Episode 12
March 16, 2020
Things You Can Snag Your Mind On
Hosted by Jared Pechaček, Ned Raggett, and Oriana Schwindt
Jared, Oriana and Ned talk about Jared’s choice of topic: fanwork! Whether fiction, artwork, music or more, fanwork as we understand it in modern decades has strong partial roots in Tolkien’s explosion of American popularity in the 1960s, and beyond any official adaptations or variants is a vast universe of creativity, successful or perhaps less so. What are the lines between general artistic interpretation and ‘fanwork’ as such, especially in the history of Western culture in particular? How is the stereotype of fanwork being grounded in slash scenarios and headcanon shaped by wider perceptions? Could Tolkien’s own creative work with languages and stories be fanwork in its own right? And what is it with all those metal bands who really really really love taking their names from The Lord of the Rings? Oh and by the way, filksongs! We talked about them briefly too...but you can only hear that discussion if you subscribe to the Patreon!
![[Episode artwork]](/images/podcast/art/s/bythebywater.png)
By-The-Bywater Fanwork inspired by Tolkien. More episodes
Show Notes.
Jared’s doodle for the month.
Renée Vink’s “‘Jewish’ Dwarves: Tolkien and Anti-Semitic Stereotyping,” as referenced by Luke Shelton.
Patricia Thang’s Bookriot piece “9 of the Best Lord of the Rings Podcasts.”
Stuff.co.nz’s February 26th piece “Massive production underway for Lord of the Rings in Auckland.”
TheOneRing.net’s February spy report on the Amazon production as well as their news summary of the accident stuntwoman Elissa Cadwell suffered on set.
The original sneak preview trailer in spring 2000 from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings production.
And indeed, Bezos himself was apparently in New Zealand.
Deadline’s report on Maxim Baldry joining the cast.
Star Trek fans, Kirk and Spock and all that? The history is there.
Curative and transformational fandom.
A favorite artistic/literary fanwork effort: Gustave Dore’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Beyond Bree, still going strong!
The fan film Ned was talking about is Born of Hope, and it is indeed about Arathorn, Aragorn’s father.
The revelations about Marion Zimmer Bradley make for blunt reading; triggers noted.
A Tolkien Treasury is around if you look.
The Numero comp, which has songs like Stonehenge’s “King of the Golden Hall,” is Warfaring Strangers: Darkscorch Canticles.
Got metal and prog bands who love Tolkien if you want ‘em. Cirith Ungol! Amon Amarth! And yes Marillion...
Iron Crown Enterprises is still around! But as the link shows, the game license isn’t…
Jared’s concluding fan artist recommendations: Aud Koch, Morgan Rogers and Caleb Hosalla.
And again, support By-The-Bywater on Patreon and you can hear our bonus bit about filksongs!