This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In her Twilight novels, Stephenie Meyer credits bands such as Muse, Blue October and My Chemical Romance, whose music she listened to while writing her saga of a vampire-human-werewolf love triangle.
The soundtracks of the films have been just as important for musicians hoping to win new fans.
At a Nov. 11 Salt Lake City tour stop, musicians Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz and Ryan O'Neal, who performs as Sleeping at Last, played a concert and met fans to promote the Nov. 18 release of "Breaking Dawn: Part I."
At the Rail Events Center appearance, Matt Hales, aka Aqualung, walked down the carpet with Schwartz, who recently released an EP, "Keep Me," and whom music lovers may remember as a runner-up in Rolling Stone's "Do You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star" contest.
"I was just hoping that we could write a song for 'Twilight,' " said Schwartz of the musical partnership that led to the song "Cold."
Hales added: "It was just an interesting idea to write a song about being undead and being romantic and giving your soul somehow. And now look."
The pair competed against a large number of musicians to land a song on the soundtrack. "It's one of the few soundtracks you actually really want to be part of," Hale said. "Just for the music. Just for the other artists you are going to be amongst."
After all, the soundtrack includes popular musicians such as Bruno Mars, Iron & Wine and Christina Perri. O'Neal wrote "Turning Page" specifically for the soundtrack. Mia Maestro, who plays Carmen of the Denali clan, also landed a song, "Lloverá," on the album.
Jackson Rathbone plays Jasper Hale, a character who trains werewolves and vampires to work together. Off-screen, Rathbone is a musician who plays six instruments and performs in the five-piece band 100 Monkeys. At the Salt Lake City event, he called the new movie album an "interesting mix of upcoming bands and bands that are already huge and going around."
Music for 'Twilight'
In Salt Lake City to promote "Breaking Dawn: Part I" were Aqualung, Lucy Schwartz and Ryan O'Neal of Sleeping at Last, as well as actor Jackson Rathbone, who plays with the band 100 Monkeys. Find out more about these artists at the following websites:
aqualung.net
lucyschwartzmusic.com
sleepingatlast.com
100monkeysmusic.com