This Fringe, storyteller and multi-instrumentalist Callum Patrick Hughes is ripping apart and reimagining Nathanael West’s 1930 Great American Novel The Day of the Locust in a musical tribute of loop pedals, guitar drones and current political commentary.
Below, he compiles a mixtape of Americana, classic songwriting, and protest anthems.
Bruce Springsteen – I’m on Fire
Starting off with The Boss himself: it’s impossible to think of Americana without thinking of Bruce Springsteen. I love this song in particular because it really speaks to so much of what the show is about. It’s dangerous, it’s passionate, it’s questionable, and yet you can’t not enjoy it. There’s something paradoxical about lust and passion being such coveted feelings… but the destruction of a fire (whether inside us or burning the goddamn house down) being so threatening. The lyrics really sum up what it feels like to feel so much we scare ourselves. For me, that’s Nathanael West’s The Day of the Locust in a nutshell!
Ry Cooder – Paris, Texas
We talk a lot in the arts about pieces being ‘timeless’, but for me, Ry Cooder really is the master of that. He’s perhaps my favourite artist to ever write a score and I can’t help but draw on him for inspiration. The pure Americanness of it… You can feel the heat of the American South: the pressure, the danger, the banality, the passion. It’s all there in Cooder’s fingers, and in “Paris, Texas” in particular. If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it immediately!
Jackson Browne – Doctor My Eyes
Many have stated over the years that Jackson Browne is one of the greatest American songwriters to have ever lived and it’s hard to disagree. Not only is he innovative in his writing, he also manages to capture the spirit of America in just a few words. If ever I find myself becoming verbose or pretentious in my writing, I often think, ‘How would Jackson Browne distill this feeling?’. He serves as constant guide in both my dialogue and my lyric-writing. This song is a great example of this. The point of view of someone feeling simultaneously too young and too old, energised yet weary of the world in front of them, constantly battling with their own perception of society and how they choose to see the world… it doesn’t get better than that as inspiration for a show like Day of the Locust!
Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime
Ever since I was 20 years old I’ve been in love with Talking Heads. When I say I want the music for Day of the Locust to draw on all aspects of American musicality, this is probably what I mean. Whilst no one can replicate the artistry of David Byrne, it’s impossible not to think of a better example of the duality within us all in American pop culture. And it’s such a fun song, it’s one of the only songs that really makes me want to get up and dance. A proper brain-tickler!
Radiohead – Climbing Up the Walls (Zero 7 remix)
Those that have seen my previous work might know that I’m a huge Radiohead fan, but it wasn’t until working on the adaptation for Day of the Locust that my co-writer and director, David Shopland and musical consultant Josh Fontana showed me Zero 7’s remix of “Climbing Up the Walls”. It’s the track I listen to when I want to remind myself of that juxtaposition that West’s Todd Hackett feels. One moment he feels like anything is possible in Hollywood, the next he feels hemmed in, trapped by the city itself. It also reminds me that even if you think the original is perfect, a remix is no bad thing, even if that means deconstructing a great American novel like Locust!
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – American Girl
What a banger. Such an influential song by one of the true greats. When Petty died, I was reminded that this song was also a seminal moment in music video production too, encompassing just how underrated Petty was for much of his career. Much like Nathanael West, I think Petty has received far more plaudits since his death than when he was alive. It’s also just a completely joyful song, sung by a man with such poetry and pain in his voice. If you write a song like that which still makes people wanna dance like no one’s watching,then I think you can die happy!
Tom Waits – Goin’ Out West
When it comes to giants of American music, you simply have to include Tom Waits. I was lucky enough to guest on the award-winning Song by Song podcast several times and when you really dissect Waits’ work – you fall even more in love with him. To me this song isn’t just energising and fun, it conjures up that drive for success that so much of American culture is based on. The Day of the Locust is described as: “A novel about Hollywood and its corrupting touch, about the American dream turned into a sun-drenched California nightmare”. To me, this is what Waits sounds like. It’s the feeling of ‘going out west’ to follow your dreams, and occasionally feeling like the whole idea might be utterly bonkers!
N.W.A – F*ck Tha Police
I’m sure everyone will be relieved to hear that I won’t be rapping in this production but, come on, you cannot talk about America, LA, riots, social justice and the corruption of the American Dream without including this song. N.W.A obviously have their place in history as being incredibly influential in the world of hip-hop. However I think too many folks (perhaps those who don’t listen to much hip-hop) don’t realise just how important this song was, not just for America’s story, but for the world in general. Sure, it’s a fantastic tune, but it sums up so much in such an economic way. It’s genius.
John Mayer – In Your Atmosphere
John Mayer can sometimes split the crowd. Some think he’s too pretty to be a serious song-writer but this song, particularly the live recording at the LA’s Nokia Theatre, really could be Todd Hackett’s internal monologue during parts of The Day of the Locust. Once again, that fear of change, fear of not just ‘failing’ at achieving your dreams, but also the fear or not knowing what to do if you actually do achieve them. And, at the risk of alienating some fellow music nerds, you cannot argue that this performance showcases what happens when Mayer is really on form. The musicianship, the lyric-writing and the vocal performance is simply perfect.
Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl
I once used this song in a show way back in 2018 and it reignited my fandom of Tori Amos. What an incredible back-catalogue. Her voice and piano skills are unrivalled, but this song is simply a beautiful take-down of the male gaze (particularly in America) and what happens when you buck expectations. In The Day of the Locust, I think Nathanael West really points towards Hackett’s misreading of Fay both as a woman and an artist. He sees himself in the role of protector when actually it’s the women in the novel that keep him right, it’s unmooring for him. Anyone familiar with the ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ trope might look to West’s novel as a blueprint, or even an example of a slightly more feminist character lens!
James Taylor – Something In the Way She Moves
I’m going to finish with an old favourite. My dad would play James Taylor on repeat when we were kids and I got pretty familiar with this song way before I’d even held a guitar myself. It’s beautiful to listen to of course but also a brilliant distillation of what it feels like not only to fall in love, but to be fascinated by the way someone can make you feel. Like so many great stories, The Day of the Locust has romance running through its pages, but it’s really about how Hackett is knocked for six at having never met anyone like Fay before and how she changes the way he perceives himself. I think this is the purpose of all great loves, and all great works of art. To change the way we see ourselves. Above all, I hope the show celebrates that.
Day of the Locust, Pleasance, 5-31 Aug (not 17, 24), 12:50pm