Create a musical based on the songs of a particular band...?

Question

Example: We Will Rock You, the musical based on songs by Queen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Will_Rock_You_%28musical%29

I have ideas, but they all reflect my [not so] hidden love for cheesy musicals, and would probably be like a rock based Sound of Music, hehe.

What band would you choose?
Which songs by them would you pick?
What would the musical be about?
et cetera

x

sarah c - you'll think of something hehe

squishy - i agree. It would certainly be a musical i'd go and watch.

letsgopitt2002 - a man/woman after my own heart.. i love GN'R =]

b1r6i5 - you're on to a winner (y) =]

Chunga's revenge - haha i completely agree with the Billy the Mountain idea, now /that/ would be a great musical. Slightly odd, but great all the same.

sarah c - hehe sorry, the question would probably drive me up the wall too. Good song choices =]

MachPen * - Why Prince is a /guilty/ pleasure for so many is beyond me. I love him -screams it from rooftops- hehe. [It's funny, i just recieved my replacement copy of the Purple Rain soundtrack last week.] Great Ideas.

Dani G - It took me a while to be able to imagine it, i'm naturally biased towards the band for many reasons. But i see the light now, i like it, hehe.

Answer 1

I've considered the following:

I'd do one on David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust alter ego, and title it "Spiders From Mars"...it'd be a tribute to the era of glam and its extended family. The title track, of course, would be "Ziggy Stardust". But some other good songs would be "John I'm Only Dancing","Jean Genie", "Rebel Rebel" ... "A Space Odyssey" (of course) ... and others

I'd LOVE to do a punk opera (rocky horror picture style - minus Meatloaf), but it would have to be a tribute to various artists who evolved the punk genre...it would start with maybe the Mc5, The Clash, The Stooges, Sex Pistols... and work its way up to the Ramones and other contemporaries...it would probably deal with some existential punk rock topic ~ such as the dilemma of selling yourself out to corporate america or something ....

Last, this is a guilty pleasure, but I always thought a musical based on the music of Prince would be interesting. I would title it "Purple Rain" (If there wasn't a movie with the same title). Or if I could afford to buy the film rights, the storyline could be based on the film script, or modified-- whatever.
The opening of the musical would have to be the "sermon" introduction in "Let's Go Crazy" ... then it'd lead into some dance sequence (damn I'm good at this) ;P
Classics like "I Would Die For You", "Little Red Corvette" would be cool. "When Doves Cry" would probably explain the character's dilemma ...

Answer 2

The songs idea is great! I think The Mothers of Invention's 'Billy the Mountain' is the ultimate choice. If you're familiar with it I'm sure you'd agree...haaa!
But how about a production based on an entire album (which still stays within the realms of your question...songs of a particular artist, right?) I've always thought that Supertramps 'Crime of the Century' would make a cool stage production.
Or what about Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band? I'm sure Peter Frampton, the remaining BeeGees, Elton, Aerosmith, Steve Martin, would go over on Broadway fairly well!
Second thought...bad idea!
How about a stage production of Alan Parsons version of Isaac Asimov's 'I Robot', or Genesis 'Nursery Cryme'?
By the way, excellent question!

Answer 3

Well, for the last 20 years or so Stevie Nicks has been saying that she wants to make a children's film using what she calls 'The Songs of Rhiannon'.

I don't know if she is thinking of the Rhiannon of Welsh mythology, or the persona she created in the 70's.

Either way, using her solo and Fleetwood Mac songs {including some rarities} this is my version of what the track list could be :~

Rhiannon
Long Distance Winner
Wild Heart
Gold and Braid
Sorcerer
Frozen Love
Candlebright
Crystal
The Nightmare
Edge of Seventeen
Taken Love
Forest of the Black Roses
Silver Springs
Running Through the Garden
Sisters of the Moon
Planets of the Universe {extended version ~ extra verse}
Storms
Sleeping Angel

Answer 4

Depeche Mode. I could do a musical about what life was like growing up as a teenager during the eighties. School Disco, first crush, first kiss. Leaving school and going for first interview. The miners strike, the three day week, power cuts. Spectrum ZX80 and BBC Micro computers. Those were the days.
Music would be all Depeche Mode.
For the opening I would have a classroom scene, kids sat at their desks with their backs to the audience waiting for the bell to signal home time, in the background New Life by Depeche Mode would be getting louder and louder. Etc

I have said too much. I'm off to pen my master piece. See you in the West End.

Answer 5

The musical would probably be about an antichrist crusade.

Songs used by Behemoth
-Slaying the Prophets Ov Isa
-At the Left Hand Ov God
-Sculpting the Throne Ov Seth
-Demigod
-Conquer All
-The Nephilim Rising
-Towards Babylon
-Before Aeons Came
-Slaves Shall Serve
-The Reign of Shesmu-Hor
-Antichristian Phenomenon
-Christians to the Lions
-Horns of Baphomet
-Blackest Ov the Black
-Zos Kia Cultus (here and beyond)

Answer 6

Fudgesticals, I keep thinking of Pink Floyd's The Wall and Billy Joel (Movin' Out)
Maybe a musical based on the Doors, but the only images that come to my head are pretty dark and consists of Riders on the Storm, The End and Peace Frogs.

EDIT:
Radiohead, following a bands joourney through the music system
Creep (guy feels like a loser)
Stop Whispering (he needs a voice)
Anyone Can Play Guitar ("I wanna, wanna be Jim Morrison!")
Pop Is Dead
Inside My Head (He hates the industry)
Electioneering (has to go around promoting his album and feels like he's selling himself)
Paranoid Android (starting his decent into madness)
Climbing Up the Walls (full blown madness)
Errrr, no colclusion yet!

or

Radiohead (you could do so much with Radiohead!) and the story of a young man and his decent into masness (why does Radiohead alwasy seem to go back to madness?)
Bishop's Robes (he's damaged in his youth by his education system)
Creep and Faithless the Wonderboy (he's an outcast)
Prove Yourself (contemplates suicide)
Sulk (he, um... sulks)
Nice Dream (dreams of a better, alternate surreal life)
Climbing Up the Walls, Idioteque (slips into madness)
Street Spirit (the conclusion... "immerse your soul in love")

Answer 7

I would choose Sonic Youth......I have no clue what it would be about.....hmmm.....maybe about a bad trip or a descent into insanity.....who knows

I would use:
Dirty Boots
100%
Mote
Mildred Pierce
Bull In The Heather
Teen Age Riot
Eric's Trip
Rain King
Expressway to Yr. Skull
I'm Insane
Unmade Bed

Answer 8

Guns and Roses - Welcome to the Jungle

You could focus on the spectrum of emotions someone experiences while using heroin.

Songs
Welcome to the Jungle
Mr Brownstone
Paradise City
Anything Goes
Used to Love Her - Had to Kill Her
Knockin on Heaven's Door (remake)

Answer 9

You know, I've always wondered what Pink Floyd's The Wall would've been like performed on a stage....the movie was trippy enough...but on stage, I imagine it would be a sight to behold.

Answer 10

'Its my life' followed by 6 foot under's cover version of 'T.N.T.' and then followed by wolfmothers 'Woman' and 'Love train',and for the Finale we will have Rose Tattoos 'We cant be beaten' and of course Jesus Christ Superstar guitar solos.