categories are scattered all over though. Some will be in Pop, Easy Listening, Jazz, Country, Folk, Classical...I usually just check the new arrivals bin.

One you might be able to find is the non-Madonna selection from the Dick Tracy movie. There was one collection of songs with Madonna in them, and another without, the latter is more period-feeling.