First Postings
It is May 16, 2006. We have only in this past week registered this new domain name. It is a bigger better host with more options, and a boatload of storage for sound files.
It was slightly over two years ago that this project began. The first phase was shortly after New Years in 2004 when I got an idea for a screenplay, and thought it might be fun to simultaneously develop a concept album AND a screenplay. Mike and I had been in a band together many years before an I loved his lyrics, so I contacted him with the idea, asking if he wanted to write the words. At that point, I was really thinking about writing the music, having him do the words, and getting a totally separate band to play it. It was going to be a "production" project. Mike initially shyed away because the story was too dark, then reconsidered two - three weeks later.
In the next phase, we needed to get a sense of the story. I had the outline for the screenplay and gave Mike a short recap of the whole thing. We broke it down into key emotional moments. He began producing rough lyrics.
I realized I wanted to be able to mock everything up, so I invested in technology for my computer. I turned it into a recording studio. I'd never done anything like this in the 'digital world' before, so EVERYTHING was a learning curve for me. Over time, I would eventually get my synths set up, and soundfont batteries, and thanks to the Audigy2 Platinum Pro, I was able to hook up guitars and basses. Thanks to PowerTracks (an easy to use, affordable, and surprisingly powerful multitrack recorder) I was able to begin creating mockups of music ideas. Then I realized Mike's voice was probably best for the project. Then I realized that I was probably best suited for the music. Neither one of us may be the "best-in-class" in our respective areas, but we each have a certain conviction which I think gives this project its pulse.
We had sat down, during one of our "Chilis" meetings, and discussed the style. From the outset, the style was clear. It was going to be alternative metal, but with a dramatic overtone, operatic, classical, a "pageant". Further, there would be other influcenes in the music: pop, techno, acoustic...
We never really strayed from that. For several of the earlier tunes, I dipped into my classical background and built a "wall of sound." For some of the tunes we are finishing up now, I am using a simpler guitar driven approach.
We are talking about "illustrating" the scenes with some vignettes. Mike is a great artist. He can create compelling art freehand if he chooses. I spent many years in Marketing, and have done a lot of work with images, so I can do a bit on my own (just don't ask me to draw freehand!)
We also have a second project which is not so heavy, not so dark. Those songs (over ten) have been on the backburner so we could try to finish the concept album. Between work and families, and a thousand obstacles along the way, it takes a while for us to put this together. At least we are doing it remotely (he does his parts at his house. i do mine at mine. he uploads the vocals to our website. i download them, add them to the project, and then I do the ten-thousand obligatory mixes per song till we come up with one we like.)
It will be fun when we wrap up the last handful of tunes, and burn a cd in proper sequence, and sit back with a beer, tequila, rum, or coca-cola (depending on mood), and have a listen. We're both perfectionist freaks, so I know neither one of us will ever really be satisfied with the songs. On the other hand, I like "raw edges" to things because if a sound is too-polished, I think the emotion gets sapped away. Pushing production over emotion is boring.
In the end, it should be a great self-produced "indy" album. And it all started here.