What he wanted: for their lovemaking to build like a Wilco track, something from a live recording perhaps. Impossible Germany? The guitars pleaching as they build to a sustained, understated, controlled and powerful climax. Kidsmoke? A bombastic riff sweeping everything up in its path. He fantasised sex soundtracked by energetic, clever guitars, lifting both them on the back of chord progressions somehow both classic and innovative.
What she wanted: for him not to think so much, just let the sex happen, block rocking with a Chemical Brothers’ style beat.
This incongruity of ideas led to their awkward bedroom fumblings, a clash of genre as much as any incompatibility of personality, physicality or chemistry. Afterwards, at least, they could agree, slipping into sleep to the lilt of Nick Drake on the stereo.
Dan Powell 
26 Responses to A clash of genre – #fridayflash
Hmm. Dueling Banjos?
Um, sorry about that.
It’s hard for men and women to march to the same drumbeat. Maybe Wilco one night. Chemical Brothers another?
And to be lulled to sleep by Nick Drake would work. Drake’s insomnia allows for a whole evening of song.
Oh I Love this one Dan. I’d go on and on about what I agree with but might reaveal a TAD more than I would like to about my own personal sexual preferences….laughing…so I’ll just say this is an awesome idea.
This line could be a poem all by itself.
“A bombastic riff sweeping everything up in its path.”
Karen :0)
This is really funny, since I always laugh at music critics writing struggling to find the vocabulary to describe a guitar or drum solo, in much the way that it is really difficult to write about sex without resorting to mere physical choreography.
A hoot.
marc nash
“The incongruity of ideas” Boy those words tell the tale of too many relationships gone awry. Beautiful way to describe it. It’s wonderful how you compare what they want with music, but sad that it’s all internal … no communication and then awkwardness. Ugh. Been there and I don’t want to go back. ~Olivia
I was going to say what Marc Nash said, only he said it better than I would have. 😉 Nicely done.
Pleaching? Well there’s my new word for today!
Great flash Dan (as always, good lord man your standard is impossibly high), although you have messed with my preconceptions – I would have thought the guy would be the block rocker!
Perhaps headphones? I enjoyed this – I think words used to describe music work so well for sex descriptions. heh
That’s an opinion I formed just now, thanks to you. 🙂
(LOVE the word “pleach”)
Too funny, Dan. Also too true. 🙂
Great stuff.
I think he could just put the music on and let the fantasy take him where he wants to go. Sometimes you have to choose between the music and the sex. When you find a partner with whom no choice is necessary, marry her!
Hey boy, hey girl, superstar dj, here we go!
I’m with them on the falling asleep to Nick Drake.
Great stuff, the contrast between the first and second paragraphs says it all. cheers
too funny – give them another 20 years – they’ll eventually communicate well and be on the same page … [wishful thinking?]
This is great, Dan. The perfect length (like a good song 🙂 ) and what a cool idea.
A clever and fun piece. I enjoyed it quite much.
I enjoyed this. Some great phraseology.
The great thing is about this piece is that you can be like me and not know anything about the Wilco songs and still find this piece enjoyable. Nice intertwining of music and relationships, and done so in a small number of words!
This was really awesome. The analogy between music tastes and love style works on multiple levels, and with a good dose of humour as well!
Sadly, I lacked the context to understand this, never having heard of the four artists referenced.
Clearly, I need to get out more.
Good humor in this one, though I’m sure some of it went over my head. I got more of the references than Tony, but still not all of them. Still enjoyed it!
I’m only familiar with the Chemical Brothers out of the artists mentioned, but I think I can imagine what his ones were like from that… and I suspect I’d prefer her as a bedfellow to him!
Pleaching – great word!
Nice work here. Interesting take on one of many battles of the sexes. 🙂
I had to look up “pleaching” – an awkward sounding word to mean a weaving together, which pretty much sums up your flash, so, well done.
I’m with Tony. No idea what some of the references are. I’m not even sure if this is about sex, music, or something else. Reading some of the comments, I’m even more confused.
Wow – never had a piece cause such confusion before. In the first paragraph Kidsmoke and Impossible Germany are both Wilco Songs. The Chemical Brothers are of course The Chemical Brothers.
Look up live versions of Kidsmoke and Impossible Germany on Youtube then maybe read it again, might make more sense.
Sorry it came out a bit obscure sounding, but that was kind of the point with the male character in this.
I’ve hyperlinked the text for folk to see if the songs help it make more sense.
Probably a good example of being too specific with details alienating some readers. Lesson for me to learn.
When good sex goes bad: I could feel both of their frustrations.
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