Thursday 28 November 2013

Bone Idol [bohn ahyd-l]

SYNOPSIS
The sophomore follow-up to Lost Angeles is the semi-biographical tale of author David Louden's alter-ego Doug Morgan as he struggles to connect with his father Jack, his mother Ruth and the working class ideology of "a real job".

From his early adventure filled days in Poleglass through to the alcohol induced haze of his early twenties Doug's life (much like the city) is one at conflict with itself. Bone Idol [bohn ahyd-l] is filled with humour, sex, guilt and the shameful dream of a boy wanting to create more than a family of haunted heirs.




CULTURAL REFERENCES
Doug Morgan's father Jack is an expert banjo player, Louden's own father was an accomplished banjo player and Louden himself owns and plays both a five string American Bluegrass and a four string Irish traditional.


The childhood books given to Doug by his neighbour Ronan are by early twentieth century American author John Fante.  The book given to him in his teenage years is Charles Bukowski's Post Office.  Both authors have been cited as inspirations by Louden.


While aspects of Jeff Morgan are based on the author's own brother, Tara Morgan is a complete work of fiction based on several childhood friends.

The inscription inside Doug Morgan's copy of Post Office is a direct quote by Charles Bukowski.

The referencing of Japanese Pink movies such as Guts of a Virgin and Exploitation titles like Kung Fu Cannibals are nods towards Louden's love of cinema as both movies have been reviewed on his film blog Knifed in Venice.

The bartender at Copperfield's is named Clive after Clive Scully, an interviewer who Louden promised to name a character after.  Similarly, there's reference to a "cat" from the pool hall named Hank who will appear as an older character in the author's first venture into Noir fiction.

Bone Idol [bohn ahyd-l] is divided into three distinct parts.  There are also three keys deaths in the novel, all of which are male.

Clive Scully has penned a short introduction to Downward Facing Doug which is a Lost Angeles/Bone Idol [bohn ahyd-l] compilation.