SOUL SCREAMING – a weekly newsletter by perhaps the world’s oldest emerging author

Posted on March 24, 2025 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan

Humans make interesting connections. When our father passed, my sister started seeing cardinals (way before Kacey Musgraves released her lovely tribute to John Prine). When my wife Glorious’ father passed, we started seeing blue jays. Before anyone starts shaking their head, none of us believe the fathers are now birds, it just serves as a lingering connection, a comforting reminder, a moment that helps healing.

We can all use some healing in our lives.

Then again, my friend Ross tends to see crows, often taken as signs of death and/or doom, so, something for everyone.

Similarly, some people believe iPhone’s shuffle tends to play the songs we need to hear. This is not much more magical thinking than birds from our fathers so sure, whatever works.

As long as such things do not start influencing life decisions or financial mayhem, no harm, no foul. Whatever gets you to a better place.

But if my iPhone starts playing my favorite songs as covered by blue jays…

* * *

Hi, I’m Christopher Ryan, a hybrid author with forty years of previous experience in journalism, education, sketch comedy, indie film, unions, community service, parenting, public speaking, acting, fiction writing, and podcasting. I’ve experienced moderate success in all of these, but I’m pushing to be more, to become one of the oldest breakout authors in the business. Together, let’s see together whether I can get there.

* * *

NEWS: Deep into writing and rewriting an essay for an upcoming book on a comics legend. Rather than history or chronology, this one will celebrate the person in all his creative genius. That’s all I can say at the moment, besides nothing that it has been an honor to participate and a thrill to write.

Over in the podcast/YouTubeisphere, the show I co-host with Alex Simmons, Tell the Damn Story, just posted its 350th episode. That’s weekly episodes, folks, all talking with creatives, mostly writers, about overcoming challenges either in the writing, publishing, or promoting process to make it easier for emerging writers to, um, emerge.

Above is a still from that show, with (clockwise from top left) me, Alex, Jeannine Acheson, Tom Sniegoski, and Rebecca Cuthbert. If you don’t know, Alex writes a lot of things, most recently a story in Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson edited by Jesse J. Holland. Jeannine and Tom work together on Vampirella, as well as a few of their own characters. Tom is also writing a new comic featuring The Herculoids which has to be seen to be believed. Rebecca Cuthbert wrote Creep This Way: How to Become a Horror Writer with 24 Tips to Get You Ghouling for my Seamus and Nunzio Productions imprint, as well as books of poetry and short stories. For more information on all of them, and to enjoy a really great discussion about writing and creativity, check out the show. Here’s the link:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/OcjT-0SpEtk?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0

* * *

IN OTHER NEWS: Soul Scream Antholozine lives on!

After publishing six volumes of my anthology/magazine mash-up, I thought it might have run its course, but then Fate sent an email. In this case, Fate was played by Victoria Weisfeld, and the short story she sent me hurled me into a bout of self-reflection I realized might be really cool for readers to experience. The whole “What would you do” in certain situations just haunted me until it became clear that with our country going through as much turmoil as it currently is (if you haven’t noticed, widen your news sources), a volume of stories that entertain and allow us to work through some of our current national anxieties might help everybody. As a result Soul Scream Antholozine Fear and Loathing is in production again.

* * *

UPCOMING EVENTS: I’ve been confirmed as a reader for the upcoming Broken Hearts Horror on Sunday, 2/23 from 6-9 pm at the Shade Bar, 241 Sullivan St., West Village/NYC.

I’m also on a few panels at the Long Island Convention of Horror (see below). More on that as we get closer.

Coming in March, Alien Buddha Press will be publishing It’s Been a Privilege, a horror story in verse. Here’s me reading a selection from the book:

Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/hMOwiEFMRSc?si=tpB2RWuWdSxLuAy_

CURRENT OBSESSIONS:

MUSIC: When I write, I often listen to 107.1 The Peak-FM. Cool mix of classic rock and new releases. Currently, I’m intrigued by Lola Young’s “Messy” – cool groove, great lyrics, pained subtext in the vocals. Great song.

Additionally, I’ve heard “Rodeo Clown” by Flipturn. The sound draws you in. Great lead singer who has the cool to lay back into the song letting her slightly whiskey tenor/Stevie Nicks type voice to sit on top of a solid production that allows all the instruments to contribute to the overall effect without pulling attention from the whole. Really cool.

TV: Last week saw a hundred thousand different specials celebrating the 50th season of Saturday Night Live. At least it feels like that many. And as is tradition with SNL, the results are ea mixed bag. The music concert had some moments but I thought it was going to be a clip show of great musical performances from throughout the half century of shows (NBC, there’s still time to do that!). The three-hour live extravaganza was also hit-and-miss, which is part of the appeal of SNL’s trapeze act. The hidden gems are on Peacock, where four intriguing specials offer different looks at aspects of the SNL experience. My favorite was the improbable and compelling documentary on one sketch: “Recording Session” known to us as “More Cowbell.” Fascinating.

BOOKS: After luxuriating in Jack Kirby’s Fourth World for awhile, I’m working my way back to Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! Still intriguing.

* * *

FREAK OUT: Like so many different factions of our country, I’m finding it necessary to work overtime to defend against the tsunami of bullshit coming out of D.C. Good people are getting hurt by a bunch of those who cannot not see beyond numbers and agendas to the humanity being impacted. One of the things I did was to search out the writings of great Americans, thinking they might inspire a renewal of faith in the Idea of America.

A lot of it did.

Ben Franklin, however, scared the hell out of me. In his September 17, 1787 speech at the conclusion of The Constitutional Conventions deliberations, he asked his fellow participants to work past the parts of the document they might not love and unify for the sake of establishing “what may be a blessing for the people, if well administered (so far so good, I thought); and I believe, farther, that it is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.”

You’re killing me, Ben.

* * *

Thanks for coming by. Talk atcha soon.

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SOUL SCREAMING: A Weekly Newsletter by Perhaps the World’s Oldest Emerging Author

Posted on March 24, 2025 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan

It has taken a ridiculously long time to decide how to go about writing this newsletter. I used every excuse and considered a kaleidoscope of possible formats and content that ate up years. Yeah, years.

Procrastination, anyone?

I believe I’ve got it now, and not a moment too soon. I have new work coming out, one independently published by me, another traditionally published by Alien Buddha Press, and a third project I’m publishing by another author. I can’t hide anymore, it is time. I’m jumping in. I hope you’ll jump in with me.

* * *

Hi, I’m Christopher Ryan, a hybrid author with forty years of previous experience in journalism, education, sketch comedy, indie film, unions, community service, parenting, public speaking, acting, fiction writing, and podcasting. I’ve experienced moderate success in all of these, but I’m pushing to be more, to become one of the oldest breakout authors in the business. (“LOL,” he said, throwing his back out with the laugh).

My goal here is to offer three newsletter-length posts per week – Music on Mondays (that feature is called Gems), this newsletter on Wednesdays, and Friday Freakouts.

In Gems, so far I’ve covered Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks which you can read here:

Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks at 50

Christopher Ryan

·

Jan 22

Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks at 50

Brothers and sisters, we share much. Sometimes it’s elation, sometimes our soul screams.

Read full story

I also wrote about the biological improbability of Aerosmith’s career, which you can read here:

Aerosmith: Staggering Rock Consistency That Defied the Limits of Humanity

Christopher Ryan

Jan 27

Aerosmith: Staggering Rock Consistency That Defied the Limits of Humanity

I spent a week reading Walk This Way: the Autobiography of Aerosmith, by Aerosmith with Stephen Davis, as a way to distract from, well, current affairs. I followed it up with a few close listens to their 2023 release Aerosmith Greatest Hits (Deluxe).

Read full story

I aim to have a new music column every Monday, focusing mostly but not exclusively on music that is fifty years old this year, hoping to inspire some of you to give these gems another listen.

On Wednesdays, I’ll update my progress as an emerging fiction writer (apparently, I’ve been emerging for almost half a century), and all that entails.

Friday Freakouts could be anything; new obsessions, current events, new releases, whatever. That’s my big risk. Let’s see what happens.

* * *

A TRUTH NOT MANY TALK ABOUT – Done right, independent publishing helps you become a better author. My publishing company, Seamus and Nunzio Productions, LLC, is almost exclusively a one-person shop. Yes, I do have, um, staff, but, well, allow me to show you…

Bottom left is Sonny Mehlman, our security chief. Top center is Isabella, who supposedly does marketing but mostly just offers superior glances. Finally, to the right is Silvio “Steve” Licitra, our never satisfied editorial manager. Even now he is giving me his withering “write faster” look.

You can imagine the challenges. However, the good news is, as an independent publisher, if you want to sell any books at all but cannot afford to hire three to a dozen pros to help produce your books, you need to learn to: 1) edit with a blistering lack of mercy, 2) proofread professionally and tirelessly, 3) develop an eye for what constitutes good covers, and 4) learn how to do all of it better with each publication.

Fun right? I think so.

Then you need to learn marketing. I’ll admit I am still getting my ass kicked here on a regular basis, but that’s part of the journey, right?

The upside is that the work you send out to other publishers will have gone through edits with this more discerning eye so it has a better chance of getting recognized as professional from other editors and publishers.

I hope that is as encouraging to other writers as it is meant to be.

* * *

HAPPENINGS – Coming up on Feb. 12 (the start of MLB spring training) Detectives Mallory and Gunner are back. While their novels City of Woe and City of Pain included a bit of supernatural in its police procedural crime thriller, this time around the guys are trying to enjoy a ballgame with friends when crime turns over 50,000 fans into potential suspects. With more twists than a killer knuckle ball, Mallory and Gunner RIVALS is a novelette you can enjoy in one fun-filled sitting. Available for pre-order on Amazon. Here’s a look at the cover reveal ad:

On March 31, Alien Buddha Press will publish It’s Been a Privilege, a horror story told in verse. This collection of narrative poetry is presented as the journal of an impulsive serial killer who reflects the darker side of our times. Plain spoken and accessible, early feedback has described it as compelling reading. I hope you agree.

Here’s a look at the cover:

On May 22, Seamus and Nunzio Productions will publish Alex Simmons’ gripping play Sherlock Holmes and the Hands of Othello. More on that as we get nearer the pub date.

* * *

CURRENT OBSESSIONS:

Walk This Way: the Aerosmith Autobiography – I read this as prep for the Gems column I published on Monday, but was in no way ready for the sheer amount of debauchery that is their history. Read the column for more.

Kolchak the Night Stalker – this finally whole and complete edition of Jeff Rice’s classic novel is given love and respect by James Aquilone’s Monstrous Books. I can’t gush enough about how great it looks, feels, and reads. Bravo!

Star Trek: Discovery – After my wife Glorious and I binged the entire run of Homicide: Life on the Streets (which stands up impressively after all these years), we needed something more escapist, and knowing almost nothing about Discovery we gave it a shot. Each episode packs a movie’s worth of storytelling. The writing, production quality, and performances are impressive and addictive.

107.1-The Peak FM – Looking to expand beyond the classic rock retreading of the same 100 songs for the last thirty years, I spun the dial and found this fresh mix of new and old music that keeps me writing. Worth a listen.

A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn – This was all over social media in January for some reason (insert wiseass emoji here). I’ve had it on my shelves since, like, birth, so I thought I’d give it a shot. Eye opening and engaging.

* * *

Wow, I finally did a newsletter that seems newsletterish. Thanks for giving this a chance. I hope you continue on this fascinating journey with me.

Talk atcha soon.

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America at the Crossroads, Again

Posted on July 14, 2024 by chrisryanwrites

We at the abyss, again. Yesterday a 20-year-old kid tried to assassinate a presidential candidate. Ripped his ear. Killed an innocent person and critically injured two others.

That young American also traumatized his fellow Americans. All of us. Republicans. Democrats. Independents Centrists. Far Left Liberals. Far Right Conservatives. Religious people of all kinds. All genders. All races. All economic groups. We are all worse off due to his actions.

And we all must ask ourselves where we go from here.

Today, each of us are faced with a choice. Do we embrace sketchy conspiracy theories? Make political accusations? Retaliate? Jump further into Civil War?

All of that is possible.

The kid muddies the waters here by being a registered Republican who donated to a Democratic group. Harder to use him to accuse the party you oppose because of his confused political ties, as of now.

That actually might be a blessing for us all.

We have an opportunity to see this kid as a metaphor for Mixed Message America, where all of us are inundated with a constant flow of spin, accusation, indoctrination, and hate. Will we take this moment to finally rise above our baser instincts and find ways to move forward together? Or will we use it to further polarize our country? Will we be foolish enough to allow ourselves to sink into civil war?

I hope not.

But that hope needs help.

The next few days offer us a chance to reset our rhetoric, to lower the heat, to find our way back to the Idea of America.

I believe in the Idea of America. It is one of the many things I embrace and love about our country. I even wrote a novel, A Simple Rebellion, about how horrifying it will be if we forget how special America can be. I considered it a dark horror thriller, until Jan. 6 rendered my outlandish fiction too close to truth. That day forced me to rewrite it even darker so the Idea of America could shine through.

Yesterday made that book come true again.

Yesterday rendered my novel quaint. Outdated.

It will not be rewritten.

I need to look elsewhere for hope now.

We used to have “e pluribus unum” as our national motto. It means “From Many, One” and was on many official documents including our money. We need to find our way back to embracing that again, no matter what else we believe.

We need to embrace America again, both the stars and the stripes. The Founding Fathers meant for our differences to strengthen us, not tear us apart.

I will be watching intently over the next several days for a rekindling of the Idea of America. I hope and pray our better instincts take hold.

Sadly, what we are already seeing is the jackals showing their teeth.

I choose to hang onto the belief that there are more good Americans than those who choose hate.

But it is getting harder…

Posted in #Trump, #voting, #WeThePeople, America, politics, Sunday reset, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

January 3, 2023 – Fussing Comes to an End and a Project is Complete

Posted on January 3, 2023 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan

I should have been editing Soul Scream. Or completing the uploading of Genius High. But opportunity called and I dove back in to … poetry. Dark horror crime poetry about the most modern of monsters.

And I tested the limits of my marriage, too.

The latter is not something writers encourage. Leave the spouse out of it, they all say. Why torture the ones you love?

(Enough of that wiseass.)

I am not a flowery poet, nor a technically proficient one. My poetry heroes run more to Bukowski and Jim Carroll. But please do not blame them.

So what kind of poems did I attempt? Lots of free verse in this work, a touch of concrete, a highway pileup of rhyming verses with exterior and interior rhymes slamming together to tell a bit of the tale, a distant cousin of Fibonacci (really distant, like through a broken marriage but the cousins on both sides still talk distant), and yes, some haiku. All used to build one narrative crime horror tale. From the monster’s POV.

And I don’t know what I have, honestly.

But I know it feels right (and so does Glorious, wiseass).

What is it? An 81-page narrative horror poetry collection about the modern American equivalent of Dracula, metaphorically, at least.

And with it, I meet my first goal toward submitting at least one new work a week in 2023. At least I will tomorrow, when I submit it over morning tea.

I’m on a roll of one week in a row. Heh.

I just pray I don’t succumb to the Writer’s Disease, “Maybe I should just read it over one more time…”

Keep creating, brothers and sisters. Art matters.

That’s one!
Posted in #amwriting, #community, #inspiration, #productivity, America, Bukowski, crime poetry, fiction, horror fiction, horror poetry, Jim Carroll, narrative poetry, poetry, pop culture, wife, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Music Monday – Wandering YouTube Yields a Moving Tom Petty Documentary

Posted on January 2, 2023 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan

It had been a long day working on final fussing over a narrative horror poetry collection, planning the final forms of a horror fiction series, wrestling with publishing schedules for those and two novel reboots, and discussing cover designs with a great artist in Argentina.

Refueling was necessary.

Our tanks empty, Glorious and I had no plan as we opened the streaming abyss. We just wanted to quietly watch something for a few minutes. Somehow we found a documentary made after Tom Petty’s passing about the release of Wildflowers and All the Rest, the expanded edition of his best selling album.

Watch the documentary, savor the music.

First of all, we didn’t know it had been that successful. Nor did we know the circumstances, both personally and professionally, surrounding its creation.

Most of all, we didn’t know we would be watching a restorative discussion of the power of doing what you are called to do the best way you know how to do it every day that you are given to do so.

I am completely refueled.

I hope you check it out and become refueled to do what you do, too.

Posted in #amwriting, #community, #inspiration, #productivity, #television, classic rock, healing, horror fiction, independent publishing, pop culture, TomPetty&TheHeartbreakers, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 2, 2023 – Making Wee Hours Wandering More Productive

Posted on January 2, 2023 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan

Occasionally, I awake in the wee hours, brain alive with thoughts that need immediate address (“Get Cheerios! Rewrite that chapter! Hey, let’s see what the bathroom looks like.”). Usually, this results in meandering around before discovering my sleepy zombie shuffle has lead me back to bed, nothing accomplished.

This early a.m. (2ish), I managed to get myself to the den, my writing table, laptop, and, finally, my WIP, a narrative horror poetry collection I am about to submit.

I am doing that last read aloud, when we fuss with the work, rewrite a line or stanza, and possibly add a new poem during this alleged final final phase, so I believed a half-asleep, creative zone read aloud would be okay.

Where did the Southern drawl come from? I didn’t know. I adjusted to the usual, casually detached tone that Glorious says is chilling. Read ten poems, changed four words and three line placements, and added a few stanzas, then went to back to bed satisfied that no remotes had been utilized, no time wasted.

The 2023 adventure is off to an interesting start, and better use of time.

Can’t wait to see what I wrote in that state.

Posted in #amwriting, #community, #productivity, fiction, horror fiction, pop culture, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 1, 2023 – a Pause Before Leaping (and a Cover Reveal!)

Posted on January 1, 2023 by chrisryanwrites

Today isn’t a new beginning, nor is it the turning of a page. I have been planning all this for a long time.

What I am about attempt is to spend 2023 doing is neither guaranteed to work nor a “best practice” for publishing success.

But it is real.

And it does fill me with hope and enthusiastic anticipation.

This year will focus on hybrid publishing for me. On deck are self-publishing reboots, indy publishing of fiction collections, and submitting to traditional publishers. There is a lot of work to do.

Am I nervous? Yes. Am I sure I know exactly what I am doing? Hell no. But we have to try or wait to die, right?

I will offer short updates (besides the usual features here) to track my progress. Hopefully, some will find it helpful. Should questions come up along the way, ask them and I’ll do my best to answer.

Meanwhile, here’s the first project – a thoroughly rewritten, professionally edited reboot of my high school horror thriller, GENIUS HIGH, coming this month.

Here’s a first look at the cover:

Coming in January, 2023.

Stay tuned. It is going to be a wild ride.

Posted in # thrillers, #amwriting, #productivity, Book lovers, book recommendations, digital publishing, ebook publishing, fiction, High school, horror fiction, independent publishing, pop culture, self-publishing, teenagers, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How to Provide Mature New Year’s Eve Entertainment 😉

Posted on December 27, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan

A sizable portion of “people of a certain age” no longer go out on New Year’s Eve. They get together with a few friends, or stay home with their significant other, maybe watching the grandkids. That makes them a perfect potential audience for televised News Year’s Eve entertainment.

And that poses a problem.

By and large, most of us aren’t fans of the majority of current performers on New Year’s Eve specials. For us, there is little enticement to tune in, especially at that hour. As a result, we do not watch.

I respectfully submit that broadcasters are leaving mounds of money on the table by overlooking us. We grew up watching television, and if enticed with interesting content, there is a ratings bonanza to be enjoyed.

It is a simple idea: create programing for mature viewers featuring older acts. This is a ratings gold mine! Therefore, I propose that following programming pitch.

Dick Clark’s Rockin’ EveFest and Early Bird Special!

With technology today, programmers can easily manipulate existing footage to bring back our generation’s favorite New Year’s Eve host -in his prime! A CGI Dick Clark can easily host the whole event, and we’ll love it.

The broadcast day can start early, with tribute bands. There are tons of them around so they’ll work cheap. Stations, imagine how affordable it would be to broadcast performance videos from cover bands on the circuit. Geezers would love sampling Almost Queen, Kashmir, and Midget Kiss!

But wait, there’s more!

Stations can also host the “Where Are My Keys” battle of the tribute bands, allowing viewers to vote for new favorites in a “Break The Hip” competition between age appropriate groups like Jethro Toes, Genopause, Fleetwood Metamucil, and Grey Sabbath.

The sponsors alone can make any struggling station flush for the year. Ad time can go to companies selling:

Who Gets My Albums Living Wills

Remember the Lyrics Memory Improvement Pills

No More Crooked Peace Signs Arthritis Cream

Roto-Rooter’s Colonoscopy Prep Kits

Menopause Away Marijuana Gummies

Classic Rockers Elder Care Facilities

and, of course, the Our Time dating app.

Next up, ReunionFest, featuring:

Motown: Whoever’s Left, including performances by

Gladys Knight and the Pip

The Temptation

The One Top

and, Smokey Robinson is a Miracle.

Finally, a three-hour New Year’s Eve countdown starting at 6 pm (with an adjusted clock), bringing back (via the latest tech) classic line-ups at their peak. Viewers will thrill to:

Creedence Without the Drama

Yes (from back when they still said Yes).

Led Zeppelin – Going Full Bonham One Last Time

And Classic Pink Floyd (with a guest appearance by pre-breakdown Syd).

Finally, topping the show, the long-demanded reunion of The Beatles. (Pre-show update: while hologram George is politely agreeable to this, hologram John is threatening a bed-in for CGI Peace if actual Yoko isn’t included).

The legendary Iggy Pop can ride the New Year’s Eve ball down to bring in the new year. Fire will roar from each side of the stage (warming the chilly older audience), then the ball “explodes” into lights that creates a giant “2023!” which then reforms into five hologram legends: David Bowie, Keith Moon, James Jamerson, Sly Stone, and Jimi Hendrix, who perform a medley of their hits called “The Fame of My Generation is Dancing in The Streets and Taking Us Higher because We Are Experienced”.

Best of all, the entire audience gets to bed by 9:30.

Posted in #television, America, classic rock, Dick Clark, New Year’s Eve, pop culture, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Music Monday: What‘s Your Favorite Christmas Song and Why?

Posted on December 6, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan

I usually last until a little further into December before I lose myself in Christmas music, but this year The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special did me in. Such a fun soundtrack, it offers a bunch of my new favorite seasonal music. Which got me thinking…

There is a thing that happens during the holidays for most of us that “makes” our season. Sometimes it is a holiday movie or show, or wintry weather, or decorating, or … music that we need to hear for our season to really get going.

Mariah Carey hilariously announced “It’s time!” the day after Halloween, transforming her wardrobe from witch to a Santa outfit to signal the time of year when her holiday hit seems to dominate the airwaves, bringing her a yearly royalty boon. Good on ya, Mariah, but how about the rest of us? Which holiday song makes the season for you and why?

For me, the answers are almost too numerous to mention. I need The Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrappings” because that was the new holiday hit when I was away at college (shut up about how old I am, ya thugs). The Band’s “Christmas Must Be Tonight” touches my spirit because their sound always lifts me up. The Trans Siberian Orchestra gets my whole family going because we used to play it while driving together to family Christmas celebrations. And so on.

But what about you? Which song makes the holiday for you and why? I included a playlist to help you. In this season of sharing, let’s share our favorites and why in the comment section. C’mon! It’ll be fun!

Posted in #U2, Christmas, Christmas Music, classic rock, Fountains if Wayne, GuardiansofTheGalaxy, holiday hits, JamesGunn, Julian Casablancas, Kevin Bacon, Music, pop culture, The Pogues, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Waitresses, The Wombats, TomPetty&TheHeartbreakers, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why Christine McVie’s Passing Hits Some of Us So Hard

Posted on December 1, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan

I’m not what would be recognized as a Fleetwood Mac fanatic, hardcore fan, or, um, even official fan. I’m just a music fan who spent my teen years in the 70’s and 80’s.

And that means Christine McVie’s passing yesterday hit me hard. Because Ms.McVie, like the rest of the classic Fleetwood Mac lineup, have been woven into the lives of an entire generation of music lovers, whether they made our top ten of not.

Christine McVie

So much has changed in the world. These days, people stream whatever music they want into ear pods for a highly personal experience. When we were immersing ourselves in culture, it was communal. From plastic Panasonic radios when we were really young to “portable cassette/radios” that looked like small luggage, or even bulkier eight-track players, all of it played through speakers to whomever was in earshot.

That meant when we were just old enough to hang around near the older “cool” people, we heard whatever they were playing. CSNY. Elton John. Zeppelin. Dylan. And then the world changed because Fleetwood Mac Rumors came out.

It was everywhere. Everywhere. Playing throughout the playground, behind the ball field, near the beer, over where those two were making out, and definitely wherever more than three girls were in existence. It was as if those sounds floated around them.

And that album had staying power. We heard it every day, all summer, while we were doing homework that fall, in between holiday songs.

And we still hear those gems today. It is highly likely that a song from Fleetwood Mac Rumors is playing on multiple radio stations across this country, and the world, right now, approximately 45 years later.

Fleetwood Mac added to their presence with hit albums for years, and while many, especially pubescent boys, focused on the increasingly ethereal and alluring Stevie Nicks, as we got older, most of us realized two things: 1) Christine McVie wrote more hits, and 2) her songs resonated more deeply as we matured, ventured into relationships, and, if we got lucky, fell in love. While Nicks remained a mystical star attraction, McVie’s work came home with us, walked in our shoes, hung out, and was there when we least expected and most needed it. For decades.

Christine McVie’s passing is not only the end of the Fleetwood Mac Era, it signals the removal of an elegant part of our generation’s cultural foundation. Like Bowie and Prince and Tom Petty, among others, her loss takes with it a piece of our reliable reality. Our world has grown smaller.

Thank all the spirits who guide us that her, and their, music remains. Take solace in the simple grace of her compositions, the uncomplicated lyrics, the wondrously relaxed and relaxing tones in her singing.

And thank her for being so present in our lives without ever causing a fuss.

An accomplished musician, songwriter, and singer, Christine McVie was quietly a major force in the phenomena that was Fleetwood Mac.
Posted in Christine McVie, classic rock, Fleetwood Mac, Music, pop culture, writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment