Dear Music Is Art,

My name is Adrian Ernesto Cepeda. I am a long time reader and fan of your website. I am writing you because back when I first started visiting, I remember seeing your postings about Six Feet Under. It is because of these amazing postings with quotes, photos and music from the show that inspired me to watch the series.

You see, I have always had this fear of death and watching a show about death wasn’t on my top priorities. But after reading your posts, I knew that I had to give Six Feet Under a chance.. And I did and it has changed my life for the better. I so want to thank you for those original posts, Six Feet Under is the best show that I have ever seen. The past few months I have grown watching and feel like this has been a reflection on the changes made for the better in my life.

I am now at the end of the series, in a few minutes my girlfriend and I are about to watch the finale. I feel kind of torn because on one hand I’m a little sad at coming to the end of this journey that I have experienced. Then again, I so want to see how it ends. It has been an emotional experience that I will never forget and once again thank you for inspiring me to watch.

I do have a request. Is there anyway you can repost those old Six Feet Under posts that inspired me to watch the show? I would love to go back, read them and see the first seeds on what made me want to see the show for the first time.

Keep on sharing the magic of music and art.

peace and inspiration to you,

Adrian Ernesto Cepeda

nate: claire, you wanna know a secret?

i spent my whole life being scared of not being ready,

of not being right and where did it get me?

all we have is this moment
..right here, right now..
the future is just a fucking concept
that we use to avoid being alive today
..so be here now..

.six feet under.

i dont watch tv but this show has been apart of me for the last 5 years. a habit i could never break and never wanted to. it was like being able to watch sequel upon sequel of american beauty. that same cinematography. that same darkness. that same feeling that goes so deep inside you that you cant breathe and you just cry… and its ok.. to keep crying, feeling.. that yr alive. theres so many pieces that i cant explain if you dont know the show. but god its been so strangely coincidental to absolutely everything thats happening in my world. ive found myself inside the minds of a lost but familiar family of characters. how nice to see my reflection. a reality in a sense of myself when ive become so blinded. reborn to innocence. to see yrself from an objective point of a view and absolutely love every detail. the beginning to give of one’s self again. and the realization that nothing will ever be perfect but it cant come close if all one does is keep waiting.

brenda: i always thought that i would have more people in my life as time went on.

billy: hmmph… doesn’t work that way.

brenda: yeah. i’m starting to realize that.

billy: its almost like as we get older, the number of people who completely get us shrinks.

nate: stop listening to the static.

claire: what the fuck is that supposed to mean?

nate: everything in the world is like this transmission making its way across the dark but death, life, everything; it’s all completely suffused with static. *makes static noises* you know? but if you listen to the static too much it fucks you up.

claire: [pause] are you high?

nate: [pause, smiling] i am actually, yeah. i’m quite high.

claire: [smiling then laughing] you are?!

nate:

i’m just saying you only get one life.

there’s no god, no rules, no judgments

except for those you accept or create for yrself

and once its over, its over

dreamless sleep forever and ever

so why not be happy while your here?

really.

why not?

in august 2005, six feet under finished with class.
everything ends, sure.. but the music never does.

the last 6 minutes of the finale
featured sia ~ breathe me.

if you havent watched the show before and don’t want to spoil anything for yrself, ill understand that you may not want to watch. however, this ending is really special, thanks to sia. also, if you are addicted to the great sounds of this wonderful show, please go listen to all the music from the entire six feet under series.

 episode 62 // static
arcade fire  cold wind

claire heads home on the bus, brenda gives birth. song continues through the end credits.

episode 48 // the black forest
mellowdrone  beautiful day

claire and russell get creative with her photography.

episode 32 // making love work
josh ritter  come & find me

nate and lisa make love on their camping trip. the song continues while they drive home.

episode 28 // you never know
thievery corporation  all that we perceive

claire talks with russell at LAC/Arts.

episode 16 // the plan
built to spill  you were right

claire is in her bedroom listening to music, when she gets a phone call from a distraught friend gabe.

episode 15 // out out brief candle
goldfrapp  pilots

brenda’s dinner with nate, her successful ex-boyfriend trevor, his over-achieving wife and their child.

episode 5 an open book
cowboy junkies * common disaster

nate meets brenda’s brother billy for the first time.

~*~

and of course, buy the soundtrack releases.

::music selection iv::

episode 61 // static
juana molina : salvese quien pueda
at dinner, rico and vanessa are optimistic about a new funeral home.

episode 47 // coming and going
phoenix : everything is everything
claire, edie, anita and jimmy discuss their art project.

episode 41 // in case of rapture
air : cherry blossom girl
at a coffeehouse/bar, claire, anita and edie have a conversation about what they love.

episode 40 // falling into place
sia : dont bring me down
brenda is reflecting on lisa’s death and nate’s visit. joe surprises her with chinese food.

episode 25 // ill take you
telepopmusik: breathe
over morning coffee, brenda is surprised and uncomfortable to find nate reading a racy passage from the book she is writing.

love isn’t something you feel
its something you do

and if the person yr with doesn’t want it
you know, do yourself a favor
and save it for someone who does.
[nate // the rainbow of her reasons // episode 57]

.....episode 24 // the liar & the whore
doves: meet me at the pier
in claire’s hearse, parker tells her that the chinese herbs that she received as a gift from her aunt sarah, are actually magic mushrooms.

episode 23 // the secret
tosca: orozsco (dubphonic mix)
brenda sits on her porch having a smoke as two teenage boys approach. without a word she leads them into the house.

episode 22 // someone elses eye
four tet: glue of the world
billy talks with brenda about his stay in the hospital, her upcoming marriage to nate, and disengaging from his toxic relationship with her.

episode 19 // in place of anger
royksopp : sparks
nate & brenda relate the events of their day to each and both pretend that everything is alright.

episode 14 // in the game
lamb: heaven
becky lights candles, listens to music in the beach house.

episode 4 // familia
the herbaliser : a mother for your mind
brenda’s place, brenda seduces nate with candles.

six feet under.

episode 62 static
interpol * directions
at the nature preserve, claire drives to visit nate’s grave.

episode 55 time flies
arcade fire * rebellion [lies]
nate and brenda argue in the hallway.

episode 58 the silence
ryan adams * let it ride
at the saddle ranch bar, claire meets ted.

episode 42 parallel play
radiohead * lucky
at the end of their yard sale, the fishers decide to make a bonfire out of their possessions that didn’t sell. claire plays this song on a boom box from her bedroom window and the song continues over end credits.

episode 30 nobody sleeps
weekend players * best days of our lives
later at the bar, olivier compliments claire and russel’s artwork.

episode 11 knock knock
beta band * squares
claire walks in on parker and warren fooling around.

episode 1 pilot
the devlins * waiting
nate sees nathaniel wave goodbye on the bus.

[six feet under :: 3 :: soundtrack selection]

episode 53 // dancing for me
wilco : hell is chrome
claire describes her art.

episode 52 // a coat of white primer
doves : almost forgot myself
billy and claire get into a fight.

episode 45 // terror starts at home
stereolab : margarine melody
claire and her friends plan an art project.

episode 29 // another voice
modest mouse : willful suspension of disbelief
claire breaks up with phil at the crematorium.

episode 13 // knock, knock
black rebel motorcycle club : red eyes and tears
claire talks to her dad’s ghost at the party.

episode 22 // someone else’s eye
kings of convenience : i don’t know what i can save you from (royksopp mix)
nate arrives at brenda’s late in the evening. they are both keeping secrets from each other: brenda’s fling in the bookstore bathroom, and nate’s discovery that lisa is pregnant with his child.

did you know that Alan Ball wrote the movie americanbeauty and also co-created hbo’s wonderful series sixfeetunder? alan asked the star of american beauty, actress mena suvari to be his guest in a few favorite sfu episodes.

six feet under has received a total of 32 Emmy nominations and has won seven times; they also have been nominated for eight Golden Globes, winning three.although many people are now beginning to see the beauty of six feet under, this show never received the true recognition that it deserved because most people couldn’t and didn’t want to understand the realty inside and outside of death. the writers’ gave an open-minded spectrum of life changing sequences and most importantly, expressed their views and political beliefs passionately without a second thought. there were no lies, no cover-ups, no falsifications. there was only the truth.

we need more of that.

[from episode 62 :: static]

claire: support our troops??
what a bunch of bullshit!

grieving mom: i don’t know
what you want me to do.

claire: why don’t you try driving something that doesn’t require so much gas for starters, if yr so fucking concerned?

ted: c’mon claire, let’s go inside.

claire: yeah, we wouldn’t want to offend anybody while they are supporting OUR TROOPS!!

david: claire! shut up!

claire: dozens of fucking iraqis are dying everyday while the whole world hates us for going in there in the first place! and terrorists are still gonna be blowing shit up in this country for the next hundred years and the best thing SHE can think to do about it is by putting a sticker on that enormous shit box.

you know… they still bring the wounded soldiers back at night so the press can’t even film it and nobody sees. american soldiers are still being fucked up everyday, and they don’t even tell us, and its all so you can put gas in that enormous fucking car of yours to keep everybody feeling really fucking american!

there is nothing better than starting your saturday morning off right. after a cup of coffee and a nice calm walk around the park or perhaps its one of those peaceful rainy days in bed, a favorite way to spend this special time is watching a 4 episode mini marathon of six feet under. thanks to the bravo network, its possible to catch up on lost seasons and reflect again on all the tiny details that made this show feel so captivating.for those on the unknown, six feet under was simply a special five-season, dark hbo tv drama based on the over-thinking and analyzations of relationships inbetween life, love and death. still in the midst of repeat watching, its important to remember just how good this series was and still is.

even though some episodes may have been seen twenty times already, its always calmly refreshing and new. just like the feeling of listening to your favorite musicians, how the second, third and fourth time of a song repeats, hypnotic bass lines or a underlining harmony appears different than the first listen. in six feet under, theres something so easy to innocently notice as each creative scene appears and inspiration runs off in new directions. its all in the way certain pieces become such an integral part while they attach and speak so personally to the human mind. this comforting endless satisfaction of being fueled by technicolor visual media proves strong especially when these sounds and ideas actually have true emotional meaning behind them; thats what i feel, especially love and believe in. different messages may appear more complex to some but for myself, watching this show fulfills an overall experience that provides a secret yearning to keep forever searching and always want more.

at the end of season 4, david wakes to find his late father smoking a cigarette near the bedroom window. unknowingly, together they share in a conversation showing a type of compassion that silently portrays the feeling of tragedy mixed within unknown strength.

Nate Sr: You were brave to face him.

David: Not really. There was a guard.

Nate Sr: Doesn’t matter. [Pause] I’m proud of ya.

David: I thought it would set me free but it…didn’t change anything. Except now I know he really is insane.

Nate Sr: You’re missing the point.

David: There is no point. That’s the point. [Nate Sr. Sighs] Isn’t it?

Nate Sr: Don’t give me this phony existential bullshit. I expect better from you. The point’s right in front of your face.

David: Well I’m sorry, but I don’t see it.

Nate Sr: You’re not even grateful, are ya?

David: Grateful? For the worst fucking experience of my life?

Nate Sr: You hang on to your pain like it means something. Like it’s worth something. Well let me tell ya, it’s not worth shit. Let it go. [Talking to the air] Infinite possibilites and all he can do is whine.

David: Well what am I supposed to do?

Nate Sr: What do ya think? You can do anything ya lucky bastard, you’re alive! What’s a little pain compared to that?

David: [Sigh] It can’t be so simple.

Nate Sr: What if it is?

episode 35 the opening
nate and brenda check out billy’s artwork
and joke about how they’ve evolved.
song: hayling [machine says yes, 2002]
artist: fc kahuna

episode 27 perfect circles
for art class, claire practices drawing a perfect circle.
song: little miss more or less [on your side, 2004]
artist: magnet

episode 8 crossroads
david and keith have dinner together and talk.
song: whose blues [the magic dragon, 2003]
artist: caia

episode 31 the trap
nate browses for CDs at a record store and has a fantasy that lisa has discovered him spending $$$ outside their budget.
song: obstacle 2 [turn on the bright lights, 2002]
artist: interpol

episode 13 knock knock
baby augusto’s christening, nate is at peace with his family.
song: mis dos pequenas [cachaito, 2001]
artist: orlando “cachaito” lopez

episode 4 familia
at the bowling alley, david and keith hang out.
song: life on a chain [music for the morning after, 2001]
artist: pete yorn

episode 21 its the most wonderful time of the year
nate is given the keys to jessie’s motorcycle
and zooms off down the pacific coast…
song: don’t fear the reaper [best of... 2000]
artist: blue oyster cult

episode 22 someone elses eye
after an argument with her brother billy,
brenda is highly distressed and starts to go through
and rip up phone numbers of men she has recently met.
song: souljacker (part 1) [souljacker 2004]
artist: eels

episode 13 knock knock
brenda wants nate to join her on a visit to billy in the hospital.
song: pauline [thrill, space baby, 2000]
artist: eleni mandell

episode 20 back to the garden
the morning after a party at her aunt sarah’s topanga canyon house, claire finds her cooking belgian waffles and listening to this song. later when she arrives back at the funeral home, claire sees another side of her mother, when she sees her singing along to the tape which was given to her by her aunt…continues over end credits.
song: woodstock [ladies of the canyon 1970]
artist: joni mitchell

all photography by claire fisher