SOUNDTRAX: PREACHER.
Each month, PopImage will ask a different comic book creator or fan to give us the track listing on their fantasy soundtrack for the comic book story of their choice. This month, Marc Bryant shares with us the very un-official soundtrack for Steve Dillon and Garth Ennis' PREACHER.

Okay, this month, you'll have to do without a pro to bless you with a selection of songs inspired by their four color love-child or bastard as the situation applies. I promise, I'll have a kick-ass mix of songs by a cool professional next time. Meanwhile, feast your eyes and ears on recommended listening from three of my favorite comics folks, Marie Javins, Jamie Delano, and John Arcudi. I threw in my PREACHER soundtrack to. Enjoy, and be sure to send in your soundtrax for your favorite comics. We care. Deeply.

Following up on Larry Young's ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE piece last time is a daunting task, but I'm going to give 'er a kick and see what happens.

I generally hate listening to the radio, but until I can afford a 100-disc changer for my car, these mixes are the closest I'm going to get to a kick-ass variety of commercial free music. I've been putting mixed tapes together for ages, and recently I started piecing songs together built around a certain theme. Being a major fan of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's PREACHER, the following selection was a natural for my first comics inspired "soundtrack". Let's see what's on the play-list.

Track 1:"If I Should Fall From Grace With God"-The Pogues. From the album of the same name. This raucous, kick ass number is a perfect "album opener". After reading Ennis mention this Irish band as a favorite, and given the fact that Cassidy was at least partially based on vocalist Shane McGowan, this is the track that first inspired me to put this mix together.

Track 2:"Date To Church" -the Replacements. In the scene where Jesse addresses his congregation in Annville, right before Genesis crashes the party, this is the song that popped into my head. It was the B-side to the single "I'll Be You" from DON'T TELL A SOUL. It was recorded on the first take , and given the band's reputation, heavily under the influence. The feel is pure "Nuggets" style garage-rock, with backing vocals by Mr. Tom Waits (who should probably have a song on here anyway). The songwriter is credited as "Reverend Upchuck". This is also available on the JUST SAY MAO compilation.

Track 3:"Wages Of Sin'-The Rainmakers. Imagine what the Kinks would have sounded like if they'd grown up in Kansas City and you get an inkling of this great under appreciated band's sound. Ennis himself could have written these lyrics with references to the wages of sin being 'all the lumber you can carry, all the nails you can bend', and the blatant insinuation that Mary Magdalene was a whore. From TORNADO.

Track 4:"Startin' Up A Posse"-Anthrax. With it's no-holds barred condemnation of the moral majority and record labeling, plus a kick-ass bridge that takes off on the "Bonanza' theme, this was another natural. From ATTACK OF THE KILLER B'S.

Track 5:"Hero Of The Day"-Metallica. Yeah. Metallica. Hush up. This song is just too perfect. The guitars and rhythms are tough, but very melodic. More important, the lyrics are pure Custer. The bridge 'Momma they tried to break me' and the title alone are enough to make this his theme for the entire story. From LOAD, that album with the bull jizz on the cover.

Track 6: "Can't Pull The Wool Down (Over The Little Lamb's Eyes)-Maria McKee. For what it's worth, McKee is my favorite female vocalist, bar none. She wails on this song, with a voice like an angel and lyrics that cut to the bone with tons of religious imagery and an absolutely no-bullshit attitude. Can you think of a better criteria for a PREACHER soundtrack? From her eponymous debut album.

Track 7:"She Runs Hot"-Little Village. Little Village was a true "super-group" project, featuring John Hiatt, Nick Lowe and Ry Cooder. A cool, bluesy rocker, perfect for tooling down the highway in a stolen car with your baby. From the album of the same name.

Track 8: "Cold Beer Hello"-The V-Roys. Larry Young liked this tune so much that he saw fit to include it on his "Cool Ed's" soundtrack. That tickled me to death, especially since these guys are from my hometown of Knoxville, TN. From the album JUST ADD ICE, this is perfect music for quitting time OR last call, and all points in between.

Track 9:"Both Sides Of The Line"-Jason & The Scorchers. This Nashville band's sound is the bastard child of the Sex Pistols and Hank Williams Sr. You'll be seeing more of them on this album. From the FERVOR EP.

Track 10: "Johnny Too Bad'-Steve Earle & The V-Roys. 'Walking down the road, a pistol in your hand, Johnny Too Bad.' This one could apply to so many people in PREACHER. This is the missing link between rockabilly and reggae, but don't knock it 'til you've tried it! A single, originally recorded by the Slickers.

Track 11:"Trespass"-Ry Cooder. This is an apocalyptic, bluesy instrumental from the movie of the same name. Cooder has scored a lot of movies (LAST MAN STANDING, GERONIMO, PARIS TEXAS). His versatile, ballsy guitar work is perfect for PREACHER.

Track 12:"I Will Not Go Quietly"-Don Henley. Yes, that Don Henley. I'm no Eagles fan, but this song sounds like a storm brewing on the horizon. It's loaded with defiant attitude and as such is another no-brainer. From THE END OF THE INNOCENCE.

Track 13:"Lost Highway"-Jason & The Scorchers. Them again. A hard-rocking cover of the Hank Williams classic. From LAST TIME AROUND.

Track 14:"My Girlhood Among The Outlaws"-Maria McKee. I needed something to slow things down a bit and this song fit the bill. The mood and title put me to mind of a certain Miss O'Hare, but she'd probably rather hear some Ice Cube. From YOU'VE GOTTA SIN TO GET SAVED.

Track 15: "Showdown At Big Sky"-Robbie Robertson. I could have filled a whole PREACHER album with stuff from this former Band member. Robertson was also the brains behind the soundtracks to COLOR OF MONEY, CASINO and ANY GIVEN SUNDAY. This was included for WAR IN THE SUN. From his eponymous solo debut.

Track 16:"Unrepentant"-Steve Earle. How's that for a title? Listen and be kicked in the crotch, hard, by a song about a standoff with the devil. From I FEEL ALRIGHT.

Track 17:"God Help Me"-Jesus & Mary Chain w/Shane McGowan. Cassidy's man takes it easy and croons one with one of my favorite bands. This could be Starr's theme, if he'd ever tolerate such bullshit. From STONED & DETHRONED.

Track 18:"Broken Whiskey Glass"-Jason & The Scorchers. Another hardcore honky-tonk anthem from LAST TIME AROUND.

Track 19:"You're Still Standing There"-Steve Earle & Lucinda Williams. This album closer is from I FEEL ALRIGHT as well. With a little tweaking lyrically, this could be Jesse and Tulip's song. (Not that they need one, mind you.)

And that's that. I've put together a LOT of mix-tapes, and this is my favorite by far. I made the tape five months ago, and it still makes its way onto my deck at least once a week. I'd love to hear what songs YOU would include on a soundtrack for PREACHER or any other comic for that matter. Now to start on TRANSMET.

Marc Bryant is Features Editor for PopImage.

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