A Lasting Grudge - Behind The Screenplay

The screenplay for “A Lasting Grudge” stemmed initially from a series of YouTube videos my friend created (I don’t know if they’re still live and available) about being an “anti-critic,” seeing the best in bad art.

Rene Keneally is an artist who had been working hard to establish himself in the industry. He had finally gained some recognition when he received a scathing review from Jackson Cody, a prominent critic known for his harsh critiques. The review not only criticized Keneally’s work but also attacked his personal life, including his loved ones. The review went viral, and Keneally was left humiliated and devastated.

Keneally became obsessed with seeking revenge against Cody. He believed that Cody’s review had ruined his reputation and that the only way to salvage it was to make Cody pay. Keneally’s pursuit of vengeance consumed him, and he became increasingly bitter and angry.

Over time, Keneally’s anger and bitterness began to affect his work. His art became darker and more aggressive, reflecting his own inner turmoil. He began to distance himself from his loved ones, feeling that they had let him down by not being able to protect him from Cody’s attack.

The inspiration for “A Lasting Grudge” came from the real-life experiences of the author or from similar stories in the media. The story highlights the destructive nature of revenge and how it can consume a person’s life, causing them to lose sight of what is truly important. It also emphasizes the importance of constructive criticism and the potential harm that can be caused by personal attacks in reviews.

A Lasting Grudge writing playlist:

Harold Budd – Rosetti Noise/Chrystal Garden And A Coda
Abul Mogard – Quiet Dreams
Oxmo Puccino – Alias Jon Smoke – Remasterisé
Job Roggeveen – Uma
Earth – Mirage
Sheek Louch – On That Shit
Bennie Maupin – Past + Present = Future
Fuubutsushi – Bolted Orange
William Tyler – An Opening
Hailu Mergia – Yefkir Engurguro – Mixed
Tinariwen – Tenere Maloulat
Junior Parker – Tomorrow Never Knows
Teebs – Atoms Song
Get The Blessing – Not With Standing
Ceeys – Waende
Netam – Kurabiye
The Sweet Enoughs – Dream Puppy
Seckou Keita – Future Strings in E
Avishai Cohen – Moonlight Sonata
Tricky – Like a Stone – trentemøller Remix
Ali Farka Touré – Cinquante six – Instrumental;2017 Remastered Version
Plastikman – Consumed
Ahmoudou Madassane – Zerzura Theme II
David Bowie – Subterraneans – 2017 Remaster
Lost Horizons – I Woke Up With An Open Heart
Peter Gregson – The Dive
Trigg & Gusset – Blue Shades
Дeva – Witchcraft
Colin Stetson – Beyond the Brake
Bryce Dessner – Who’s Taking Care of Jesse?
Philip Glass – Orphée’s Bedroom
Carla dal Forno – Hype Sleep
Bonobo – Polyghost
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony featuring 2pac – Thug Luv

Story Inspiration

I used to run an online music magazine in which I wrote some reviews in a different iteration of my life that I’m not overly proud of. I was never as scathing as some of the writers beneath me, but I was going through different periods in my life where the words I wrote seemed fine at the time. However, now that I am more mature, I’d think twice before writing them.

Several of my writers, however, wrote reviews and critiques that went beyond the pale. They took particular aim at the artists and their material and even uttered physical threats. At the time, I was stupid enough to believe that the controversy and words were fine and that they meant nothing. But as I grew, I realized the extent of the toll of these keyboard warriors’ words.

There was one particular instance in which I was face to face with a producer, and he highlighted what I had allowed to be published on my website. Half the time, for speed, I didn’t bother to read the reviews. Unfortunately, this was one of those times, and the reviewer took particularly crass and horrible aim at the beatmaker’s family. I instantly regretted that extreme oversight. At the same time, the notion of revenge from the artist’s side was born and along came “A Lasting Grudge.”