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The Black Sun is a labor of love. I've worked on it now for more years than I care to admit. It's many different facets have their origins in the many different interests I've had over the years, from Dante's "Inferno" to mythic tales from around the world to the music I listen to while driving . But the 2 main inspirations were a song and a book. The song was by Nick Cave, "Tupelo". And the book was "The Highest Altar", by Patrick Tierney. "Tupelo" is a song using the birth of Elvis and his brother Jesse Garon in a mythological structure, the birth of a promised "King". The song is on his "The First Born is Dead" album, the rest of which also details Cave's fascination with the culture and mythos of the American South. "The Highest Altar-Unveiling the Mystery of Human Sacrifice" is pretty well described by it's subtitle. Altho the book focuses on ritual human sacrifice in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Chile, from Incan times 'til the present, it also details ritual human sacrifice in other cultures, societies and religions from around the world. In particular what stuck with me was the concept of the sacred sacrificee and the sacred sacrificer. Often intimately related, in many cultures being brothers or twins, the sacrificer/sacrificee concept seems to show up in almost all mythologies, all times, and in all religions. Think Cain and Abel, Romulus and Remus, the Hero Twins from Mesoamerica, and many others. And the other inspiration, my life on the road since I was 18 years old. In the last 16 years I've driven across the country more times than I can remember. From Colorado to Cleveland, from Florida to San Diego, Philly, the Outer Banks, Texas, and everywhere in between. On most of these trips, my only companion was an empty seat, my music collection, and all of the thoughts that bounce around in your head when you spend that much time alone. Although the exciting parts of the book ( the sex, serial murders, etc) seem to be the most important parts, for me they're just the framework to hang the important stuff on. When you spend that much time in a car by yourself, you have a lot of time to think about things. And sooner or later, you do. You think about the people you miss, you wonder what they're doing. You think about the fight you had with your girlfriend before you left. You think about how long it's been since you've been home. You wonder how many of your friends miss you, or if your just gone so much anymore, no one notices much when your not there. You wonder about your momma, and how she's doin'. And if your not headed there, you wish you were going to see your kid. After awhile, you get a little nuts. After I'd started "the Book" (as I've called it for years), I'd try to make myself think about the book, instead of all the other things. I'd think about the plot, about the characters, about places for them to go, about the eventual conclusion. I’d try to think of ways to show things. Anything to keep me from thinking about the real world. And sometimes it'd help. As time has went on, I've added more and more of my real experiences into "the Book". Things I've done, places I've been, people I've met. And I plan on adding even more into coming chapters. Who knows, you may even recognize yourself in a character or situation. |
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