#the progress video could be with a different demo of that same song

[khufiya-khaufnak-antariksh]

WIP

[hypersomniagame]

HYPERSOMNIA JANUARY DEV LOG : "LOG 1, WOOHOO!"

Hi! For all of you who follow HYPERSOMNIA, or are just stopping by, let me introduce you to this post to really set the tone.

For 2024, I am going to try to release a dev log about HYPERSOMNIA once a month, may come earlier, may come a little late, but I'm doing this to help give insight on to how the game is going, and to give me motivation to work on the game.

First things first, big news!

HYPERSOMNIA IS NOW AVAILABLE TO WISHLIST ON STEAM! (LINK)

After a while of back and forwarding with Valve, I've finally got a Steam page to call my own, and MAN is it bizarre seeing my weird little RPG in my Steam library. Like, that's my logo, and my key art, and screenshots of MY game, that's so weird. It doesn't feel real. BUT IT IS!

And, I would really really really really really appreciate it if you would consider wishlisting the game on Steam. It helps with the algorithm, and my happiness because I like seeing numbers go up, it feels good.

I even drew this as a announcement/commemoration for the page going live.

(P.S; if you couldn't tell, I really like Half-Life, it's one of my favorite game series.)

Secondly...

A new trailer is in the works! We were accepted for this year's MOTHER Direct (4th time baby, whoo!)

The trailer has been coming along well, I hope to show more battle oriented clips that I've missed the last few years, like special moves.

Can you believe I've never actually gotten to adding those in the game? I mean, they come set-up in default RPG Maker projects but I've never gotten around to revamping them until now, year 4 of engine work. Isn't that strange?

I also hope to improve on editing in the trailers. Whenever I finish a trailer I come back a few months later to notice minor points where I was kinda sloppy.

I'm not much of a video editor, (I only learned so I could edit trailers on my own) but I'd like to keep them at a good presentable quality. You gotta have standards with that kinda stuff, it's important!

OK, TIME FOR THE ACTUAL GAME STUFF. HERE WE GO.

Abilities are now implemented! And work! Wahoo!

In HYPERSOMNIA, players are able to switch abilities between party members. I find this a really interesting mechanic for how simple it seems, you get to choose who plays what role in your party. I think this is HUGE, and opens up a lot of unique scenarios for the game's encounters. I've had this planned for years, as far back as 2021 if I can recall, so it's super cool seeing it in game.

Mapping is being worked on!

I've also been working on mapping out more areas of the game! The forest part you hopefully saw in the last trailer is almost completely mapped. I've been working on the second part to it and am hoping to finish it sometime soon.

Mapping forests really suck. THOUGH, almost all the maps for the first chapter of the game are done! That's just another step closer to the demo. (Which, FYI, will be on Steam and Itch! ^^)

I've also been working on re-spriting older scenes!

This one's been really fun to do, I've been going back and redoing older stuff from the 2022 trailer, like this train! It's weird seeing it side by side, because you can definitely see where it's come from but at the same time, it looks so different.

(Also side note, these sprites are CRUSTY! EWWW!)

Lastly, Script and Music updates!

The script for HYPERSOMNIA's first act has been completed! with just 37 pages of just cutscene dialog alone! We're also currently working on wrapping up NPC dialog! Not much else to say.

And music is being worked on!

Music has been making some progress! I like to lay out demo's for areas I'm mapping out to help make both the music and scene come together. (Also, to help break up the eerie silence when playtesting...)

Speaking of music, FIREBALL, the games main battle theme, was recently delisted on our YouTube channel.

We did this because we decided we wanted to resample FIREBALL, and found that it's best to not have the song uploaded until a complete, final version is made. At least for the demo, it could possibly change before the final game but that's a bit too far in the future for me to think about fully.

Hey! Thanks for reading the whole dev log! Unless you just skipped to the end, you should probably go back up and read it. there's a steam page now. and some cool ross art at the top. you're missing out!

I hope this was like, readable to you all. I'm new to this whole dev log thing, so if you read it all the way through, let me know! It'd be cool!

I'd like to use this portion to pretty much just advertise Unique Indie RPG's.

Have you ever seen that strange purple square at the beginning of the 2nd and 3rd HYPERSOMNIA trailers?

Yeah, that! That's UNIQUE INDIE RPG's, which is a Discord community for you guessed it, Unique Indie RPG videogames developed by people like me! Or you! Or whoever! Who cares!

I help run it with some of my friends, and we all share cool stuff about our videogames! There's a ton of other SUPER cool RPG Maker games there like Astral Guard [LINK], or SOMEWHEN [LINK], or even MOMOinc [LINK]!

And of course, HYPERSOMNIA. It's a really laid back community, we're all super chill. Come swing by! We'd love to have ya, and SHOW US YOUR GAME!

[LINK TO DISCORD SERVER]

TWITTER

YOUTUBE

STEAM

UNIQUE INDIE RPG'S [SHOW US YOUR GAME!]

[PREV] [ABOUT HYPERSOMNIA] [NEXT]

[theprojectrenebloggger]

Exclusive Reveal: The Language of our Parafolks

14 avril

Hey everyone!

Andrei here ready to deliver you some big news! 📣

As you all know, we’ve been working a lot lately on how Paras will communicate with each other. Well, after much anticipation from your end, we are very pleased to present to you the spoken language of the Parafolks: Parli. 

🎥⬆️ Please watch the above video before reading further!

About the Video

🗣 The Language

In Paralives, building relationships and interacting with other characters will be an important aspect of the live mode. Parli, pronounced par-lee, is the spoken language that we have created for our Parafolks and that you will be hearing when your characters chat together and express themselves.

💬 Discussion Animations

Alice created many discussion interactions and reaction animations that we are first showcasing today. This allows our Parafolks to have conversations, ask questions, argue, tell jokes, flirt and more. We will be adding more and more discussion and group interactions so that your characters can live their social lives to the fullest.

📝 Additional Notes

The animations and voice recordings are still a work in progress.

For the video, we’ve created a “Talk with” interaction to showcase different discussion animations but it is just for the purpose of the video. Conversation interactions will work differently

You will be able to select the voice of your character in the Paramaker.

The current voice recordings are only demos. The final voice overs will be recorded by professional voice actors later in development.

Unlike the spoken language, the written language will not be gibberish, as we have shown previously here and here.

Development Diary: How We Created Parli

In the following paragraphs, you’ll find out how this language came to be from our goals to the many tests we did and how we got to choose our favorite!

🎯 Our Goals

Coming up with a whole new language is a daunting task, especially for us, who had never done such a thing before! To get started, we decided that the language should be:

Incomprehensible gibberish so to give the player freedom of storytelling

Different from the made-up languages of other franchises

Minimalistic without long and exaggerated sentences (“less is more”)

Distinct from English gibberish, while still sounding familiar enough

Realistic enough as if it could exist in real life

Not too goofy but also not too serious with a good balance that would give a cozy effect!

With all of that in mind, we were ready to start coming up with ideas!

🔉 Our Research & Tests

At first we came up with simple ideas such as altering existing words (ex: French Verlan, anagrams, inverting words), using theater improvisation exercises (ex: limiting letters, using only onomatopoeia) or other things like simply using universal languages such as Esperanto and Interlingua. As we progressed, we came up with more and more complex ideas and got to study how actual linguists create their own conlangs (made-up languages) by first choosing a specific palette of sounds and then making all sorts of rules to combine them. So we used these same approaches for some of our ideas and the results were pretty cool! In total we came up with over 20 different approaches and recorded more than 2000 instances of words and expressions. We also got the whole team to give their own opinion on our ideas through a survey. We got a lot of good feedback which helped us decide which approach was our favorite. We could’ve gone on brainstorming and testing things forever…but it was time to make a decision.

🏆 Our Pick

Outside of my work life, one of the things that I enjoy doing to make my partner laugh is to sing any existing song in a made-up gibberish that I improvise to hide the fact that I forgot the lyrics. It always works. So I thought that it’d be nice to incorporate it as one of our approaches. I brainstormed a bunch of made-up words through improv and created a phonetic alphabet with the recurrent material of those words.

Here’s the current phonetic alphabet of our language.

You guessed it—this approach was a team favorite and the one that best met all of the goals we had mentioned before. So we decided to pick it as our language! Later on, we added more rules such as limiting the amount of vowels to 2 per word or put 2 consonants one after the other in order to make the language more identifiable.

And there you have it! It was a real adventure for me personally to jump in all this brainstorming with no linguistics background whatsoever. It was especially really fun to voice-act all the voice overs with my partner and see them come to life in the game. Do you believe this language sounds right for Paralives? We’d love to hear what you think about it. On that note, I hope you enjoyed today’s post and thank you so much for your support!

Buh byyyeee!!! 🎸✨

Andrei

Edit - April 20th, 2023: This post is now public, feel free to share it!

[independentartistbuzz]

INDIE 5:0: 5 Q'S WITH STEVEN CHESNE

Steven Chesne's "We Are the Descendants (in 79 Languages)" is a striking artistic response to a world often fractured by differences.

This ambitious project unites voices from across the globe, blending them into a powerful and evocative piece that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers.

The accompanying music video further amplifies the song's message with its futuristic, almost dystopian imagery, creating an experience that’s as visually powerful as it is emotionally stirring.

In this exclusive Indie 5:0 interview, Chesne shares the journey behind this groundbreaking project, offering insights into the creative process, the challenges faced, and the deeper meaning he hopes audiences will take away.

Your album “Descendants (in 79 Languages)” brings together voices from across the globe. How did you select the vocalists and languages, and what challenges did you face in coordinating such a diverse array of contributors?

This was realistically the most that I could acquire in that time frame.  There were a few that I was trying to include but I couldn’t because we simply ran out of time while I was still chasing people.  

Occasionally, after the mix was finished, I’d meet someone who spoke additional languages, and I’d always say, “Damn! I wish we met 3 years ago!”

I began with many thousands of connections on Facebook. I could tell by some people’s last names or country of origin, what languages they might be fluent in. I started asking around about vocalists they might know of, and so on. I tried cultural centers in Los Angeles, I found some language and linguistics pages online and contacted translators there.

The album blends genres like EDM, world beat, and neo-classical music. How did you approach the fusion of these styles to create a unified sound, and were there any particular influences or inspirations guiding this process?

I used the very first song “We are the Descendants“, as a framework for designing the counterpoint between all of the phrases.

As I was acquiring all the translations, I created melodies that would be able to be used in conjunction with each other in more or less traditional, classical counterpoint. Even those mind blowing, incredible solos in song #5, “Seeds of the Descendants“, were actually sung over this first song. You would never know it if you hear how I ended up using them in that more Etheric, New Age context. (BTW, that Swedish solo in “Seeds of the Descendants”, was sung by Christine Hals, one of the gorgeous voices in Disney’s “Frozen 1 and 2” among many other video games and films.)

I had to sing all the parts myself, and then I would create demos to send to each vocalist. They really just heard their own part over some simple chords and a beat.

As the project progressed, and I was aware of certain phrase combinations that worked especially well, I started experimenting with the tracks I had received from the vocalists. I had acquired all these beautiful, expressive short recordings from all over the world. It felt like the ultimate treasure.  

As I was experimenting with these phrase combinations to see what they would reap over different musical settings, I felt like a mad scientist in some sort of a magical laboratory!

It’s super fascinating for me, to hear the exact same phrase, but in completely different musical contexts. Certain notes that are consonant in one harmonization would be perceived as dissonant in a different harmonic context. Where some accents would be perceived as strong in one rhythmic context, they might be perceived as offbeat if you slide the phrase forward or back.

If you listen closely to the album, you’ll start to recognize these phrases. It’s really fun to hear them threading through all the different styles and genres. 

So these songs were the results of experiments. Each one was an idea that actually panned out and created interesting results.

The futuristic setting in your music video contrasts with the message of unity.

How did you balance the visual representation of a dystopian future with the positive, inclusive themes of your music?

There’s a lot of different things going on here. While on the one hand, Fredo is in this antiseptic environment in the middle of a barren wasteland, the people communicating with him via the video monitors on the walls, really are singing a joyous message of unity coming from all corners of the world. It’s both messed up and joyous at the same time. 

But the ultimate payoff happens in the last part of the video. It’s the scene of a fiery car accident, where there’s no way to save the child underneath it, except through the combined efforts of a disparate group of strangers. 

The message is much more straightforward and powerful in this big ending section.

In what ways do you think “Descendants (in 79 languages)” can impact listeners' perceptions of cultural diversity and unity? What do you hope people take away from this project on both a personal and global level?

We’re getting caught up with the things that distinguish our differences — the things that divide us.  It’s easy to see our differences as people, as nations, religions, etc.  It’s really emphasized in the media, and among those who attempt to exploit our differences to try and attain power. 

But we can bring to light some deep, important truths along the way. Our commonalities are real, ageless, and powerful.  Reaffirming this isn’t simply a good feeling, it’s a reminder of reality. 

Given your extensive background in scoring for television and film, how does working on a conceptual album like “Descendants” allow you to explore new creative avenues? 

I’ve been focused on recorded audio music only, as opposed to cinematic scoring, for many years now.  There’s a kind of freedom in being able to follow my muse anywhere it leads me, rather than to serve the action of a film or the instructions of another person.  When I first made this transition, I felt like one of those apes raised in captivity, then finally freed in the wild!  

But this project is a return to combining music with film. The difference is that here, the music came first.

Song number one, the one with Fredo Bang, really was intended to work with video, which was necessary to identify all of the languages visually. I pictured this video even when I was composing it. And when I was composing the huge Finale at the end of the album, I absolutely had imagery in mind just like what we did in the video.

Stay current with Steven Chesne on his Website www.chezworks.com

[eintsein]

After a few years of trial and error, I think I've finally found the perfect organization method.

In the early years of high school, I had a bullet journal. I was an artsy kid who found a way to combine art with organization in a way that benefited other parts of my life.

However, as I approached the end of high school, my schedule got busier, and I was involved in a lot more things, so owning a bullet journal was less practical. Because of that, I switched to an app called Edo Agenda.

I continued with digital planning in college since I knew I wasn't going to have as much time. But all the apps I tried out—Taskade, Actions by Moleskine, Any.do, Todoist, Wunderlist—weren't suited to my planning and organizational needs. They didn't have the specific functions I required and didn't incorporate an organization system I liked to use. The predefined apps were too restraining, but the more customizable apps weren't customizable enough.

So then I switched to a bare bones, uber minimalist bullet journal method. That worked pretty well my second semester. It was simple, portable, and most importantly, flexible—all the things one could wish for in a planning system. However, it wasn't always the most convenient to use since I couldn't effectively integrate all the different aspects of my life, which, to no surprise, is mostly recorded digitally.

There was just one huge problem with my digital organization system that made me hesitant to switch back in the first place: everything was fragmented. Notes were in Google Docs. Financial records were in Google Sheets. To-Do Lists were in my bullet journal. Team projects were in Trello. My poetry was on Bear. Things I wanted to try are carelessly pinned to random pinterest boards or added to my YouTube "watch later" playlist. It was a mess.

Over the summer, I found out about Notion from a friend, and I thought, this has so much potential, it could even be exactly what I need. It's essentially like an empty notebook on your computer with functions that make it 10x more powerful. Notion allows you to integrate all aspects of your life and work into one app. Some of the advantages that have made me partial to Notion are:

Even greater customization level. Notion is a blank canvas with tons of predefined blocks and different file types. You can make databases, spreadsheets, Kanban boards, to do lists, etc. Also, you can remain connected to other digital services. You can link websites, collaborate with other users, use different structures (e.g. documents, databases, tasks), embed images and videos, etc. There are also tons of formatting options, e.g. text color, highlight, heading v. body text.

Better organization. Notion allows you to have pages within pages within pages within pages—an infinite hierarchy that you can organize with tables of contents. These pages are made of blocks, e.g. tables, checklists, boards, databases.  Both pages and blocks can be rearranged by simply dragging and dropping them to where you want them to be. In other words, I guess it's kind of like building a website to organize your life. Plus, their database feature is especially powerful as it allows you to connect all your data and get into as much detail as you wish (each entry in a database is its own page).

Templates. There are tons of templates created by both Notion and the community that you can use. These are especially helpful in the beginning since Notion does have a rather steep learning curve. There are template for almost every category: personal, planning, finance, job applications, design roadmap, etc. Check out their template gallery, this medium article called "10 Notion templates to inspire your use", or read on for my own examples!

Shortcuts. This makes typing and documenting so much faster. Notion uses Markdown, which is a text-to-HTML conversion tool, e.g. # = Heading 1, *, - = bullet point, etc.

Notion has some pretty awesome features, but how does one actually use it? Personally, I have four top-level pages: my planner, my personal journal, songwriting, and blogging.

Planner

I've been using my planner to, well, plan and track my day to day activities as well as my week and month. The way I've structured it is a calendar or monthly overview with links to pages of weekly overviews, and if needed, daily overviews within the weekly overview. This links things up so nicely, i.e. I don't have to be constantly flipping pages in my physical bullet journal or planner to find what I need.

I also have entertainment lists, which is mainly a table with all the shows I want to watch, the books I want to read, etc. I keep track of whether or not I've watched them, as well as my personal ratings. What I love most about this is that each entry is its own page, so I can type my notes for each book, show, or film and easily find them in the future. (Also the reason why I have plural “lists” instead of just one entertainment list is because you can filter entries by type of entertainment, e.g. movies, tv shows, books, articles.)

Personal

For personal notes, goals, journal entries, etc. This is kind of like an extension of my daily journal and just where I dump all my thoughts and keep track of the different aspects of my life: mental, emotional, spiritual, social, physical, and travel.

Another page I have is called "Stray Thoughts" and, well, it's pretty self explanatory. It's a lot easier to dump all my thoughts as they come and reorganize them later. Of course, this requires sacrificing the rawness of journaling, i.e. when the thoughts come and how you process them, which is why I still keep a regular journal that I write in daily.

Songwriting

I've been writing a lot of music over the summer and it's often hard to keep track of all of my songs and how far I've gotten in the songwriting process. So I created a table of songs - each entry of a song is a page with its lyrics. These are then tagged with the status of the lyrics (i.e. completed, in progress) and the status of the music itself (i.e. melody only, instrumental, mixing, mastering, revised). Eventually, I'll include demos in the database by embedding audio files in the document.

I have a separate section for inspiration and ideas, which is a kind of brain dump, e.g. words I think would make a good song, a certain theme for a song, a melody that's been stuck in my head, a vibe I'd like to try out, etc.

I've also been watching a lot of tutorials for music production and there's a section where I write my notes for that.

Eintsein

The last section of my Notion app is for this blog. Which has pages for

New posts. These are ideas for future posts, asks that I think would need longer answers, as well as posts that are currently in the draft stage (like this one was before I posted it)

Design assets. This is where I put all the visual branding material for Eintsein.com to be used in posts and any visual material on the blog.

FAQ. Having an FAQ document just makes it so much easier to make changes to your existing FAQ. Plus, if you ever change your FAQ theme, you just have to copy and paste what you already have.

Post directory. I keep track of all my previous masterposts, infographics, and generally longer and more comprehensive posts. It's the exact same as what you see on my Navigation page. And yes, the document contains direct links to the post.

New theme. A project I've been working on the past couple days is trying to create my own theme for my blog. This is where I put all my outlines, brainstorming notes, design inspiration, code snippets, etc.There are some pretty awesome features I’ve made use of in this page:

As you can probably tell, I'm absolutely obsessed with Notion since it has such awesome features and endless possibilities for customization. So far I've been using Notion for personal projects, which, since they are quite big in scale and have no set deadline, are important to organize well. My summer courses were only 6 weeks and weren't difficult to organize.

The formats above are just how I personally use notion. You could make some of your own, or if you don't think you want to build your pages from scratch, there are tons of templates to choose from. Here are some I think I'll be using in the near future and may be helpful for others as well, especially students like myself:

One drawback, however, is that Notion has a rather steep learning curve, but there are tons of tutorials online (especially YouTube) and I guarantee you it's all worth it.

Notion is not just a productivity app. It's a way to concretize your entire life.

Notion is free to use, but there are higher tiers that allow for more blocks, greater file size, etc. I use a personal account, which is $4 per month with unlimited block storage and no file upload limit (although I got it for $33/year). Personally I think the free plan would suit most people's needs, especially if you're not uploading large files.

[thekillerssluts]

WILL BUTLER – Interview 

How are you? How have you experienced the pandemic so far? I’m in Brooklyn and New York is remarkably chipper at the moment. I’m still aware that things might go south and we might have a second great depression, but it doesn’t feel as dire as I feared it would. It’s been a wild six months.

The work on your second solo album Generations has been directly affected. I read that some of the songs were worked out live and some were recorded during lockdown. I actually finished it right before lockdown. Coincidentally, I raced to finish it mid-March and finished it literally on the day New York closed everything down. We knew it was coming though.

How did you spend the time after then? I was still mixing the album. Time has no meaning anymore. I’ve been at home; we have young kids here and the online teaching has been intense [laughs]. We have a yard and could go outside. Nearby, there is a beautiful cemetery, so we could go for walks there. We were quite lucky and comfortable. It was strange, it was like being in a hurricane, but it was completely silent.

Talking about being a parent: You said that Generations is about your place in American history. Did having children start your thought process about that? When did you start researching the trail of your family and put it into the greater picture? For an American family, we have always been quite conscious about our history. My dad’s family has been in New England since the 17th century. They have been on the same three islands in Maine for 250 years. My mum is a harpist, a rock’n’roll pianist and jazz musician, her parents were jazz musicians, my great grandfather was a musician. I think it is very beautiful and pure to be children of musicians, of musicians, of musicians, etc. But America likes to pretend that how you are born doesn’t matter. But it is clearly not a coincidence that I’m in a musical family. It’s also not a coincidence that I own my home instead of renting, it’s not a coincidence that I’ve never been to jail… There are all these other heritages that are poisonous. People have always been unpacking, but in the last decade or so we have started to unpack collectively as a society. This has definitely been part of the way. There is a whole section of America that asks, “Where do we come from, where is this going?”

There are two sides to that, your personal family history linked to music and a more political approach thinking about social status and how your family background influences your position today. The video for your single Surrender sees you discuss the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement. Did you consider your political engagement and your status as a white artist in the US during your research of your family history? I never thought that critically about race until I was a grown-up.  I was aware of history; I was a smart person, and I knew about the civil rights movements etc. But for the last 15 years now, Arcade Fire has been working with Partners in Health. They started as a health clinic in Haiti. Their original mission was to believe in a preferential option for the poor, they believed that poor people should have better services. As a doctor, you must see where the disease comes from in order to treat it. And in Haiti it became clear that the reasons people were dying were very much rooted in the history of slavery and the American occupation. In that context it becomes very clear how important history is in people living or dying. That was when I started really thinking about that how long you are going to live highly depends on the last 400 years. I don’t want it to be “the future is written”-pessimist, but to be aware that where we come from and where we are going is literally a matter of life and death.

Your album Generations raises many general questions in that respect and gives conversations for answers. Do you think that important questions often don’t have an ultimate answer? I believe so. I believe that answers – to the extent that we’re talking about problems we can fix in America – are rooted in collective political action. The only way to do that is conversation and compromise and moving forward together. Moving forward individually – at least in America – has always been our thing, but we are realizing that you have to move forward collectively. I think there are some concrete answers to technical questions, but even applying those has to be a discussion.

With your music you not only dive into history but also compare it to literature – with Policy being short stories and Generations being more of a novel. How is that reflected sonically? Sonically, I care a lot about bass. There is something very powerful and mystical about how the body reacts to bass. There is a dark current of bass through the record that feels like a character. It feels sometimes menacing, sometimes supportive. With the backing vocals, there is always a conversation. Sometimes, I’m conversing with a distorted version of myself and sometimes there is a room full of people. Sometimes I’m right and they are wrong, sometimes I’m right and they are wrong. There are characters that develop. To me, there are some through lines in the piece. I was happy about that because you never know until you make the actual thing.

There are different lines of moods, too. Many songs, like your single Surrender, have a very joyous sound. Still, that’s mixed with parts of desperation and honest critical reflection. Did you plan to include these contrasts or was it a natural progression while you were working on the stories of the record? I feel the lines when I close my eyes. There is an old Smokey Robinson song called “I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying” and it’s about a breakup. But still, particularly in the last decade, where it felt like things are spinning of control and you can really get lost in that spin and chaos, that emotion is just naturally present. But you have to take a breath and focus. One thing that has always stuck with me from history is that during the Detroit Riots in 1967, within a couple of weeks and within a 20 minutes’ walk from where the riots started, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell recorded Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, which is one the most pure and joyous songs. There’s space for both transcendence and beauty and a harsh political reality. They just naturally inhabit the same space.

Let’s talk about the recording process: Even though Generations is a solo record, it doesn’t mean you were playing or working solo, you have band members with you. This is very much a band record. I have this band since I toured Policy. My drummer is Miles Francis and my wife’s sister July Shore plays bass on a lot of things. One of their childhood friends, Sara Dobbs, used to be on Broadway and hated it and quit and I said, “You’re very talented, do you want to be in my band?”. My wife can also sing and so the five of us have played a lot of music together over the last five years. I set up a session in my basement and wanted to record some demos and see how far we could get. After a week of recording we had eight songs that weren’t done, but that were real. After that, I was like, “Oh, we have the base of a record here, we can do this!”. When we play together, there is a real communication between everyone. Probably more than half of the songs were played over the shows last summer before we recorded them to feel some energy from it.

Because of Covid-19 we might have some more months, some think even years, until everything might be back to normal for the event industry and touring. With your solo record out: was the plan to also tour it internationally and how are your plans now for the closer future? I was really devasted to not tour this fall. I was very much interested to drive around America a month before the presidential election. We were also going to Europe, maybe even Mexico and South America. I’m very sad to not do that. I don’t know when that’s going to be possible.

Thank you for the interview!

https://www.bedroomdisco.de/2020/09/will-butler-interview/

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

Behind The Album: Metallica (The Black Album)

Metallica's fifth studio album was released in August 1991. They recorded it at One On One Studios in Los Angeles and Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver with new producer Bob Rock. Once again, the majority of the record was composed by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich as Hetfield wrote all of the lyrics. Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted also contributed significantly by providing riffs including “Enter Sandman” and “My Friend of Misery.” Metallica decided to go with Bob Rock based on his production work with Motley Crue for their 1989 record, Dr. Feelgood. During the recording sessions, the band did something differently from previous efforts as they played as a group in the studio, not separately. James Hetfield talked about this change. "What we really wanted was a live feel. In the past, Lars and I constructed the rhythm parts without Kirk and Jason. This time I wanted to try playing as a band unit in the studio. It lightens things up and you get more of a vibe." The record took a much longer time to make when compared with their previous efforts beginning with the first demos in August 1990 and concluding in June 1991.

Producer Rock thought recording would be relatively easy, but due to arguments between him and other band members about the direction and quality of the music it became a bit of a disaster. He was highly critical of James Hetfield’s lyrics begging him to write better ones. The band would record as many takes as possible until the sound was right making for a very perfectionist environment in the studio. Kirk Hammett, Jason Newsted, and Lars Ulrich would end up divorcing their wives during the recording of this album creating even more tension between them. Hammett talked about what effect this had on them in the studio. We were “trying to take those feeling of guilt and failure and channel them into the music, to get something positive out of it.” Rock very briefly promised to never work with the band again because the studio was so stressful, but he quickly took that back to work with the band for the next decade. The documentary A Year and a Half in the Life shows quite accurately with real footage of what the making of this album was really like.

This record saw Metallica change its sound from their typical thrash metal to a slower heavy metal vibe that could almost be seen as hard rock. One of the reasons the band did this emerged in the fact that heavy metal as opposed to thrash metal represented a more commercial sound. That is not to say they completely abandoned any element of thrash metal, but instead there was much less of it. Unlike And Justice For All, Bob Rock raised the sound of the base considerably, so that the instrument could be heard. All the band members had the intention of making this album much simpler as opposed to the previous ones with so many riffs and long tracks. James Hetfield would say this, “We had pretty much done the longer song format to death." Lars Ulrich also talked about this change as well. “We felt inadequate as musicians and as songwriters, That made us go too far, around Master of Puppets and Justice, in the direction of trying to prove ourselves. 'We'll do all this weird-ass shit sideways to prove that we are capable musicians and songwriters'" Hetfield did emphasize in interviews that the intention of getting their songs played more on the radio was never foremost in the band’s mind. Another change with this album came in the fact that Hetfield now wrote lyrics based on personal experiences instead of the backdrop of ideas from film, literature, and music. Chris True of AllMusic talked about specifically some tracks on the album as examples. "Enter Sandman'' is about "nightmares and all that come with them". "The God That Failed" dealt with the death of Hetfield's mother from cancer and her Christian science beliefs, which kept her from seeking medical treatment. "Nothing Else Matters" was a love song Hetfield wrote about missing his girlfriend while on tour.``

The title of the album became an extensive discussion as well for the group. They considered naming it after a song on the album or five because this would be their fifth studio album. Yet, they ultimately chose to go the self- titled route in keeping with the theme of simplicity running throughout the entire album. The album's cover was completely black except for the logo and the Gadsden flag in each corner. The two images we’re very difficult to see, so people began calling it The Black Album. The initial printing of the album had those logos embossed in the same color, but on later printings of the album they were changed to a gray color. The Gadsden flag first created during the American Revolution had a motto attached to it, Don’t Tread On Me, which represented a track on the album as well. During the documentary A Year and a Half in the Life, Lars Ulrich joked that Their album looked just like Spinal Tap’s Smell The Glove in Rob Reiner‘s mockumentary. They even included a scene where the band members meet up with Michael Mckean, who actually asked about the similarities. Ulrich would later say that the actual inspiration for the album cover came from the seventies group, Status Quo.

Upon the release of The Black Album, the band subsequently released six singles, which represented a stark contrast to their previous releases. The lead single “Enter Sandman” made it all the way to number 16 on the hot 100 Billboard chart, while other singles did fairly well either in the US or internationally. The music video for “Enter Sandman” went on to win Best Rock Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. The only single not to do much on the charts was “Sad But True,” but it must be noted that the single had a much later release date of 1993. The record itself represented Metallica’s best selling album ever. The Black Album stayed number one in the United States for four consecutive weeks, while it topped the charts in 10 different countries at the same time. By the year 2012, the record had sold 16 million copies becoming the first one in the Nelson SoundScan era to do so. As of 2019, this record was still charting on the billboard 200 making it an exclusive member of the 550 Week Club. Critics emerged as fairly unanimous in their praise of the Black Album. One of the biggest changes for the band came in the fact that not only heavy metal journalists saw the great qualities of it, but now mainstream magazines like New Musical Express were discussing Metallica. Entertainment Weekly’s David Brown said that the group had invented a new genre called progressive thrash. Alec Foege of Spin noted a newfound versatility for the group and songs like the unforgiven and holier than thou. Mark Cooper of Q Magazine mentioned the fact that the record avoided several heavy metal clichés that had come to dominate the genre. Robert Palmer of Rolling Stone said that the album was filled with many hard rock classics. Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune in a retrospective piece said that if you are a novice to the music, then this album is the perfect place to start. Kerrang! in a retrospective article as well pointed out that this album catapulted the band from thrash metal underground pioneers to worldwide rock stars. There was bound to be repercussions over such a major change to the group and how they are viewed. Sid Smith of BBC Music took this observation to the next step by noting that many of Metallica‘s diehard fans did not necessarily love this record because they saw it as the band selling out. This view will become even more prevalent in the years to come as they move their sound much closer to hard rock for the rest of the decade. Allmusic’s Steve Huey observed that this record helped to inspire other speed metal bands to simplify their sound. The album also foreshadowed the decline of Metallica’s creative period. The self-titled Metallica went on to win a Grammy in 1992 for Best Rock Album. The record would make several best of lists, but surprisingly their best selling album for the most part never competed with some of their earlier works on these lists.

[putschki1969]

Hikaru Real Sound Interview ~ English Translation

Note: Here we have another great long-ass interview. I feel like I have spent way too much time translating interviews the past two days. I am dead. But it was worth it. Reading those interviews is so much fun so I want more people to be able to experience that. Once again Hikaru talks a lot about Kalafina and we get some more insight regarding the two songs of her single. The interviewer is an avid Kala-fan and he asks some interesting questions. As always, take everything you read with a grain of salt. My Japanese is by no means perfect and English is not my first language. CREDIT me if you share this interview or parts of it.

Hikaru// reveals behind-the-scenes information of her solo project activities ~ "If it hadn’t been for my 10 years as part of Kalafina, there would be no H-el-ical//"

Hikaru//’s (ex. Kalafina) Solo Project H-el-ical// ・Major Debut Single "Altern-ate-" released on May 20

Hikaru// has regularly posted songs under the name stage-name H-el-ical// on YouTube since May 2019. In the blink of an eye the solo project of “Kalafina’s Hikaru” attracted a lot of attention and at the end of last year, she held a one-man live at Kanagawa Prefectural Hall. At her sold-out concert she announced her major debut with a song that would be adopted as the opening theme for the TV anime "Gleipnir" which is currently airing.

Kalafina was known as a masterpiece in the anime song world, at the peak of their success they held a 2 Day Live at Tokyo Budokan. After the group had stopped their activities in the spring of 2018, what were Hikaru//’s thoughts and how did she start her solo project? She shared a wide range of stories, from her past activities right up until her feelings regarding her major debut as a solo artist.

H-el-ical// is a project of “elevation” shared with everyone

ーー Kalafina’s activities came to a halt in March 2018, you started to publish songs on YouTube under the name of H-el-ical// in May 2019. What did you do during this 1 year break?

Hikaru//: I was working in a nursery school as a childcare assistant, something I had always felt connected with.

ーー So you lived a life separated from music?

Hikaru//: Working at a nursery school felt very therapeutic and it once again made me aware of the preciousness of life. In the meantime I was searching for the music I wanted to do. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to make a proper comeback and create music without someone supporting me. During that time someone who I had known from my Kalafina days reached out to me, I was able to meet up with him. I remember we talked about various things, “what should I do?” “Right now I am thinking about this kind of thing” “I would like to try doing this sort of music.” 

ーー What IS the kind of music you want to do?

Hikaru//: Since I have learned so much as a member of Kalafina that will always be a part of me, I would not want to let go of that aspect entirely. I also want to pursue all the music I am capable of making now that I am a solo artist. I want to create music that incorporates various elements without being bound by a single genre. I also really wanted to try and write my own lyrics.

ーー Gushimiyagi Hideyuki-san has been in charge of composing all the songs you have released on YouTube under your name H-el-ical//, right? He seems like a perfect fit for you. In the past he has been active as guitar player in bands such as “MUKASHIBANASHI” and “creature falls umbrella”.

Hikaru//: That's right. I met Gushimiyagi-san when he was introduced to me by Tomita (Akihiro)-san, my producer. During our first meeting he gave me a demo tape and told me, “I wrote these two songs for you with your image in mind!” Those songs were “pulsation” which was the first song I released on YouTube, and “Avaricia”, the second song that got released. 

ーー So this specific Gushimiyagi-Sound was something you wanted for yourself? 

Hikaru//: Yes! I'm sorry, I can't really explain why but I really like Gushimiyagi-san's music (laughs).

ーー H-el-ical//’s music has a signature guitar sound but it’s not plain guitar rock. It sounds more like Post-Rock music. At any rate, it really fits you, it’s very Hikaru//-like.

Hikaru//: ...Hmm, I wonder why? I guess these songs are also very Hikaru//-like because I am writing the lyrics myself and I am in full control during the recording...I am listening to the demo tapes by Gushimiyagi-san and then I will come up with all kinds of ideas, “I want to sing it like this” or “I want to use this kind of voice”. This way I am adopting a specific style for each song. 

ーー By the way, I wonder why you chose the name “H-el-ical//”? Why not use a big brand name like "Kalafina's Hikaru" that everyone would have recognised? I was honestly surprised that you didn’t put that name up-front.

Hikaru//: I think that might be due to everything I learned as part of Kalafina. From the get-go I had wanted to become a solo singer and I did countless auditions but then I found out that I would get the opportunity to join Kalafina. During the following ten years of activity I learned that there are many things in life that you cannot do on your own. There is only so much a single person can do. There have always been Wakana-san and Keiko-san, the musicians, staff members and of course everyone who supported us, the fans. If it hadn’t been for all of them our music would not have been possible. With these experiences in mind I felt very forlorn and disheartened when I thought about starting a solo career (laughs). You can’t do something like that without the help and support from others.

ーー So “H-el-ical//” is the name of your solo project but you are not "H-el-ical//"? The name includes everyone who is working with you, the music production team, recording staff and composer.

Hikaru//: And the audience too. "Helical" means "spiral". When I looked up the word "spiral" in a dictionary, I found the following description, "a line with a basic repeating structure that rises infinitely without ever remaining in the same position". I feel the same way about my singing and continuing to make music, I chose the word “Helical” because I have the desire to make progress, to reach higher and to create music together with everyone. In the end I also felt like adding some hyphens (laughs).

ーー The hyphens ...Yes, I want to know more about the hyphens (laughs). When you first see the name "H-el-ical//", I wondered whether I should separate the word into different syllables? But you put the hyphens into positions that have nothing to do with syllables so you can’t really separate the name into different parts.

Hikaru//: Well, to start with, I would like you to read the name omitting the "-el-" in the middle.

ーー Ah, it is read as 「ヒカル」"Hi Ka Ru"!

Hikaru//: That's right (laughs). Also, the "el" in the middle is "elevation", which means "going higher or ascending", something is increasing by adding an outside force or element. In other words, it means that you can make progress not only by using your own power but also through  the power of the people around you.

ーー As you said earlier, this project is about reaching higher together with everyone, right? Now let’s talk about the two slashes, you are using them in your stage name "H-el-ical//" but also for your name "Hikaru//", why did you add them at the end?

Hikaru//: It is supposed to mean that I have proven what I wanted to prove, a sort of proof of my existence, Q.E.D. “thus it has been demonstrated”. “This is H-el-ical//’s music”, “this is Hikaru//’s music”. That's why my name is Hikaru// when I work for my project “H-el-ical//” but this summer when I am performing as a guest vocalist at Kajiura-san’s live ("Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol. #16 ~ Sing a Song Tour 2020 ~") I am called "Hikaru".

ーー There is another big question people have regarding your “H-el-ical//” activities, why did you decide to release music for free on YouTube back in May 2019? To be honest, with a big name like "Kalafina's Hikaru" I assume you could have gotten many offers from a variety of major labels, even if you had just released a CD independently or focussed on doing a few lives, I think you could have generated some nice sales and mobilised a considerable amount of fans...

Hikaru//: No, no, no. Life is not that easy (laughs).

ーー Oh really, I thought in your case it would have been easy ...

Hikaru//: I think this break was necessary, everyone needed some time to heal, after all, I had no idea how long it would take for people to accept me as a solo artist without any attachment to Kalafina. That’s why I started by posting videos on YouTube, I was very excited about that (laughs).

The story of "Kalafina’s Hikaru" and "H-el-ical//’s Hikaru//"

ーー However, contrary to what you may have expected, your MV "pulsation" which was released in May 2019 has currently more than 70,000 views. And of course at the time of its publication it caused quite some turmoil online. 

Hikaru//: I didn’t include my name “Hikaru//” when I posted "pulsation" and the songs released afterwards, they were all released under the name “H-el-ical//” but right away there were people in the comment section of YouTube wondering if this was “Kalafina’s Hikaru” (laughs).

ーー It’s no surprise, ”Kalafina’s Hikaru” had a great influence so your secret was leaked (laughs).

Hikaru//: I wanted to start by assembling some songs as an unidentified artist called H-el-ical//, then when it was decided that I would join my current agency Hifumi it was finally revealed that “H-el-ical//” was my solo project. At that time I got many messages saying, “I knew it was you!” 

ーー With more than 70,000 views I guess it’s safe to say that not everyone watching knew who was behind H-el-ical//, I think there must have been many people who had no idea of the existence of Kalafina. 

Hikaru//: That made me very happy. Of course, Kalafina's Hikaru is forever linked to H-el-ical// because it is in fact me but I started releasing music under my solo project “H-el-ical//” so it really boosted my confidence that there were actually people who said they liked H-el-ical// as an independent artist without any association to Kalafina.

ーー After the release of "pulsation" and after revealing the identity of H-el-ical// you were busy releasing songs on YouTube, how do you make music together with Gushimiyagi-san who is in charge of the composition and arrangement?

Hikaru//: As I mentioned, the first two songs were written based on the image he had of me, with the other songs I made vague suggestions, asking for all kinds of things such as “Southeast-Asian” vibes, something with a “earthy” feel or songs that would get the audience super hyped during a live.

ーー Now that you mention it I am amazed because H-el-ical//’s discography is indeed filled with songs that have a "Southeast-Asian” or “earth-like” sound. In other words, I think Gushimiyagi-san really tried his best to do your orders justice. 

Hikaru//: They were more like rough requests (laughs).

ーー Yes (laughs). So why do you think Gushimiyagi-san was able to fulfil your "rough requests" so perfectly?

Hikaru//: Who knows why? Gushimiyagi-san always says, "the variety of songs I can write for H-el-ical// increases steadily”. He often comes across as confused but then he will suddenly pull all these amazing “Southeast-Asian” and “earth-like” songs out of his hat. After recording a song I would always talk with Gushimiyagi-san and Tomita-san about what kind of songs to do next. Whenever I suggested something abstract like a "Southeast-Asian song" Tomita-san would name a handful of specific artists and songs for reference asking if I meant something like that. I guess it’s due to those follow-up discussions that Gushimiyagi-san was able to fulfil my requests so perfectly.

ーー You are releasing your single "Altern-ate-" this month, pretty much one year after you started your activities as H-el-ical//. How does this solo debut feel for you? Despite your great achievements as part of Kalafina - such as holding a 2-Day Live at Nippon Budokan - does this somehow feel different to your past experiences?

Hikaru//: It feels completely different. Precisely because this is not Kalafina (laughs). Until now, Kajiura-san wrote the songs and lyrics, I was singing together with Wakana-san and Keiko-san to bring someone else’s music to life. that music was loved by many people but this time around it’s just me, it’s only Hikaru//. So I was incredibly worried.

ーー Did you feel uneasy even after your YouTube videos had gained a lot of attention and your live at Kanagawa Prefectural Hall last year had been a huge success?

Hikaru//: I had a wonderful time at that concert thanks to everyone who attended it that day but now that I am releasing my single "Altern-ate-", I am filled with anxiety and nervousness (laughs).

ーー At that live you announced your major debut as a solo artist and that your debut song would be the opening theme for the TV anime "Gleipnir" which is currently airing.

Hikaru//: Yes.

ーー H-el-ical// is credited as lyricist for the opening song "Altern-ate-" of the anime "Gleipnir", as is the case with all your previous songs, you have written the lyrics yourself, right? Did you have any experience writing lyrics before your activities as a solo artist?

Hikaru//: No. I has always wanted to write the lyrics but as Kalafina we were dedicated to singing Kajiura-san's songs.

ーー So it’s been about one year since you have started writing lyrics?

Hikaru//: Yes, my lyrics are still 1st grade level (laughs).

ーー It doesn’t feel like that. You come across as very articulate, your lyrics are incredibly complex.

Hikaru//: Oh !? Really? Thank you!

ーー I guess the line〈二人で一つ | two people in one〉that appears repeatedly in your lyrics reflects the relationship between Shuichi Kagaya, the protagonist of the anime who has the ability to transform into a giant mascot plushie, and the heroine Clair Aoki. Additionally, you have included a lot of key elements from the Norse mythology in your lyrics, the original “Gleipnir” work was heavily influenced by these elements. Some examples are 〈猫の足音 | the noise a cat makes in foot-fall〉〈岩の根 | the roots of a rock〉〈鳥たちは生唾飲む | the spittle of birds〉〈魚さえ息潜めて | the breath of a fish〉〈髭が棘みたいにいたい（彼女はもういない）| the beard of a woman〉〈熊の腱 | the sinews of a bear〉.

Hikaru//: Yes. I'm so happy you got a those references (laughs).

ーー Yes, I'm very familiar with the anime and the original work. So when I read through your lyrics I thought, "oh, this person is very talented."

Hikaru//: I am a big reader and I love to read all kinds of stuff into something (laughs). I have always loved anime and manga .... Basically I am just a big otaku...

ーー It's quite obvious when you look at your Instagram (laughs). You are posting pictures of all the manga you have read in a day or a cover photo of a "Princess Principal" CD.

Hikaru//: I guess I am a little obsessed (laughs). But that's why when it was decided I would write the lyrics for an anime song, I wanted something that really sounded like an anime song. By the time I wrote the lyrics, 6 volumes of the original manga had already been released so while reading through those 6 volumes over and over again, I assembled all words that reminded me of my favorite lines and the most impressive scenes. The original manga is a wonderful work so I didn’t have much trouble writing the lyrics. My love for anime and manga makes it possible that I can write such lyrics so I really wanted to write something special. 

ーー In addition, 〈二人で一つ | two people in one〉can also be interpreted as a reflection of the “H-el-ical//” project, it showcases your determination to work together as a team consisting of Hikaru//, your composer, the staff members and all the fans. In the story of "Gleipnir", were there any scenes that resonated strongly with you?

Hikaru//: Yes. One of the goals of watching anime and reading manga is to immerse yourself in a fantasy world and to escape reality but actually it has the opposite effect for me. After returning from the fantasy worlds of anime and manga, I always feel like I have learned a lot and I gain the courage to face reality. “This part of the story applies to my current situation”, “Should I act like this when I am faces with these kinds of challenges?” It’s things like that which you learn while reading manga and watching anime. When it comes to “Gleipnir” I strongly sympathise with the characters who are facing hardships and who are struggling to overcome the obstacles that are put in their way. That’s because I as Hikaru// am trying to pursue an ideal image of myself as a singer. In the pursuit of this image I often come across hurdles or I hit a wall. In moments like this I needed the help of my friends to overcome those obstacles.

ーー One part of the lyrics strikes me as particularly strange, it’s a line that appears multiple times in your lyrics as well as in the manga and anime,〈この物語の主役じゃない | I am not the protagonist of this story〉. I felt like that line didn’t really suit you?

Hikaru//: Oh really?

ーー Because you are always front and center on the stage, aren’t you? That was the case back in your Kalafina days and it was the same during your H-el-ical// live last year at Kanagawa Prefectural Hall.

Hikaru//: Well, that's something I learned during my time as a member of Kalafina, most of the time the parts I was singing were not the main melody. When Wakana-san and Keiko-san were taking the lead, I was providing the harmonies, during those moments I often thought about my position. It's important to create a good balance with the lead but I also wanted the audience to know that I was singing, I wanted my vocals to be heard. I was constantly wondering about my role when standing on stage so actually, I can very much relate to the words “I am not the protagonist of this story”.

ーー At first glance the line has a negative ring to it but actually it's a positive message. Even if you're not the protagonist your presence on stage is meaningful and you will get your chance to shine there.

Hikaru//: Not only the protagonist but all the characters around him are indispensable to the story.

"Altern-ate-" is connecting "Gleipnir" and H-el-ical//

ーー How did you come up with the title ...

Hikaru//: Oh, actually my manager came up with the idea (laughs).

ーー But it was you who made the final decision, right?

Hikaru//: It was quite similar to the title I was originally thinking of. The word "Alternate" as in “alternating”/”mutual” is an important keyword in the work "Gleipnir".

ーー It's a story of "two in one” where Shuichi and Clair are becoming one to fight off enemies and grow to adulthood.

Hikaru//: I also like that there is are hyphens surrounding "ate". After all, "ate" is the past tense of "eat"? For me this word conveys an image of "fighting for your survival." There are various difficulties in life, you have to race ahead, there is always this underlying feeling of having to fight. So I think the title "Altern-ate-" is really fitting.

ーー This is just my impression as a long-time Kalafina fan but I was surprised to see you reveal such a raw fighting spirit.

Hikaru//: Oh really? When I was singing back then I guess I was mostly in charge of the dramatic and emotional parts (laughs).

ーー Of course your singing was very cool during the Kalafina era but during the MCs you always seemed so cute and reserved. For example, when you were introducing the live goods you always tried your best to appeal to the fans by saying things like, "please don’t forget to walk past the merch booth before you go home". From these moments I always got the impression you were a very cheerful and lively person...

Hikaru//: Hahahaha (laughs). Certainly there may be such an image. But basically, I am super stubborn and not very flexible. When I had just joined I was incredibly shy so I never talked to the other members. But then Wakana-san and Keiko-san would tell me, "You have to talk to us or otherwise we don’t know what you are thinking, please try to talk a little more?" That’s when I knew I had to start getting involved with people little by little. I realised that I can make better music by communicating with the others and relying on them.

ーー So did you choose the title “Altern-ate-” because it emphasises “mutuality”?

Hikaru//: Yes, the “H-el-ical//” project is something I decided I wanted to make together with everyone, I will continue to make music with the help of various people.

ーー What kind of request did you have for Gushimiyagi-san in regard to this song?

Hikaru//: This time I didn’t have a particular request for him, Gushimiyagi-san was entrusted with the requests from the people responsible for the anime production.

ーー But it feels very much in line with all the other  H-el-ical// songs that have been released on YouTube so far. It all comes together nicely, there’s no distortion.

Hikaru//: I think that’s because Gushimiyagi-san always makes "Music for H-el-ical//" and I am writing the lyrics. Another reason may be that the H-el-ical// team is in control of the final sound by participating in the mix work.

ーー Do you record what appeals to you or rather what you think appeals to the listener?

Hikaru//: I'm not all too familiar with the technical aspects of music but during mixdown and trackdown I always share my first impression and other opinions. But of course I have no choice but to leave all the stuff I am clueless about to the experts. I always have to remind myself of that (laughs).

ーー I guess that’s where your stubbornness comes through a little ...

Hikaru//: With 10 years worth of experience as part of Kalafina I now know that the best things in life are born out of group efforts, of willingly entrusting certain duties to others.

ーー The name and sound design may be different but it seems like your story as Kalafina’s Hikaru is beautifully connected to your story as H-el-ical//’s Hikaru//.  

Hikaru//: If it hadn't been for my 10 years as part of Kalafina, there would be no H-el-ical//.

ーー Now let’s talk about the B-Side "clea-rly-". This is a non-tie-up song.

Hikaru//: I wrote the lyrics having the image of a strong spirited girl in mind.

ーー Did you put part of yourself in the lyrics?

Hikaru//: This ties back to what I said earlier, there is a fantasy element in the music but in addition, it plays a role in being able to face reality. The song "clea-rly-", is about a pure but slightly arrogant girl... In a sense, you could say she is a Tsundere. Singing about a girl like that feels like a fantasy coming true so I really wanted to sing it (laughs)...

ーー Is that a motif that inspired by Gushimiyagi-san's melody and arrangement? Or is it your favourite girl image?

Hikaru//: Some of it was inspired by the melody but I also let myself be influenced by the fact that it is the B-Side of the opening theme of "Gleipnir".

ーー So because this was the B-Side of the OP for “Gleipnir” you felt the strong urge to sing a song about a Tsundere Girl?

Hikaru//: Since this is my debut single I really wanted to use the momentum and arrive with a bang. That's why the B-Side is also an up-tempo song. I did worry a lot about the lyrics though. Tomita-san said, "why don't you pay tribute to "Gleipnir "and let yourself be inspired by another character?" "Altern-ate- "is basically from Shuichi’s point of view so he suggested I should focus on another character for the B-Side. That’s how I came up with the idea of ​​singing about a girl like Clair.

ーー Clair definitely gives off Tsundere vibes. The lyrics of this song are once again really good. In the first chorus you sang 〈どんな非情な手だって全て〉 and in the second chorus you sang 〈どんな非常な日だって全て〉. Instead of the words rhyming, you are playing with words by using homonyms.

Hikaru//: Hahahaha(laughs). I have always loved reading books and back in the day when I was blogging for Kalafina I would always start my blog posts with a word game. I enjoy doing tricky stuff like that.

ーー The title of the song, "clea-rly-", is also separated by hyphens ...

Hikaru//: Please try to read the first 4 letters (laughs).

ーー Ah! It's "clea" (KuReA = Clair)!

Hikaru//: That's right (laughs).

ーー I think with your great vocals - popular ever since your Kalafina days -, the great music, the fascinating lyrics and the intriguing rhetoric in the titles your single is more than worthy of H-el-ical//’s major debut. But what are your plans for the future?

Hikaru//: Of course it’s very difficult to talk about wanting to hold lives in the current situation, But of course I'm going to continue to make music, I enjoy being together with you through the "H-el-ical//" project, I hope I can create good music and perform it live someday soon. I had my debut with an anime tie-up but I will do non-tie-ups too so I would like to continue releasing  H-el-ical// songs on my official YouTube channel.

ーー Actually, you released three songs in a row shortly before “Gleipnir” was airing and during the broadcast period. You released 「水 – Find your answer」,「風 – Struggle to admit」and「地 – Side by side」just before and immediately after your major debut song was distributed on TV. I was taken aback by your seemingly endless desire to create (laughs).

Hikaru//: I had planned to do an acoustic live on April 5, I was meant to perform 5 new songs for that. I decided to release those 5 songs independently on a CD titled "elements" which was available for purchase in my online shop. Three of those songs I already released on YouTube. In situations like this, I would like to explore what I can do as H-el-ical// and find new ways to enjoy music with you.

[antonradke-music]

DJ’s: YOU AREN’T PRODUCERS. TAKE THAT WORD OUT OF YOUR SOCIAL BIOS.

Possibly controversial opinion:

TLDR: DJ's: If you're not posting original music, edits, remixes, or anything of the sort. Please don't put "producer" in your SoundCloud bio. It's alot like that guy in High School who would say "Yea man I play guitar, I shred like, all the time" then you hand him a guitar and he just starts goin ham with a poorly executed and under-practiced "Smoke on the Water" or "Enter Sandman" opening riff. On repeat. The entire time he plays. Except with DJ/Producers you can't just hand someone a laptop to "hear them shred on a DAW" so its alot easier to get away with in our EDM world.

FULL RANT: There is a huge difference between "DJ" and "Producer" and there isn't a single thing wrong with just being a "DJ" and not both. People still need and want DJ mixes. There's zero shame in admitting that you don't, or don't know how to, produce music.

  It only bugs me (and to be clear, it doesn't even bug me all that much) coz producers like myself and my friends spend countless hours learning and mastering our craft, so that title of "producer" is somewhat earned in my opinion. You can't just download a DAW and say "I'm a producer" if you've never once truly used it.

  Producers create. DJ's mix. If your SC page is only mixes, you're a DJ. If your SC page contains original content/music you created yourself, then there's nothing wrong with adding that "producer" bit in your bio. Even if what you're posting is ID's, WIPs, ideas, bootlegs, etc. It doesn't need to be fully finished and mastered music.  If you created it, you produced it, you are a producer on some level (beginner/intermediate/TUNE GOD, etc)

If you're a DJ now, and are just now learning to produce, just wait until you start posting/uploading your tunes. THEN add that fabled "producer" title to your socials.

  I'm also not alone. Myself and several of my producer friends have expressed at least some frustration towards the DJ's that both call themselves a producer in their socials and even (sometimes) out in public. It can definitely be a "wtf" moment (and this has literally happened to me before) when you are talking to someone, be it an Entertainment/Booking manager or a bigger DJ, telling them about your music and your work. Then another DJ shows up and starts doing the same. But you know that person, and you're aware of the fact that they've never made a tune or have even tried to start learning.

  Now there's the possibility that someone who's never worked on tunes in their life could get the credit or booking that you were working so hard for, and they didn't spend a minute doing the same. They just happen to be VERY good at talking to promoters, knowing what they want to hear, and manipulating the truth to fit a narrative that will get them hired or booked. And this has happened to me. They ended up getting a better time slot than me as they grossly exaggerated their SoundCloud stats, and played a song to the promoter by an underground artist claiming that it was their own. I kept my mouth shut. I should have spoken up, but I didn't think his ploy would work and I was new to that particular local scene, I wanted to avoid burning bridges or looking salty/bad. His set ended up being really rough, he'd lied about knowing CDJ gear (he didn't), spent an hour trainwrecking almost every transition, the dance floor was empty by the end of his set, he left the venue in a hurry afterwards and I've never seen him since.

Unfortunately it's not like many local event managers actually care. They just want a good DJ, and they'll often believe you if you tell them you're more than just a DJ. They likely don't have a reason to doubt you, and often don't care enough to check the validity of those claims. Or maybe they don't even know the difference between "DJ" and "Producer"

So in in summary: DJ's. You're not producers. Not unless you make your own music/Unless you are a creator. And just for the record, opening a DAW, playing with Serum for a few minutes, and tossing a few loops into a bus/channel doesn't count. Take the time to learn properly how to write progressions/melodies, program sequences, mix-down your track elements, structure your tune and bonus points for doing it all without presets (learn sound design) and without loops (learn drum & pattern sequencing) If you have that DAW installed, you're already sooo much farther ahead than tons of others in your position. Hit up YouTube for some tutorials and you're on your way! 

In Conclusion: Please. Please. PLEASE don't take credit for the kind of work producers spend up to 10-15 hours a track doing (my average time to finish a song entirely). You could cost a talented soul a gig or time slot they've been busting their asses for for years. There really isn't anything wrong with being JUST a DJ. Its a good thing, and still a valid and useful skillset with tons of work/gig opportunities. I played plenty of gigs before I really started calling myself a "producer". You may not get the best timeslots as compared to producers. But be honest with yourself, you could be a fantastic DJ, but who most deserves good timeslots at events? The guys with something to promote. A product to offer. And that product is their creative content/music/whatever. And that guy could be you, you just need to take the time to learn and work hard at honing your craft and skillsets.

  Soooo take "producer" out of your bio if all you're posting is mixes and mashups. And if your bio says it, or you identify as a Producer, you better expect me to fuckin test you on it cause I will. Immediately. And if you don’t pull a home made, non-plagiarizing, ORIGINAL piece of creative expression/content out of your ass in that very moment then I swear to Cthulhu I will perform a social/career crucifixion (alot like “social/career suicide” except I do it to you) on you. Your ‘music career’ ends right there on the spot, ESPECIALLY if you play some underground artist and act like its your music and take credit for it. That’s just so far from ok. And I WILL notice. I was an underground non commercial radio DJ for over 2 years. and a lifelong enthusiast all around. Trust me. I will know. So just be honest with yourself, and others. Please, and thank you.

           - Signed, bedroom producers the world over.

PS - I’m SERIOUS guys. I won't stay silent next time. If I see a DJ try to take credit for another artists work (especially while talking to promoters, and especially taking credit for underground artists work) I will shut that shit down instantly. I will ensure they're instacancelled on the spot and won't play a gig in that area ever again. Plagiarism is NOT COOL. Don't plagiarize. Seriously. You will never have a career in music if you make Plagiarism a part of your “strategy for success” in the music industry. And I will personally work towards ensuring that. (example: I still to this day convert people to the cancellation of DJ Bl3nd. That POS blatantly ripped off so many artists, and is a perfect PERFECT example of a DJ claiming to be a producer. But isn’t. AND he used plagiarism + ghost producers COMBINED to make it seem like he was a producer) I don’t care if you do end up learning to produce after the fact and start making decent tunes.. If you plagiarize and try to use it to advance your career, I will do everything I can to stop you. For ever. 

P.P.S. - For those of you DJ's who are learning to produce, don't take any offense to this rant its not directed at you guys, and please PLEASE don't get discouraged. You're likely not even applicable to this rant as you're actually working towards the title. So let me help you in that, below this text I'll be linking a few awesome YouTube producer channels who upload educational music/producer content. As well as some links to great sample/drum kits and more useful tools to help in your learning curve. I am also always available for producing tips and advice, just send me a direct message or comment on this post and I'll give you the best answer from my own experience/abilities/knowledge. Thanks for taking the time to read this ridiculous and stupidly long rant. I hope you can see where I’m coming from. And I’m sure many actual producers can agree with a lot of my points and reasoning. Have a good one. Peep my tunes if you have some time. Peace and deuces to all! -Anton Radke

www.soundcloud.com/antonradke www.facebook.com/antonradkemusic booking/collabs/commissions/general inquiries/demos: antonradkemusic@gmail.com

Resources and tools for learning producers: Some production education channels on YouTube that I highly recommend:

Dylan Tallchief has some fantastic tutorials for many different EDM genres which cover more than just production. He talks in depth about music theory, sound design. All of it. He shows how to use both Ableton and FL Studio. HIGHLY RECOMMMEND this channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIu2Fj4x_VMn2dgSB1bFyQA

For rap/hip-hop producers, I recommend watching videos made by these two gentlemen: 

Praxi Plays covers tons of genres/sub genres, and different styles of commercial, and less than commercial rap/hip hop music. He teaches using FL Studio:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAE7Doxo5WQRjLPz7JYa7Fw If you prefer darker, more underground rap music, or just less than commercial stuff in general, Based Gutta covers tons of styles of rap beats from the underground rap culture. He’s great, and also pretty hilarious. Also uses FL Studio. Oh and he does Lo-Fi stuff a whole lot as well:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTrrlfsv-5IBQ1SgPBawT3w

COMPOSERILY is also a good one. But a lot less serious. His videos are definitely more parody and satire than anything, but there’s still lots you can learn from watching him. Tons of useful stuff in his videos. He also does both Ableton and FL Studio depending on the song/artist he’s trying to sound like.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Ujq8PBm0MWraaXd8MsIAQ

For drums and other samples, I highly recommend getting a Splice Account. Its incredible So many options! And you can download individual sounds. You don’t have to download an entire sample pack if you just want one kick drum that it happens to have which is great. A good brokeboi alternative would be Looperman. Its basically a discount/Wal-Mart level “Splice” style service but free.

www.Splice.com

www.looperman.com

Some useful sample kits I recommend getting for the sake of drum sequencing/programming:

XFER Pack by Steve Duda and deadmau5 (great for house and 4/4 edm genres) 

BIGHEAD Sample Pack by BigHead (available on Splice) [great for trap/rap/hiphop] 

literally ANY vengeance or cymatics sample pack will also be a great choice for practically any type of bass music. Face it. Bass music drums are boring and are all almost IDENTICAL from song to song (with the exception of the kick drum) so any Vengeance or Cymatics dubstep sample kit will do you justice here.

VSTs to consider: EDM: Sylenth1 (must have), Razor (underrated), Massive, Serum (must have), U-He Diva, Nexus (overrated but useful), Dblue Glitch, DBlue Tapestop, Engineers Filter (free, amazing Equalizer. deadmau5 approved), CamelCrusher, OTT (overrated but useful), Cthulhu (MIDI sequencer programmed by deadmau5, hella cool but confusing)

Rap Music VSTs to consider: Omnisphere. that’s it. I’m not kidding. A talented producer armed with Omnisphere, and a decent drum sample kit, who is very good at sampling and writing melody/progression can create THOUSANDS of Grammy worthy rap/trap beats without even once reusing an Omnisphere preset.  Its like Nexus. Except it truly doesn’t suck, and is worth the absurd price tag.

-Anton Radke  www.soundcloud.com/antonradke www.facebook.com/antonradkemusic booking/collabs/commissions/general inquiries/demos: antonradkemusic@gmail.com

[sinceileftyoublog]

Voivod Interview: Locked Down and Loaded

BY JORDAN MAINZER

While the sudden onslaught of COVID-19 lockdowns forced many musicians on national and international tours to scramble home, others were in the middle of a creative process. Fortunately for legendary Canadian metal band Voivod, going virtual didn’t stop them. They’re no strangers to projects that have dragged out; for instance, a film about the band that started with director Sam Dunn (of Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey fame) before guitarist Denis "Piggy" D'Amour died from colon cancer in 2005, is in the process of being finished by Death By Metal director Felipe Belalcazar. This time, instead of totally switching gears, the band chose a multi-pronged approach. They continued to write their follow-up to The Wake virtually, doing demos with Logic Pro, live streamed a show, and released The End of Dormancy, an EP consisting of a reworked version of The Wake track of the same name as well as a couple live performances from last year’s Montreal International Jazz Festival. And on November 27th, Voivod drops The Lost Machine (Century Media), a full live album recorded in Québec City during last year’s tour, along with videos of performances directed by Belalcazar.

I spoke with drummer Michel “Away” Langevin (also the artist behind Voivod’s album covers) from his home in Montreal earlier this month about the band’s immediate and long-term future, and he’s excited about it all. So far, they’ve released the live album’s title track and “Iconspiracy” as singles with accompanying videos, with one more on the way. As their world tour from this year and next year has been postponed, they’re planning on doing another live streamed show early next year. Montreal’s been locked down again since October, but lead singer and lyricist Denis “Snake” Bélanger’s been working on his home studio for the band’s rehearsals and recording. (Langevin and bassist Dominic “Rocky” Laroche live downtown, Snake in the North Shore, and guitarist Daniel “Chewy” Mongrain a little bit outside the city.) Like they’ve always done as a band, whether venturing from speed metal to thrash metal to progressive metal or balancing constant changes of plans, Voivod continues to adapt.

Read my interview with Langevin below, edited for length and clarity.

Since I Left You: When had you originally decided to release a live album?

Michel Langevin: We decided actually when the lockdown started in mid-March. At this point, we were writing material [for a new record], and we didn’t have access to the rehearsal space, so we were looking into what we could release. Last year, when touring The Wake, we had recorded this show we thought was really well performed.

SILY: But you didn’t necessarily know when on tour it was gonna be a live album.

ML: We were playing two festivals in Quebec: the Montreal [International] Jazz Festival and the other was the [Festival d'été de Québec]. We asked an engineer who had worked with us to come with his recording gear. The shows were not built thinking about a live album, but we were just on a roll touring nonstop.

SILY: And there’s video of these performances, too.

ML: We documented the Montreal Jazz Fest with multi-camera and a multi-track module. We didn’t think about documenting the Quebec City show officially, but we really liked the performance there.

SILY: The setlist of the live album seems to be pretty consistent with everything from The Wake tour.

ML: Because we toured so much for it, we switched setlists. Sometimes, we had two that would alternate. With almost two years of touring, we changed the setlist a lot. When we played Montreal and Quebec City, it was the last stretch of the long part of the tour for The Wake. We had a bit of a break right after for the summer. With those shows, we were really in shape. The album is super tight.

SILY: The setlist is basically half The Wake.

ML: We played songs from the first 6 albums and songs from Post Society as well as The Wake. Sometimes, we play material from the Eric [Forrest] era from the 90′s and from the Jason Newsted era from the early 2000′s. But it’s mainly 80′s stuff, although now we play stuff from the first 7 albums. 

SILY: I did notice there wasn’t anything from Target Earth, which I love. Is it just because a record like that or some of the later 2000′s records you’ve more recently done big tours around?

ML: It’s just a matter of having too many albums, but I like when we play, let’s say, “Global Warming” from the Jason era back into the setlist. Right now, we try to cover our career as much as we can, but it’s getting more difficult every year. [laughs]

SILY: What was your inspiration behind the album art for this album?

ML: I tried to do the art listening to the recordings, mixing, and mastering. I was just listening to the music trying to represent a lost machine with a bunch of other lost machines that started following the main guy along the road.

SILY: What else has the band been up to during lockdown? Have you been able to record?

ML: We did an online show that went super well. We were able to gather and jam even with keeping our distances. We’re thinking of doing more, only if we’re able to rehearse. Snake is right now turning his house into a rehearsal studio. Right before the lockdown, we had templates for songs we were working on. We’re writing a new album [virtually]. This summer, we released The End of Dormancy EP with some songs from the Montreal show with videos we had shot November of last year. When the lockdown started, we looked at what we had to work with and went from there. There’s also a book about Voivod in the works. We’re trying to move forward as much as we can.

SILY: Is there anything you’ve been listening to, reading, or watching during lockdown that’s caught your attention?

ML: I’ve been working so much lately that I haven’t gotten to entertain myself a lot. After the release of [The Lost Machine], I really want to take some time to watch Raised By Wolves. I’ve heard a lot about it. I really like Westworld as well, so I want to watch season 3 of that.

SILY: You’re a key part of Voivod’s sci-fi themes. Is that what you tend to absorb in other art?

ML: I really like sci fi movies and series, but I don’t really read fiction that much. I read paranormal magazines.

SILY: Have you enjoyed the process of writing the studio album remotely?

ML: It’s interesting. I don’t have a studio in my apartment, so I have to program the drums. It makes me listen to Rocky and Chewy’s playing very carefully. It makes me catch stuff I wouldn’t catch at the rehearsal space and changes my playing. I can’t wait to get together, but I can tell that the situation will have an impact on the album.

SILY: The themes, too?

ML: I don’t think think [we’re] gonna focus on the pandemic. I think [we’re] gonna focus on other ideas. But the song structures and musical approach, the fact that we’re writing music and putting together the songs in a very different way, the end result will be very different than The Wake. I think it’s exciting, and if anything, with the whole COVID thing, we’re gonna get out of it as a band more organized and structured.

[spookyspemilyreid]

Happy Anniversary “Meteora”! (March 25, 2003)❤️

Meteora is the second studio album by American rock band Linkin Park. It was released on March 25, 2003 through Warner Bros. Records, following Reanimation, a collaboration album which featured remixes of songs included on their 2000 debut studio album Hybrid Theory. The album was produced by the band alongside Don Gilmore. The title Meteora is taken from the Greek Orthodox monasteries sharing the same name. Meteora has a similar sound to Hybrid Theory, as described by critics, and the album took almost a year to be recorded. It is the first Linkin Park studio album to feature Dave Farrell after he rejoined the band in 2000.

Meteora debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling over 810,000 copies in its first week. Linkin Park released singles from Meteora for over a year, including "Somewhere I Belong", "Faint", "Numb", "From the Inside", and "Breaking the Habit". The song "Lying from You" was released as a promotional single. Meteora received generally positive reviews, although critics noted that the album's musical style was similar to its predecessor Hybrid Theory .

Meteora has sold over 27 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. It is certified 7x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was ranked number 36 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums of the 2000s. Some songs from the album were remixed with some of Jay-Z's songs for the EP Collision Course (2004). "Session" was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 46th Grammy Awards.

Initial writing for a second album dated back to early 2001, while still touring in support of Hybrid Theory. The band had written around eighty different demos during their Hybrid Theory World Tour and LP Underground Tour, within the span of just eight months. Rough song ideas written then would find its way to the final album; notably the intro for "Somewhere I Belong". Bennington recorded guitar notes for it, but found it too folk rock sounding. However, Shinoda and Joe Hahn reworked it, adding effects to it, and then played it backwards, molding it into something the band was happy with. As explained by Shinoda: "Since I reversed it, it was playing 4-3-2-1. The chord progression was reversed. Then I cut it into four pieces, and I played it 1-2-3-4. And that's why it has that sweeping sound.

In early 2002, after the touring, the writing continued in Mike's home studio, pre-production of the album began there. The band worked in pairs during the writing process, whereas Shinoda was always involved in all the songs. The recording of the songs mainly used Pro Tools, whereas the band used the traditional method of writing, in main studio. In June, pre-production terminated and the band headed for main production. The band finalized Don Gilmore as their producer. When Reanimation was released, the band had started to write the main content. Rob Bourdon spent eight hours a day in the studio for the recording of the album. By August, the band entered NRG Studios as Bennington also began writing songs with the band.

Linkin Park had finished versions of many songs before the actual recording process had begun, but they majorly wrote the finalized songs included in the track list in the studio. By October the drums were finalized and guitar parts were introduced by Brad in the control room of the studio. By the end of October, the bass parts were introduced. Don Gilmore himself being a bass player helped Farrell in his recording. The sampling part by Hahn was introduced just a month before the deadline, thereby Mike finished the recording of "Breaking the Habit" with strings arrangement by David Campbell; the song had been worked on by Shinoda for five or six years. The vocal production started in November. The mixing process as well as the album itself was finished in New York City.

Lyrically the album contains elements including depressing emotions, anger, and recovery. Explaining to MTV, Bennington said: "We don't talk about situations, we talk about the emotions behind the situations. Mike and I are two different people, so we can't sing about the same things, but we both know about frustration and anger and loneliness and love and happiness, and we can relate on that level." In the same interview, Shinoda explained it as: "What we really wanted to do was just push ourselves and push each other to really find new ways to be creative." He continued: "We wanted each sample that was in each song to be something that might perk your ear – something that you might not have ever heard before." In a promotional interview, Rob Bourdon stated: "We wanted a group of songs that would sit well together because we wanted to make a record that you could pop into your CD player and, from beginning to end, there would never be a spot where you start daydreaming." In titling the album, Mike said that "Meteora was a word that caught my attention because it sounded huge." Dave, Joe, and Chester elaborated that just like how Meteora, the rock formations in Greece, is very epic, dramatic, and has great energy, the band wanted the album to have that same feeling.

Genre-wise, the album is categorized as nu metal, rap metal, rap rock, and alternative rock.

The promotion for the album began well ahead before its release, as pictures of the band recording were distributed to the media. To support the album, there were many photo shoots of the band on October 29 at the Ambassador Hotel, where the band took a break from recording the album for two days, for designing the cover art of the album. "The Flem" and "Delta" helped the band for the art works, for the album as well as for the singles spawned by it. A TV commercial for the album was premiered on January 1, 2003. "Somewhere I Belong" was released as the first single, premiering on US radio on March 18, 2003. Being released only nine days before the album release, it influenced the album sales performance worldwide. The second single off the album was "Faint", released before the band started its world tour. The third single "Numb" was released when Linkin Park performed it live in Madrid. "From the Inside" was released as the fourth single off the album before the North American leg of the world tour. "Breaking the Habit" was released while the band was in Indonesia. The album was released with various limited edition content for promotional purposes.

There is a special edition of Meteora, which includes the "Making of Meteora" DVD documentary. The special-edition package was packaged in a blue tinted case with the blue Meteora cover that can be found in some parts of Asia, United States, and more commonly in India. An alternate Indian version contains an alternate DVD and alternative cover that is packaged in a slimline case with the disc in original packaging. The "Tour Edition" of Meteora is packaged in a two disc set. The second disc, which is a Video CD, has the music videos for "Somewhere I Belong", "Faint", "Numb", and "Breaking the Habit". The tour edition is packaged in a standard Compact Disc case, rather than their trademark digipak case. The album was also released on a very limited quantity of vinyl records (spread across two LPs) under Warner Brothers. These are coveted by collectors and fetch high prices at auction. In 2014, Linkin Park released a demo version of Shinoda singing the song, on their 14th annual fan club CD, LPU XIV. 

The band promoted the album with their Meteora World Tour and various other supporting tours. The world tour was supported by Hoobastank, P.O.D. and Story of the Year. The band played shows at Pellissier Building and Wiltern Theatre on the day before the album release and on the release date. The shows were called "'Meteora' Release Show". The European leg was cancelled because Chester was having severe back and abdominal pains. As a result, half of the music video of "Numb" was shot in Los Angeles and the Czech Republic. The album was also promoted by the Projekt Revolution festival. A live album was released in support of the album titled Live in Texas. Linkin Park played various special shows worldwide, including "Reading Ireland", as well as performing during the Kerrang! Awards, "Livid", "X-103's Not So Silent Night", "The End's Deck The Hall Ball" and "KROQ Almost Acoustic X-Mas", in promotion of the album.

Meteora received generally positive reviews, although critics noted that the album's musical style was similar to its predecessor, Hybrid Theory (2000). The overall Metacritic score is 62. E! Online rated it A, and expected it to "shoot straight for the stars". Entertainment Weekly described it as "radio-friendly perfection". Dot Music described it as a "guaranteed source of ubiquitous radio hits". Rolling Stone said the band "squeezed the last remaining life out of this nearly extinct formula". Billboard Magazine described Meteora as "a ready-made crowdpleaser". The New Musical Express said it had "massive commercial appeal" but left the reviewer "underwhelmed". 

AllMusic described the album as "nothing more and nothing less than a Hybrid Theory part 2.", but added that the band "has discipline and editing skills, keeping this record at a tight 36 minutes and 41 seconds, a move that makes it considerably more listenable than its peers... since they know where to focus their energy, something that many nu-metal bands simply do not." Sputnikmusic writer Damrod criticized the album as being too similar to Hybrid Theory, but praised the album's production quality and catchiness, stating "the songs just invade your brain".  

Blender described it as "harder, denser, uglier", while Q described it as "less an artistic endeavor than an exercise in target marketing." Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+, calling it a "thunderously hooky album that seamlessly blends the group's disparate sonic elements into radio-friendly perfection".  

The song "Session" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 2004.

In its first week, Meteora debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album sold at least 810,000 copies its first week of release. As of June 2014, the album has sold 6.2 million copies in the US, and over 27 million copies worldwide. The album was ranked number 36 on Billboard's Hot 200 Albums of the Decade.

[notesonnotes]

Rosedale. Herkimer 2009. Some friends and I had followed Honor Bright; The Doppler Effect and Lacerda to a show in Herkimer, NY. We'd never seen Rosedale, or heard of them. We didn't know what to expect when we saw them setting up. I was in awe of the sheer height of their front-man, Mike. (I am a over a foot shorter than he is, and at that point he was the tallest person I'd ever met.)When they started playing, I was in awe of their drummer, Emerson Tavares (he played faster than most drummer I'd seen). After the show, we saw a big purple bus, and we had the chance to hang out with Mike and Emmo. A week later, we'd get to meet Mitch and Zan in Watertown, NY. We were hooked. Soon after, we got them to our college in Northern New York.Since then, I've watched Mike progress from the 4 man band to the last solo act in Toronto in 2018. He is multi-talented, and probably one of the most down to earth people I've met. He takes time before, during, and after shows to talk with as many people/fans as he can, and has been an inspiration to many that have followed his journey.Today, we're going to take a look at where he came from, and where he plans to go. Take a few and read through. It's the anniversary feature for Notes on Notes! What better way to celebrate that with the one who inspired it all?!

NON: Rosedale was an early project of yours as a teenager in Brampton, ON. What brought you and your then band mates together?

ML: Pretty much skateboarding sparked it all. The skate scene was really booming in Brampton (and everywhere) as I was becoming an adolescent. Tony Hawk Pro Skater was huge, all the skate magazines were doing well, all the local skate parks were packed and hosting contests, pro skaters were celebrities- it was wild! I've always been pretty awkward on a skateboard and could never really improve past the basics, but I was definitely making progress on the piano so my parents finally granted my wishes to switch to classical guitar, as I'd been begging for years and the skate culture was surrounded by a lot of guitar music. After about a year of struggling to figure out how to play "cool guitar" I started convincing my friends to learn drums and bass and would try to jam with them. That led me to connecting with a friend I hadn't really seen since kindergarten; Nick, who was a pretty solid drummer. So I started showing him songs I'd written and we'd jam at his place on weekends. I think it started lighting a fire for a few of my school and skater friends as they started getting more serious about learning instruments and starting bands. We'd eventually teamed up with Mitch and Jon's band, as their drummer, Emerson, was still figuring out how to drum. Fun fact, there was about a month or two where I was kicked out of the band because my squeaky voice, cheesy lyrics, shrill guitar tone, awkward stage presence, and thick wavy blond mushroom cut were all just too unbearable. (They were very blunt and honest with me on that phone call...) So Jon started singing and they eventually called me back into the new band to play guitar, piano, and sing super high emo backup vocals. From there; we replaced Nick with Sam, named the band Rosedale (because when our gear was stuck at Nick's house we'd walk up Rosedale ave to the local music store to practice and write). Then we eventually replaced Sam with Emerson. Me and Jon started taking vocal lessons from our friend Steve, who was a drummer and backup singer in one of our favourite local bands, By Permit Only. Eventually we just asked him to be our lead singer and after recording our first EP with him, he quit the band and I took over lead vocals again. I met Zan in our high school, Mayfield. He was a bassist in the music program so I'd jam with him from time to time during lunch in our school's practice rooms. He eventually replaced Jon... I guess I could have just summed it up with "Skateboarding and school" but we all have a little more time these days so why not take a trip down nostalgia lane!

 NON: You've had 5 EP's and albums over the years; could you describe the progression of your creative process through the years? 

ML: It's pretty crazy for me to look back on. We recorded Past Times With Old Friends in Sean Andrew's little bedroom on a Line 6 bean-shaped Pod with Cue-base on his laptop. We'd tried to record about 3 demos with 3 different producers prior to that EP but nothing ever got finished. Each time we'd record I'd learn a few more things about how to engineer. Back when we had Sam in the band, one of his dad's friends "Stereo Mario" (one of the 3 producers that we'd demo with) would teach me the basics of Pro Tools and I was very eager to learn more. Before ever using any real recording equipment/DAW I'd multi-track covers of my favorite songs onto three-and-a-half inch floppy discs with my Yamaha Clavinova (a multi-patch midi amplified keyboard from the mid 90s), drums and all! So I kinda came full circle back to being a solo, multi tracker, multi-instrumentalist after having several different band mates and methods. The big turning point in my progression as an artist and producer, though, came when I started an internship at Drive Studios in my senior year of high school. I believe everyone needs a roll model and mentor to really progress and the owner of that studio, Steve Rizun, took me under his wing and pulled me in the right direction. Not only did he train me to be a sound engineer and let me work with some world class punk/prog/metal/emo bands, but he also would show me how to make additional production for Rosedale's sound and how to bring it to our live show. I became obsessed with songwriting and production and as soon as I graduated I worked to save up for a Macbook and an audio interface...and a lot of other gear! Had it not been for Steve, I probably would have wasted a lot of money going to a college to learn a fraction of what he was teaching me for free; hands on in the most punk rock environment! Since that internship he's mixed and mastered all the Rosedale records, mixed a handful of my live shows, he even showed me the ropes of being a live sound engineer, and continues to be a great ear to for mixing and advice! I've had a lot of other great friends show me how to edit video, hold a drumstick, where to book shows, gear advice etc. Even though I'm kind of a "Lone Wolf" I guess my process has always been to keep creating and ask for help and advice along the way from those who are more experienced (and YouTube tutorials, of course). Now that I'm in a new market playing with a new band (Mainsail in San Diego) I feel like I'm teaching and working more often than I'm learning. And that's been really healthy too! 

 NON: How has the journey from "Past Times" to your most recent projects helped you grow/learn as a musician/artist?

ML: What a journey it has been! As I'm sure any artist or even entrepreneur could relate, The Faces sang it best; "I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger!" I think the biggest difference is the decision making ability. I used to take so damn long to make such bad decisions! Debating who, what, where why- it's important to think things through but sometimes you gotta just leap and learn from it. If you keep questioning things you'll never know. Also, the more I learn the more I realize how much more I still don't know! And that's part of the climb. Even now, being in the beginning stages of getting my 10,000 hours on the drums, I look back to how I used to play, say, 100 hours ago- and shake my head. That can sometimes be humiliating and demotivating while knowing you're still at the bottom of the mountain- or even just dealing with the ongoing yin and yang of confidence/hope vs. doubt. But what usually gets me to keep on going is to remind myself to just be better than I was yesterday. For a long time I was holding myself to the standards of my heroes which usually just creates inauthenticity, bad technique, bad decisions, clutter, and setbacks. Sometimes I'm worse than I was yesterday so I need a little push and that's okay, too! The journey from Past Times to Again was a big balancing lesson of letting things go while learning you can always do more to improve. And it's no surprise; but the newer the album, the more proud and less embarrassed of it I am! 

 NON: You've played bass in Mainsail for roughly a year, maybe a bit more; how did you meet up with them? What spurred you joining?

ML: Yeah since February 2019 I've been in Mainsail. I've been friends with them since 2017 and they really helped me get my show in front of a lot of people in San Diego. When I finally moved out there Nick was really cool about bringing me out to shows and jamming together. They needed a new bass player so I figured I'd offer and it just all escalated really fast. Since finally accepting that it was time to move on from the name Rosedale I've had a lot of luck with being a sort of "yes man". I'm usually very strict with staying on the path to my vision, as it requires a lot of time, but since moving and letting go of the past I've been finding that sometimes letting the wind take you where you're needed can be really beneficial. And a lot of great things are starting to happen for Mainsail so it has been fun. It has also kind of kept a stream of new listeners seeing what Rosedale is all about too so that is a nice bonus. 

 NON: You've performed at the House of Blues in San Diego; how was the experience for you?

ML: It was one of the best moments of my life playing that stage in front of so many great SoCal people, some who have been supporting Rosedale over the years. That has always been one of my favorite venues and since moving to San Diego I've seen a lot of amazing shows there. House of Blues is always great in Boston and Anaheim too. I'm really grateful that they give independent acts like myself not only a chance to play there, but they really give you the same professionalism and respect as they do to the giant national acts, it's pretty remarkable. I really hope they're doing okay during this pandemic and I hope all venues find a way to pull through this. I can't imagine how tough it's getting for some. 

NON: You've toured the U.S. and parts of Canada multiple times; played on a stage at Warped Tour, and toured Europe: What would you say is your most memorable moment?

ML: That is a great but very tough question. Playing in Vienna Austria in 2016 to a bunch of kids that knew my songs is definitely up there. But 2012 Warped Tour was probably the most fun and rewarding summer of my life. It was a grind and very uncomfortable at times, but there were so many epic moments packed into that summer that I look back on in disbelief. The biggest turning point was about two weeks into the tour in Minnesota (I think it was Minnesota...) I got called into the Warped production office and was told to check in with Kevin every morning for any open stage time, given a wristband, and some tasks to help out with in production. I played my DIY one-man-show in the parking lot that same night as kids were leaving the festival (as I would every night) and while I was standing at my merch table selling stuff and taking photos, I noticed that Ryan Dawson (from All Time Low) and Anthony Raneri (from Bayside) were hanging out watching. Once things slowed down they came over and bought 10 CDs each! It was so cool of them to even give me the time of day, let alone buy CDs to (probably) give out to people on the tour. I had a similar experience with Caleb Shomo (from Attack Attack/Beartooth) the year before outside of Cuyahoga Falls Warped tour. I had a drummer and bass player with me at the time and Caleb stood front & center to watch our whole set while kids kept coming up to him for autographs and I could see him pointing at us saying good things to all the kids. After our set he handed me all the cash he had in his pocked and apologized for not having more, I gave him some merch and we chatted for a good 15 minutes about how being an artist is a roller coaster and good things come and go, encouraging me to hang in there. He kept emphasizing how he just considered himself and everyone on the main stages lucky. All of those memories are enough motivation to last a lifetime and they're also reminders to pay it forward.

 NON: Touring as much as you have, there must have been some odd things that have happened. What has been the strangest thing to happen to you while you were on the road?

ML: Lots of strange tour stories for sure. The little ghost girl I caught on camera in the former German concentration camp was pretty crazy. (You can find it in the RosedaleMike Europe Tour Blogs via Tumblr if you don't believe!) It always freaks people out when I show them. And I remember everyone's reaction in the van right after I caught the footage. But the craziest thing that happened to me...there's been so many hard luck slaps in the face, as so many touring bands have also experienced, I'm sure. One time I had this great opportunity to be the opener/direct support for Everlast in Colorado Springs. I had just released self-titled, the tour was going well, and this Everlast show was sold out at Black Sheep (a great venue!) I had a day off so I got to town a day early to be extra prepared. While at the gym I received an email from the venue that Everlast had to postpone due to weather conditions. So now the show was cancelled and I offered to find local bands to fill the night for the venue so that I can still play for my small crowd. I went straight to a library for wi-fi and started plugging away on my laptop, emailing bands asking if they wanna do me a solid and play a last minute show at Black Sheep tomorrow night. I had two confirmed, told the venue, and they announced on the Facebook event page that there will still be a show but Everlast will be rescheduled, and they made me a host so I could update the event as I confirmed new acts. Some kids in Montana saw this and started saying that Rosedale cancelled the Everlast show! It turns out that they just randomly decided to troll me. They were even sending pictures of these little ridiculous hand written notes they made that read something like "I am cancelling the show - Rosedale". They were leaving random comments claiming that they were Everlast and bashing my fans as they tried to help clear the confusion. People were messaging me asking "Why'd you cancel the show?!" I had to explain to them and the venue what was really going on. The venue was in shock watching it all happen too and they said they have never seen anything like that, ever. I went to a local show that same night and convinced a couple of the bands to play Black Sheep tomorrow. All four locals were really awesome and the show ended up turning out to be pretty well attended. Even some people that had Everlast tickets came out and had a great time. The venue was really impressed that I pulled an event together so last minute and I was stoked to have built another great venue relationship. I got in my van and started to drive to my next show in Flagstaff, AZ. As I was climbing a rocky mountain pass, some slick snow started coming down. I was pulling my trailer and sliding pretty bad until eventually I couldn't move anymore and was stuck on the side of the road. As the sun was coming up an emergency truck pulled up and started laying sand down in front of my van so I followed him until my wheels started spinning again and one wheel gripped to the sand while the other spun and blew my transmission and rear differential. I didn't make it to Flagstaff or the next five shows. $4600 repair bill. And the next show back in Encinitas was an afternoon show at a biker bar where I was told after my first set (of three) to pack up and only received one sixth of my guarantee as my fans started showing up for the second set. There ended up being some good intertwined in all of all of that but it was just such a frustrating and confusing week. Sometimes I swear I'm in a movie like The Truman Show. 

 NON: You draw a lot of inspiration from The Used; Blink-182 and Angels and Airwaves: Who else has inspired you along the way?

ML: I definitely have a lot of heroes. Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service, The Ataris, The Starting Line, Metro Station, Dashboard Confessional, Boys Like Girls, The Matches, Underoath, The Almost, Motion City Soundtrack, Red Hot Chili Peppers, All Time Low, The Band Camino, Owl City, Radiohead, John Mayer, Coldplay, Paramore, Yellowcard, Moneen, Boxcar Racer...That's probably 10% of them. I've been to a lot of great concerts and being six foot nine gives me a good view and very memorable experiences. 

 NON: Do you see yourself continuing making music or helping others in music in the future?

ML :Both!

 NON: What song that you've written do you connect with the most?

ML: That's always changing to be honest. Depending on where I'm at, what I'm doing/going through. It's usually the most recent song or idea I've written which doesn't get released for sometimes a year or two after. Of the songs I've release, that would be Sustain. That is the most recent Rosedale song I've written. I wrote it right before we started tracking Self Titled and Again and its kind of about being in both shoes of that Warped Tour situation I just mentioned. People sometimes ask if I'm referring to myself as the Star or the Kid in that song and the answer is both! I'm still that star struck kid who can't wait to ask my favorite artists a thousand questions but I also get a lot of questions from fans who are trying to start their own thing or make their passion their career.

SHOUT OUTS

Mainsail, Palapalooza Podcast, Time & Distance, I Set My Friends on Fire, Alex Baker, Plans, The Home Team, OCML, FXav, Adam Sisco, my parents and family, everyone at Gnarlywood, Abby Lyn Records, Jonny Cooper, my old band mates and everyone who's ever come on tour with me- Thank you all. And all the bands, artists, venues, studios, street performers, restaurants that are trying to make it through this lock down. Hopefully all this is over soon and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Believe things will get better eventually and use this alone time to improve yourself. Keep supporting live music even if you're stuck at home. And if you need help reach out and ask. Let's all stay safe and help one another

 LINKS

Facebook

YouTube

Instgram

Twitter

Spotify

[alexandrasavior]

Alexandra Savior AMA !!

COMING IN HOT BITCHES!!!!

Hi Alex! How much of the instrumentation was figured out before heading into the studio? Did you just bring in bare minimum demos and then fleshed them out in the studio? Or did you have most of it prepared and just recorded it? I really loved the album by the way!

Thank you! It was different for each track. A lot of the songs I had full fleshed demos that my band and I had recorded in Portland, and Sam Cohen and I worked around those. Some of the tracks like "But You" I had some Garage band demos I made on my own that we worked around, and some of the tracks like "Soft Currents" were just raw iPhone recordings of me playing and singing, and Sam and I worked out together in the studio.

Your music has some really interesting chord progressions and melodic phrases. To what extent do you consciously apply music theory to your songwriting, and how much just comes naturally from ear and instinct?

To no extent :/ I am not super skilled in music theory, I just play around until it seems like it makes sense to me

You described your desire for Belladonna of Sadness to sound "murderous", and I thought that darkness and dangerous feeling really shone through. What adjectives would you powerfully ascribe to your sophomore album? What tonal differences were important to you while recording?

I like this question! hmmmmmm. “honest"

I'm pretty new to your music, but, everyday I can't stop myself from liking it more. My two current favorite songs are “The Phantom” and “Bad Disease”. I've seen that many people prefer other songs from the album, so that made me think. What is your personal favorite song from your new album? Thanks!

“But You”!

Hypothetical: You’re making a new album and need to assemble your dream band. Anyone dead/alive. Who are you choosing?

My best friend Emma, my boyfriend, Mel, and like my therapist

Is there anything that you do in terms of practice when it comes to vocals/guitar/songwriting to improve yourself? Interested to hear

Try to play everyday

I'd love to know if you've got any cool, hidden talents that you haven't shown in public. Also I badly want to know who's done the cover for both “Saving Grace” and “Crying All the Time”.

ME! I painted them

What are your tips for marketing your music and getting more people to stream/buy your music?

I am lucky because I have a team that guides me through social posts, and a publicist. But don't post pics of your butt

Your music and music videos have so many cinematic elements to them. Does an affinity for film influence your music? If so, do you have some favorite films you can mention?

yes! Bonnie and Clyde, Rosemary's Baby, Don't Look Now, Fargo, Daisies

I've seen a few people comparing your latest work with Lana del Rey's. Do you listen to her? Was she really an inspiration for the record?

I like Lana she's talented, I understand the comparison in some ways , people tend to compare things naturally. But, no she wasn't my personal inspiration in any conscious way

Did you make a conscious effort to distance yourself from the sound of Belladonna of Sadness with this new album?

No, I have gotten mixed feedback some people say its the exact same sound, some say it is different, I just created what came naturally to me and used sounds that I am personally drawn to.

If you were to try to make someone a fan of your music, but could only show them three of your songs, what songs would you show them?

oooooh! hmmmmm. “But You”, “Audeline”, “Crying All The Time”.

Excuse me Ms. Savior - I fell in love with your duet "We're Just Making It Worse" many moons ago. What can you tell us about that song?

Thanks! Well my homie Cameron Avery wrote that tune, he just asked me to sing on it and I was glad to!

What do you think was the biggest difference between writing The Archer and Belladonna of Sadness?

i was alone

What advice would you give to up and coming musicians in the LA scene? Any Dos or Don’ts? Thank you :)

Don’t be gross and creepy! Don't worry about that hipsta shit. Do be nice and make your own shit!

What is the most unusual thing that you do to help you write or to help you get some inspiration?

Stalk all my exes’ new gfs on insta and then eat an entire chocolate cake

Will we ever get to hear your version of “Miracle Aligner”?

probs not

When does the vinyl for The Archer ship? I am hoping to get one of you drawings with mine!

First batch tomorrow 1/17/2020. Second batch Tuesday 1/21/2020. Thank You!

I saw a clip from a concert you gave recently. It was you with a couple of bandmates singing something acapella. What's that song? Is it yours? It was gooorgeous. Any chance you're coming to Barcelona?

"The Oak and The Ash", an old celtic song. I will be playing Sala Nau May 13th!!!!!!!!

Can you talk about the differences in recording your first album while signed to a major label and this album while signed to a indie label? I know you’ve spoken about why you left Columbia, but I was wondering how your personal process differed this time around, especially with different resources and personnel?

Yeah it was a lot less pressure making this record, I had more say and more freedom of expression.

You said in an interview that you wrote the songs for The Archer on piano or guitar and brought them to the studio recorded on your phone. Would you ever consider releasing these as bonus tracks? 

I might ya! They’re probably a lot less interesting than you think

Do you have any tips on how to overcome writers block/find new ways to approach writing ? I've been struggling a bit lately... Have you been reading lately? If so, what books would you recommend ? :)

Just be kind to yourself, do what is natural, don't beat yourself up. I just re-read "My Year of Rest and Relaxation" by Otessa Moshfegh, now I am ready " Conversations With Friends" by Sally Rooney. I would recommend any Joan Didion, also I enjoy Salingers "Nine Stories"

This album feels a lot more personal than the first one. How would you say it compares in relation to how you expressed yourself as an artist?

I was very insecure while writing my first record, and I was co-writing so I used a lot of techniques to shelter my own opinions and feelings, in The Archer it was just me, so it was more of a journal entry than a big fancy record

Which artists did you grow up admiring, and inspired your style? Also, do you have any poetry recommendations, seeing how all your lyrics are poems in their own right?

hmmmm. ok Hilary Duff, Elvis, The White Stripes, Billie Holiday. Poetry: I don’t read much poetry but I like Rimbaud and Sylvia Plath

How did you feel when you found out “Risk” played on True Detective?

I cried

On Belladonna, what inspired the lyrics and melody for “Till You're Mine”? That song is always on repeat in my household.

Thanks! I would say my own insecurities and jealousy towards a specific woman in my life

Do you write the melodies as well as the lyrics or is it a collaborative effort?

For this record I wrote the melodies, lyrics, and chords for every song aside from "The Phantom" which was a collaboration with Sam Cohen.

What inspired you to make this new album?

I just make songs, and each song was inspired by something different, but mostly I needed to show people I WRITE MY SONGS

Do you have plans to sell more merch? I would really love to get my hands on signed stuff or one of your drawings/crafts.

yes workin' on merch now! <3

As a budding songwriter and musician myself is there any advice or wisdom you could pass on when it comes to making a career out of it?

I think writing as much as you can and trying to write honestly is important. I was lucky in a strange string of events that started my career, and every dream is different, but I suppose just keep writing and releasing your songs wherever you can

Often when I listen to music I tend to relate the song to places I've been to or places I'm at while listening. Is it the same for you when you write your songs? Do you think about a specific place for each song?

Yeah totally!

Would you ever be interested in collaborating with another artist on their record?

Yeah! Depends on who, I have always wanted to sing on a rap song.

Collab with Weyes Blood coming anytime soon?

i wish brah

Any tips on staying sane with dating apps?

don’t do dating apps

Romance is a topic which you touch upon in both of your albums. Do you have any words or phrases that have helped you through a difficult time, both in dealing with or exploring relationships past or present, if so what are they? What is your favorite set of lyrics ever, i.e. phrases etc.

"fuck hem he's a deck", "Kathy's Song" Simon and Garfunkel, "I Remember" Molly Drake

Do you use more real life experience or do you use more imagination/creativity when writing lyrics?

Depends how boring my personal life is at the time haha

What's your favorite Beatle, favorite Beatle album and favorite Beatle song?

Georgie boy <333333333

Are there any plans to record/release that “political song” with the violin that you played at Homiefest last year? For a third album maybe? Thanks, loved you since 2015 when I first heard that “Risk” demo for True Detective. The Archer is a masterpiece no bullshit.

maybe! lol

Where is the love for Chicago? How come we haven't had any shows yet?

Give me a break homie I don't plan this stuff! Would love to come to Chicago! It all depends on timing and $$$$

What was the most challenging song to write on this record?

maybe bad disease

Will there be more music videos?

I dont think so :/

I noticed for both of your releases, theres been a decent amount of time.. between when they were recorded and released. Have you found this frustrating more than anything or is it nice to have time to sit with the album?

Well, sometimes it is hard to move on and write more, with so much time between the final touches of the record and the actual release.... But, it ebs and flows and its out now so its no difference to me now

Who are some artists/bands that you personally enjoy listening to?

Jessica Pratt, The Jhamels, Molly Drake

You also seem like a prolific painter, who would you point to as inspiration/muse? My best guess would be Picasso.

Alice Neel 100%

When you feel like you’re stuck when you’re writing a song, what do you do to get around it?

I stop writing for a while, don't force it. Everyone's process is different so I try not to beat myself up too much about it

When Kevin Parker hit reddit someone asked him about if he can upload a new song and he did so... Can we hear a new song ?

If Kevin Parker jumped off a bridge WOULD YOU ?!

Who's your dream musical collab? If you were to make a soundtrack what director would you work with?

dream collab: Snoop Dogg, director: Quentin

Can you say a little bit about the creation of the album art? It's understated but there is definitely a mood there!

my dear friend Dana Trippe took the photos, and my dear friend Aaron Mitchell did the fonts

Noticed your music has a very “old horror movie/spaghetti western” vibe to them. Any films/soundtracks that inform your sound you’d recommend?

ooooh Anything Coen Brothers or Wes Anderson

How much was growing up in Portland an influence on your music?

I would say the rain had a lot to do with my melancholy, but also the music scene in Portland has always been very DIY and rock-based so “ guess that influenced me in some way.

What’s your favorite song of your’s lyrically and your favorite song to perform?

fave lyrically: Bad Disease, fave to perform: But You or Mystery Girl

The whole record was amazing but “Soft Currents” keyboards are really something else, are you planning to write more on the piano?

thank you! yes been writing a lot on the ole ivories

I love how a lot of your songs sound very cinematic - would you like to get into movie music in some capacity? Either scoring or soundtrack?

Awh hell yeuh

Is there a particular song that you're most proud of?

But YOu!

What would you say is your favorite guitar that you own and what is your dream guitar to own?

I am not much of a gear-head though I would love and old nylon string

Do you think that “Risk” will ever be made available on Spotify and Apple Music?

Unfortunately, because it was released on T-Bone Brunette's label, there was a legal situation that made me unable to release it separately. :/

Will you be making more of those amazingly weird embroidered underwear for your new tour? Obvs need some Savior swag on this tush.

I wish! I don’t have a sewing machine anymore but I will be selling my lil boxes online soon

Any chance for a show in Toronto? I'm a big fan, and I introduced my mom to your music and she absolutely loves you (her words) so I'd love to take her to one of your shows

hahah awh <3 None planned at the moment :(

What song on The Archer was a struggle to finish? Or were they all easy?

easy peasy lemon squeezy

Don't want to take away from your latest release (because it is an amazing album) but was there a reason you decided to not work with Alex Turner or James Ford for any of the new songs, writing or producing?

-__-

Since both your albums have been about relationships mostly, would you ever consider making a political song/album? What is your stance on that old debate?

I write what comes naturally to me

What should I name my snail stuffed animal?

gail

Why didn’t you get a proper promotional run from Columbia for Belladonna? It’s an amazing album but I just found out about you through The Archer (which is equally amazing).

I can't really say, but I don’t think I was ever gonna make the kind of $$$ Columbia wanted

Would you like to tour South America at some point in your career?

awh hell yeuh!

Is there any particular era/motive which inspires your music visuals (album covers, music videos)? All the best from Split, Croatia!

70s!

Based on your Spotify stats, what are the countries that listen to you the most?

IDK! France seems to be very supportive

Any artist that you like that you could recommend?

Jessica Pratt, Sudan Archives, Vagabon

What's your favorite thing to draw/paint?

women

Who is your favorite artist / what is your favorite album at the moment, and how would you say this impacted on how The Archer sounds? Also please come to the North of England 😂

I AM!!! CHECK MY TOUR SCHEDULE AND COME BB!! favorite album rn "The Colour Green" by Sibylle Baier

What’s playing in your head now?

the click clacking of a mac keyboard

How do you like your coffee?

a lil bit of almond milk

Will The Archer be getting a cd release?

no :(

That's all folks! Thank for all of the questions, and most of all thank you so much for listening to my songs, it is a dream come true <3 Come see me play at my upcoming shows ! Can't wait to see you there <33333 amour my homies

[murfeelee]

Video Games Pt3: Video Game Challenge

I saw this list on Pinterest out of nowhere, and what better way to ring in the new year than with another questionnaire, about my favorite pastime! This is the spiritual successor to Part 1 and Part 2.

Day 1 - Very first video game: Pacman and/or Mortal Kombat and/or Samurai Shodown on arcade machines (way back in the day when laundromats had arcade machines and gumball machines and such in them--good times, good times U_U); Tetris on computers; and a buttload of PS1 titles (again: back in the good ole days when consoles came with promo demo discs--I had Frogger, Need for Speed, Medieval, and a bunch of others).

Day 2 - Your favorite character: Here’s my Top 10 Males post and Top 10 Females post.

Day 3 - A game that is underrated: I will preach the greatness of PS1′s Legend of Dragoon till my dying day. It was doomed to dwell in Final Fantasy 7′s shadow, which came out earlier that same year, and it’s a real shame, cuz LoD was E V E R Y T H I N G.

My favorite aspects of the game are:

Its lore and worldbuilding. On top of the fact that the premise of the game is could be an anime series in its own right, you just get SO EXCITED to visit each new location, and uncover more about the world’s history, and see the different architecture, technologies, cultures and different races (I LOVE the Winglies, of course). It’s actually a gorgeous game for its time.

The combat -- I STILL have some of the Addition patterns memorized to this very day! They get progressively harder as you level up, but once you get used to the timing you feel so dang good. Die, More and More!

The soundtrack and cutscenes. The NOSTALGIA? O_O Bruh. The story is just really good, and was the very first video game to make me cry when certain...events...happened. Play the game and find out for yourself!

Day 4 - Your guilty pleasure game: The Sims, Dragon Age...any and all EA games. Effing ashamed of myself every time I give that nest of corporate demons at Electronic Farts money. “Surprise mechanics” my arse. 

Day 5 - Game character you feel you are most like (or wish you were): Has Jar Jar Binks been in a video game yet? Then that’s me. XD But I wish I was most like Lara Croft, as explained in my Top 10 Females post.

Day 6 - Most annoying character: For females it’s Lightning from Final Fantasy 13, and for males it’s Vaan, from Final Fantasy 12. I don’t mind as much when supporting characters are effing annoying (Vanille, Hope, etc), but when it’s the MAIN protagonist?! WHY, Square Enix? WHY.

Lightning was just a negative nancy debbie downer. I wish they had swapped Serah and Lightning, I seriously do. I just couldn’t stand her dry and soulless personality. She wasn’t being edgy or bada** or cool or sexy or FANG or anything; she was just a bitter jaded unhappy wench.

And with Vaan I just effing hate that dude. Why was he even there? They tried so hard to make this pushy entitled kid relevant, but I was like no, the story could’ve easily been told without him, and I wish it had been; he’s a effing idiot.

Day 7 - Favorite game couple: Yuna and Tidus from FFX (hardest I ever cried playing a video game -- THE FEELS I TELL YOU).

Day 8 - Best soundtrack: I used to think it was Skyrim, but nope, it’s Witcher 1, 2 and 3. Just listen to ALL of the songs CDPR ever produced for the entire franchise, including all the unreleased tracks, and enjoy the eargasm.

Day 9 - Saddest game scene: Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice had me legit depressed for a good week. Get your tissues and holy water ready; it’s seriously effed up. The entire game is the saddest I ever played, jfc.

Day 10 - Best gameplay: Witcher 3, duh. Main quests, side quests, combat, dialogue, plot, graphics, worldbuilding, creatures, bosses, soundtrack, characters, Gwent, NEED I GO ON.

Day 11 - Gaming system of choice: Playstation for life. But the Nintendo Switch is effing brilliant, ngl; once they put Skyrim & The Witcher on it I was like SOLD.

Day 12 - A game everyone should play: At least ONE Final Fantasy game. There’s 15+, and Dissidia and Kingdom Hearts. It’s not just a game, it’s an experience.

As much as I rag on FF13 and FF15, they’re still admittedly LEAGUES better than a lot of other crap out there. I just happen to feel that Square Enix is out of its frikkin mind lately, and tbh I’ve been rapidly losing my hype for the FF7 Remake. I was never much of a FF7 fan to begin with, aside from being a rabid Sephiroth fangirl and watching Advent Children a billion times. But Square’s gotta be drunk as a skunk if they think I’m paying all that money for god knows how many of these effing “episodes” they’re gonna piecemeal us to dangit death with. HAYUL no. I’d rather not get too attached.

Day 13 - A game you’ve played more than five times:

Day 14 - Current (or most recent) gaming wallpaper: Huh?

Day 15 - What game are you playing right now: Speak of the devil, I’m replaying God of War for the zillionth time already.

Day 16 - Game with the best cut scenes: In terms of graphics and story impact IMO might be Red Dead Redemption 2. That game was frikkin gorgeous, and the story was SO DANG GOOD. Braithwaite Manor!? O_O

Day 17 - Favorite antagonist: For females it’s either Edea from FF8, or Yunalesca from FFX. For dudes it’s Sephiroth, from FF7. That man needs some serious counseling.

Day 18 - Favorite protagonist: Yuna from FFX for the ladies, and TW3′s Geralt of Rivia for the dudes. 

Day 19 - A game world you would like to live in: The more Middle Eastern-inspired scifi/steampunki-medievalesque world of Ivalice from FF12, or the medieval French/Swiss Toussaint from The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine.

Day 20 - Favorite genre: RPGs and JRPGs, and pretty much action-adventure games with swords and sorcery.

Day 21 - Game with the best story: Red Dead Redemption, which is a good thing and a bad thing. A lot of the time I felt I was watching a movie, rather than playing a game. But it was still an Oscar worthy movie. XD

Day 22 - A game sequel which disappointed you: Technically it hasn’t come out yet, but from what we’ve seen of the Nioh 2 beta release, omfg what’s going on? U_U Now, don’t get me wrong! Nioh 2 looks AMAZING. But....that’s cuz it looks exactly like Nioh 1, just with new yokai gameplay thrown in. o_O Uh...is this a DLC expansion pack or what? Cuz it sure ain't lookin like a full-fledged sequel! :P Dare I call it an asset flip. Come on, don’t do this; do MORE. Unless this is actually an expansion you’ll sell for half the price. ;)

Day 23 - Game you think had the best graphics or art style: For graphics it’s RDR2, but for most unique art style it’s always been Okami for me. <3

Day 24 - Favorite classic game: Spyro the Dragon. Their reboot for PS4 was AMAZING.

Day 25 - A game you plan on playing: Cyberpunk 2077. I’m so bummed, knowing the game’s been delayed to September 2020 instead of April, but oh well. As long as CDPR gives us that master-class level of Polish we all know and love from The Witcher 3, then take as much time as you need, I guess. At least they’re not like effing EA or Bethesda. XD

Day 26 - Best voice acting: BOY. Freaking iconic, Kratos. :P

Day 27 - Most epic scene ever: Ciri beating the absolute tastebuds outta Caranthir in TW3, not once but twice. Most OP Witcher EVER, girl; WERK.

Day 28 - Favorite game developer: Though I effing hate them, I’m still a Square Enix fangirl at heart. It’s just saddening to see this weird turn they’ve been making recently, with garbage like the Quiet Man, and especially with Final Fantasy, my favorite game series of all time. U_U I’m not looking forward to the FF7 Remake anymore, tbh. I just hope FF16 is more of a return to form.

Day 29 - A game you thought you wouldn't like, but ended up loving: Skyrim. I was never a big fan of Elder Scrolls games, and when Skyrim came out I was very meh at first. But then the mods started coming out for it and I was like wow. O_O

Day 30 - Your Favorite game of all time: Legend of Dragoon on PS1, Final Fantasy X on PS2, Skyrim on PS3/PC, The Witcher 3 on PS4, and The Sims on PC.

________________________________________________

Thanks for reading!

[towaniegaita]

MeseMoa. - The dark world view spun together with halyosy and Bunkei

This is an interview from Music Natalie published on 24th October 2019. Here’s the link for the original Japanese text and the photo gallery.

I’ve done my best to translate it but there are still a few places that I’m unsure about. If you notice any mistakes please let me know and I’ll do my best to rectify them.

MeseMoa. have released their new single 'Crossing Threads'. The complete opposite of their previous release 'Heisei Paradigm Change', which brilliantly expressed the beginning of the new era, this single is a dark number about a complicated romance set to a serious melody. Their heartrending voices and beautiful harmonies make the finished piece worthy of a listen.

To commemorate the single's release, in addition to the 9 members we invited the songwriter halyosy, who has been working with them since their days as Musumen., and the YouTuber Bunkei, who directed the music video, to join us for an interview at Music Natalie. We of course heard about episodes from the song's production and highlights of the MV, but also about how they came to be a team and how it feels to work together.

Interviewer: Kawakura Yukiko

Photography: Soga Mime

The reason he began writing songs for MeseMoa.

 ·         First, could you tell us about how halyosy and MeseMoa. met?

 Nibansenji: Originally he was friends with Shirofuku, right?

 Shirofuku: Right. We were both active on NicoNicoDouga.

 halyosy: Shirofuku was uploading dance covers as an 'odorite' and I was uploading vocal covers as an 'utaite', but we often watched each other's videos. Actually, I wanted to see him dancing live, so I went to see him perform at an event in Akihabara long before Musumen. became a thing *laughs*

 All: What!?

 Aoi: You're just a fan!

 halyosy: Ahahahaha. After that we exchanged contact details, and then one day we went to karaoke together.

 Tomitake: How was it? Were you disappointed? *laughs*

 halyosy: Not at all. I was surprised when he shoved the table out of the way and suddenly started dancing in the karaoke booth though.

 Nichan: Heh!?

 Aoi: So Shirofuku can be that active…

 Nozakibento: And? What did you dance to?

 Shirofuku: I'm pretty sure it was by Perfume. After that we discussed about performing together at one point, and halyosy even composed a test song for it, right?

 halyosy: Yeah, I remember that.

 Shirofuku: Before Musumen. began, I was in a trio called perfumen, so he brought along an EDM type song influenced by Perfume. I was amazed by how high quality it was. In the end we never released that song, but when Musumen. was born I knew I wanted him to be the one to make our songs.

 ·         So that's how it all began.

 halyosy: I kept telling him that I wanted to make a song with him, so later on he came to me and said, "Actually, I'm thinking about forming a dance cover group," and asked if I would write an original song for them. That was the beginning.

 Aoi: And that turned into our 1st single 'War Cry ~What's Wrong with Pretending to be an Idol!~'

 halyosy: Right. But at first it was just meant to be a commemorative thing. We were kind of joking around *laughs*

 ·         But from then halyosy became something like MeseMoa.'s exclusive songwriter.

 Shirofuku: That's right. We're always so grateful to him!

 halyosy: And I to you.

 ·         When did the members other than Shirofuku first meet halyosy then?

 Kimagure Prince: I think the first time I properly spoke to him was the recording for 'War Cry ~What's Wrong with Pretending to be an Idol!~' He was really famous on NicoNicoDouga, so of course I knew a bit about him already.

 Nozakibento: I was really nervous that first time.

 halyosy: Really??

 Nozakibento: Yes, because you were such an amazing person……

 Tomitake: 'were'?

 Nozakibento: Of course you still are now! *laughs*

 The new songs are a challenge from halyosy

 ·         Now that you've been working together for over 6 years, what is halyosy to MeseMoa.?

Tomitake: Ummm, a very close friend?

 Aoi: A papa?

 Kimagure Prince: A slightly older brother?

 Aoi: Eh, only 'slightly'……?

 halyosy: I always get teased like this *laughs*

 Tomitake: He takes it like a champion though. No matter how much we tease him, he accepts it without an issue.

 halyosy: Wahahahaha

 ·         What do you think about the appeal of halyosy's songs? Maybe there are parts that draw out your own abilities, or songs that resonate with you?

 Kimagure Prince: I get that a lot.

 Tomitake: halyosy's songs often include our own feelings or obstacles we're facing at the time in the lyrics, so we can always sense ourselves in the songs. There's quite a deep meaning.

 Nokkuso:  He also decides carefully who gets which part in the song. Like, he'll get someone to sing certain lyrics because it suits them as a person, or something.

 Shirofuku: In regards to overall quality, halyosy is really particular. I'm sure other songwriters can be fussy too, but he puts so much care into the most minor sounds or lyrics. That's why whenever we get to hear the demo songs, they're immediately recognisable as halyosy's songs.

 Tomitake: halyosy songs are very characteristic.

 halyosy: I'm glad to hear it. By the way, I'm always surprised to see which sounds the choreographers choose to pick up on. That's why I can't even be careless when it comes to the fine details.

 Tomitake: Like how sometimes they don't focus on the main sound, but the rhythm in the background?

 halyosy: Exactly that. I often watch the dance and think, 'Wow, they really chose to use that bit?'. Another difference between writing for MeseMoa. and for other artists is that when I'm reaching the final stages of production, I get sent a video of the members performing the choreography so I can check that there's no gap between the music and the video.

 MeseMoa.: Really?!

 halyosy: Say for example there's a part where the formation suddenly spreads out wide, then I know that the music for that section is important, so I can brush it up for the final piece. The production of the song progresses at the same time as the production of the performance.

 Nichan: I feel kind of overwhelmed. I didn't realise you went quite that far with the details for us.

 Tomitake: Also, every single song is really good! Each one is easily superior to the last.

 Nichan: What I personally think is characteristic of halyosy's songs is his frequent repetition of phrases. The songs are catchy and linger in your mind.

 Forgeru: I also sense from the songs that he's trying to get us to challenge new things. It's always exciting to receive a new song, and it really feels like we're taking a step forward.

 Kimagure Prince: It's like we're being tested, but in a good way.

 halyosy: I'm so happy to hear that. I don't often get the opportunity to hear their impressions on the songs in person like this.

 ·         Do you also feel like you're setting challenges for MeseMoa.?

 halyosy: I am. Every time I see them live, their skills have improved again and it makes me consider what I could try and work with for the next song. For a recent example, when I saw them singing, dancing and acting for a musical, the songs had really beautiful harmonies. I was surprised to hear a chorus that made such good use of their 9 voices, so I decided to create that effect myself, and that turned into songs like Aurora Kyokugidan and Pacific Tenboudai.

 Crossing Threads was born from wanting to make something dark

 ·         What side of MeseMoa.'s charm are you hoping to demonstrate through Crossing Threads?

 Nibansenji: This song especially was made because of how well halyosy understands us all. For example, because my voice is quite low and husky, he gave me parts that make best use of that. The dialogue at the beginning also came about because Oshoi (halyosy's nickname) said he wanted to hear a certain side to my voice.

 Tomitake: My parts were also really easy to sing. He made them all in the most comfortable register for me.

 halyosy: That's the 'I need them…' part, isn't it? I got them all to sing in their preferred register and then combined them to make harmonies.

 Forgeru: Because he's known us for so long, he has a perfect understanding of the breadth of our voices.

 Nozakibento: And also what makes each person unique

 Kimagure Prince: This is kind of a different story, but he often takes notes of the random things that we say during recording sessions. Even when it's a really pointless conversation, he stops us so he can write it down.

 ·         Do you use those kind of things in the lyrics?

 halyosy: I've done that, yes.

 Kimagure Prince: Also he does this kind of research by asking us about recent relationships within the group.

 Forgeru: Often I hear, 'Who have you been close with recently?' or 'Which member are you hanging out with the most?' *laughs*

 Tomitake: He's also thinking about the wishes of the fans *laughs*

 ·         What were your impressions of the new song?

 Nibanseji: To be honest, my first thought was that this was another difficult song. But also that if we could properly express what Oshoi had made for us, then we could show yet another new side to ourselves. Because of those thoughts I was able to work hard on this song.

 Tomitake: For me it was more like, 'Finally!!'

 Nibansenji: The first time I heard it I knew you'd love it.

 Tomitake: It's exactly my taste. I love it so much that I listened to the demo version over and over. I feel like our recent singles can be split into either really bright and cute songs, or really dark and miserable songs. I personally prefer the darker songs, so for me this was like the moment I'd been waiting for.

 ·         halyosy, where did the original concept for Crossing Threads come from?

 halyosy: (to Bunkei) It's finally your turn! Please go ahead.

 Bunkei: Then I'll tell you my side. I first got involved in the creation of MeseMoa.'s songs around the time of Muddy Water (released in August 2017). First a meeting is held with me, halyosy, and MeseMoa.'s producer. That's when the producer will announce what kind of thing they want to try next, but sometimes those ideas are concrete and sometimes they're just based on a general theme. This time they said they wanted to make something dark.

 Aoi: That's vague! *laughs*

 Bunkei: To start with we worked off the basis of a dark theme, and from there we discussed what kind of music we wanted to use, or what we wanted to express in the music video. Then a few months later halyosy returned with that 100 point-worthy song. It's amazing how he always makes something worth full marks.

 halyosy: This time we particularly wanted to emphasise the visualisation of the single, so I just did my best to make the most fitting BGM.

 The variety of MV interpretations is also enjoyed by the members

·         Could you tell us some secret episodes from the production of the music video?

Bunkei: Because halyosy always produces 100-point-worthy songs, I'm desperate to respond in kind. Since he played a lot with the music again, I felt like I had to figure out something similar for the MV…… But there just wasn't enough time to produce the video that Crossing Threads deserves. The lyrics are so deep that I honestly wanted to pack the video with as much as possible, so much so that a 2 hour movie would probably have been more suitable.

 halyosy: I'd love to see that.

 Tomitake: If halyosy's songs are involved then I'd love to watch a movie that just uses music as its motif. I think it could stand alone as its own work.

 Kimagure Prince: I'd like to try that one day. Back to this MV though, I think this is the darkest content we've included so far. It's been a while since we made something where we don't smile even once, and even when we weren’t filming everyone appeared kind of serious.

 Bunkei: There wasn't even anyone messing around really, was there?

 Tomitake: Even those of us who usually joke around were repressing ourselves *laughs*

 Bunkei: Perhaps the general mood of the song was also helped by the atmosphere of the location.

 Nozakibento: But for the dance scenes and the parts where we're moving around, everyone balanced it out. Personally I really like the interlude where Aoi, Pun-chan and Forgeru are dancing as a trio. Their dance styles usually differ, but this time they were beautifully in sync, so I really hope people can see it soon. It makes me want to shout Bravo!

 All: *laughter*

 ·         The main part of the MV sees Nibansenji in the central role. The drama scene where he clashes violently with Aoi left a huge impression.

 Aoi: I shouted so much during the filming of that. I wasn't actually supposed to, but I just naturally did it without realising.

 Nibansenji: His shouting shocked me so much that I found myself drawing back.

 Bunkei: That was kind of overwhelming *laughs*

 Nibansenji: The acting scenes this time were all really difficult. I felt like all the people involved in creating the song, the music video and the dance had slightly different interpretations. If I include my own thoughts, then there's 4 different interpretations to work with, so while acting I was worrying about which one I ought to rely on most. I'm sure there's no right answer, and Oshoi himself said that he likes it when multiple different perceptions come together, so in my mind I was just telling myself to do what I thought was best……but that was still difficult.

 ·         Does halyosy purposefully not tell you his interpretation of the song?

 halyosy: That's right. No matter which song, I never tell 100% of my interpretation. That applies to Bunkei as well. I'd like him to express the story so that it can be interpreted in many ways, so I deliberately try not to reveal the basis of my thoughts. There's also the sense that I'm writing the lyrics as the first step in the creative process, then comes Bunkei's video as the second step, and the enjoyment of the fans becomes the third step……I like the way it spreads.

 Tomitake: Have you seen the comments section on YouTube? The discussion around various theories is amazing. Lots of people are making connections with some of our previous songs and creating their own stories out of it. If I have even a little bit of spare time I like reading those theories *laughs*

 Bunkei: Ahahahaha. It's interesting to see how various songs are connected according to the fans. Like halyosy, I also hope that people will be able to watch the video and interpret it in their own way. Perhaps they're naturally connected simply because halyosy, the members and I are involved in each of them, and perhaps also because in the music videos so far I've often chosen the roles based on each member's character.

 Nibansenji: If each person who watches it can have fun by creating their own stories……then I'm fine with that.

 Tomitake: It's also fun for us to read about too! Sometimes people come up with incredibly interesting stories, so once I started reading I can't get to sleep!

 Bunkei: Some of the stories are so good that it makes me a little jealous *laughs*

 I'm definitely going to make the very best video for them!

 ·         Having all these people gathered together for an interview is a really valuable moment, so finally we'd like to ask MeseMoa.'s creative support halyosy and Bunkei for a message to the members.

 halyosy: The combination of my music and Bunkei's videos is of course designed to draw out MeseMoa.'s current abilities, but also contains the hope of getting more people to find out about them. I do feel a sense of pride that we're the ones who can draw out those different sides to the members, but don't you agree that the most important thing is to help people find them through the song and the MV? That's the starting point necessary to get people to come to their live performances. I'm constantly thinking about what kind of things we can attempt, so I hope people are looking forward to the next time. I hope I can level up my songs at the same pace as everyone's improvement in singing ability.

 Bunkei: I was originally uploading dance covers on NicoNicoDouga in the same world as the members, so to think that we would meet again and form this kind of relationship…you just never know what'll happen in life, but I'm really glad about it. I'm confident that I can understand everyone the best as a director, so I always think that I'm definitely going to make the very best video for them. Each time halyosy produces a different type of song, and each time the members tackle it and take themselves up a level, so rather than supporting them it feels more like I'm growing alongside them. Let's all get halyosy to nurture us together!

 MeseMoa.: Woo!! *applause*

 Kimagure Prince: (to halyosy) What do you think?

 halyosy: Leave it to me!!

 All: *laughs*

 halyosy: I say that, but I also want to keep everyone together until I've finally finished with all the ideas that I have in my mind.

 Kimagure Prince: I'm so happy right now, because I can really sense how much the two of them care about MeseMoa. We too must do our best so we can respond to those feelings.

 We're like major artists now

 ·         What are your thoughts on MeseMoa.'s future plans and enthusiasm?

 Shirofuku: Having completed our previous hall tour (T/N: You can read the report of the Pacifico Yokohama concert here in Japanese), I feel like we demonstrated our growth very quickly with this new single. This is mostly in reference to the dance and the vocal harmonies, but in this single we attempted some of the things that we'd challenged on the tour as well. First of all I would like people to really enjoy Crossing Threads, and after that our live house tour TIME TRAVEL.6 will begin in November. We're playing smaller venues that basically knock off an entire 0 from the capacity of Pacifico Yokohama, but I think that playfulness or spirit in general is very MeseMoa. so I'm happy with it. I hope this will be a tour where we can do the things we want to and continue to level up.

 Kimagure Prince: Because it's a live house tour, I'm looking forward to performing at a much closer distance to the audience. The tour's title is TIME TRAVEL.6, so we intend to perform songs that are so rare and nostalgic that they might seem like an illusion to some fans. I'd really like people to come and have fun with us.

 Nichan: On a personal note, I think we were able to sell out Pacifico Yokohama, our largest capacity venue so far, because of everybody's cooperation, so I'd like to visit various places in the country to say thank you.

 Kimagure Prince: There's also our plans for next year……

 halyosy and Bunkei: Wait, what?

 Kimagure Prince: I can't say anything publicly yet, so can I whisper it to you? *whispering*

 halyosy and Bunkei: Eh?!

 ·         I suppose that means the readers will have to guess based off those reactions.

 Kimagure Prince: That's right *laughs* Sorry.

 Aoi: We ourselves thought, 'Damn, we're like major artists now.' *laughs*

 Kimagure Prince: But also, we're going to have to work hard for this. We're gonna get fired up.

 Forgeru: Let's roll up our sleeves again and get cracking.

Nokkuso: Next year we'll all be working harder together, so for now please come and have fun with us on our live tour!

[exobiasaday]

Roomies  -  Part III

[[ // Masterlist // ]]

[[  Read Part I here!  ]]  // [[  Read Part II here!  ]]

1430 words

Contains: fluff / no angst! / a private room / a private lesson / a private dance

After teaching your three classes for the day, you found out that the Indoor Sports tournament had been cancelled and replaced with a two hour meeting about “changes.”  Almost none of them made sense, and would likely make everything more difficult for you, your fellow teachers, and worst of all, the students.  But it didn’t seem to be a meeting where the new boss wanted anyone’s opinion.

It was easy to brush off the bad news because Yixing was coming to the hotel for his private lesson!  You listened to his latest mini album as you drove from the ESL center back to your luxury suite.

Once there, you flopped onto the freshly made bed and texted him that you were ready whenever he was.

Cool, I’ll come in 45 minutes :)

After tidying your things in the bathroom and putting your tote bag the closet, you didn’t have much to do but wait.  You considered driving to the house to get cuter clothes, because you were 90% sure neither of your roommates were there, but decided watching YouTube was easier that risking running into Mike or Jeff.  Maybe for the next in-person lesson, you’d wear that new corset top that made your curves pop and...

The more you thought about it, the more it didn’t make a difference what you wore.  You were his teacher, and so it only mattered what you taught him, not how you looked.

You sprang out of bed as soon as you heard the knock at the door.  You looked through the peep hole, even though you knew who it was.  He was early!

You hugged him and his personal assistant.  You invited her to come inside, but she said she had work to do in the lobby.

“If you change your mind, you can always join in.”  It’d be difficult to teach them both at the same time, since she didn’t speak much English, but you always wanted to offer.  She left and Yixing entered the room.

“Wow, it’s really nice!” he said a few times, looking around the main room, the bathroom, the kitchen area, and the main room again.  “I stayed here before, but my room wasn’t this good.”

“Next time don’t give me a better room than the one you’d get for yourself!  And don’t let there be a next time.”  You hugged him.  “I’m so thankful for this.  You really didn’t have to, but I so appreciate that you did.”

He hugged you back.  He gave the best hugs.  Nice and long, hands rubbing up and down your back, and just the right amount of squeeze not to crush you, but you knew he could because he was strong.  You’d never seen his muscles in person, but you’d seen his bare body in many repeat watches of his music videos.  You tried not to think about that as you hugged him, but it was really difficult.

Really difficult.

Almost impossible.

“I wanted you to be comfortable and not worried.  I was really concern when you told me about the roommates, and I wish I could help more.”  He said all this before letting you go and pulling away.  You weren’t sure whether to go back for another hug or correct his grammar.  You chose the hug.

“Oh Yixing,” was all you could think to say.  He did his cute, wheezy laugh and it made you laugh too, rather than start crying into his shirt about how sweet he was.  He always smelled nice, but today it was like he’d just had a bath in cinnamon water.  You wanted to tell him so, but you were reminded of the night before when Jeff had said the same thing to you.  You just held him tighter and it was silent until he spoke again.

“If your roommates make you upset again, I want you to tell me, okay?”

You nodded and let go.  He put his hands on your shoulders and looked you in the eye.  “Please promise.”

“What are you going to do?”

He looked away, then said, “I don’t know.  I hope I don’t need to do something.  But promise.”

“I promise.”

You also hoped you wouldn’t have to tell him about anything, but with just under five months left in your rental agreement, you doubted it.  Unless you stayed in your locked room at all times, never cooked, and never watched movies in the living room, you were bound to run into Mike or Jeff and be disappointed again.

But not today, and not the next day.

The least you could do for the man who’d given you this amazing gift was to give all your attention toward improving his English.  He’d come so far since your first lesson together, and you were so proud of him.  He still had a bit of a Chinese accent he was working on getting rid of, so you helped him make his vowels clearer and further distinguished L and R.

“They’re not the same at arr.  They’le not the same at all.  Try that.”

It was difficult, slow progress, but it was progress!  He also had questions about words and phrases he was considering using in a new song, and he asked whether his lyrics made sense.

“Except for those two, which can be easily changed, the rest of the lines are perfectly fine!”

He’d worked so hard, and you almost couldn’t believe he’d written these all himself.  He’d needed a lot of help with his first album that had a lot of English, but he was becoming more and more independent.

It’d been over an hour of English practice, and he wanted to show you the dance for the song you’d helped him change.  He took off his jacket and sweater, leaving just an undershirt.  Then he put on the demo track, and you sat on the edge of the bed as he performed just a meter away from you.  You couldn’t stand to watch his constant body rolling, crotch grabbing, lip biting nonsense when it was on a screen, but the feeling of “unable to look away from sheer sexiness” was amplified by 100 whenever you were lucky enough to have him dance for you.  It was like he’d scheduled a concert and only sold one ticket, to you, for free.

“What do you think?” he asked, panting, when the song was over.  He’d worked up a sweat and wiped his face with his shirt, flashing his abs.  It didn’t matter how many times you saw him perform, it never got easier.  How did he expect you to form a complete sentence after all that??

You smiled and gave a thumbs up before forcing out the words,  “Xingmis will love that.”

He smiled back and sat on the bed next to you, fanning himself with the paper pad that came with the hotel room.  “I hope you’re right.”

“You work so hard, Yixing.  And it shows in everything you do, so they’ll love it.”

He gave a shy laugh that made you want to melt.  Everything he did was so enchanting.  He could probably walk onto stage, fart into the microphone, and walk off, and he’d get a standing ovation.  You’d be cheering right along with everyone else if that happened, but he would never put anything less than 1000% percent into his performances.

He probably needed to get going soon, to record or practice or take photos or, if there was nothing else on his schedule, sleep.  So you prepared to say goodbye, but then you got a surprise.

“Want to get food?  I’m treating.”

“No, my treat!”

“No, my treat!” he repeated.

“Yixing, don’t pay for my meal, don’t even pay for the lesson!  You’ve already done too much.”

You forced him to leave his wallet in the hotel safe so it’d be impossible for him to pay.  How could he want to spend this much money on you?

He put his shirt and jacket back on and you grabbed your own sweatshirt.  He made sure you had the room key and you left and got in the elevator.  Your stomach rumbled and you realized just how hungry you were.

Once in the lobby, Yixing looked around until he found his assistant.  He spoke to her in Mandarin, and you thought was just telling her you’d be back after grabbing food.

“Bye!” she said.  You were relieved she didn’t seem to say anything about hurrying.

The two of you waved to her and exited the hotel, without a restaurant in mind, but very eager to get food.