KING(S) OF THE DAMNED – ON AUTHENTICITY, DESPAIR AND ESCAPISM IN THE MUSIC OF PALAYE ROYALE, 90-105

Abstract

In this paper I argue that the musical universe created by the band Palaye Royale associates well with the pessimistic views of philosophers Arthur Schopenhauer and Emil Cioran. These two thinkers have written extensively on the relationship between music and emotion, and their theories on death, suffering, and the meaning of life resonate with the lyrics of Palaye Royale. Thus, the pairing of these two philosophers with the Canadian-American rock band is not arbitrary, but rather serves to highlight the shared themes and ideas in their respective works.