We Eat Pixels: The Musical

We Eat Pixels

a live a/v musical experience.

Pitch: Flubber meets Hedwig  meets Little Shop of Horrors. Then add some  Social Network and stir lightly. Music ranges from Queens Of the Stone Age to Fugazi but with a cheeky The Music Man element. There are 2 slower more depressing/intense songs towards the end, followed by a reprise of  ‘It’s In the Papers.’

This post-modern tail stars a work obsessed Hero who has an idea to splice the pixel with a brain cell that results in allowing any user to plug into a world from within their own imagination (represented by animations on a screen behind the players). Eventually, the ‘Pix-cell’ becomes a hit. But, it is also another distraction from actual life. In this case our Hero loses his wife because of his invention and the ‘Pix-cell’ gets out of control and becomes something different than he had planned. When exposed to the pixcell for to long, the users brain becomes overloaded and crashes. We don’t find this out until after our HERO sells it to a major corporation.

The overall theme will start off with a few 4th wall breakdowns and planned clever audience interaction to keep attention span but will slowly move to a more serious tone once the 3rd Act hits.

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Read script for updated lyrics and to understand song content.

Outline:

Act 0 / Scene 0 – HOST – Intro

Act 1 / Scene 1 – The motion pixel (I’ve seen the future)

Act 1 / Scene 2 – HERO calls BUDDY for help

Act 1 / Scene 3 – The PixCell is born

Act 1.5 / Scene 0 – HOST – Oh, you have a SMART phone

Act 2 / Scene 1 – The PRESS gets Pixel-ated!

Act 2 / Scene 2 – The PixCell is gonna be a hit!

Act 2 / Scene 3 – A PixCell Sell-out

Act 2.5 / Scene 0 – HOST – Big news

Act 3 / Scene 1 – Sweet Success!

Act 3 / Scene 2 – Overloaded (The death of LOVE and BUDDY)

Act 3 / Scene 3 – Its Over (HERO nearly kills himself by overloading his own mind)

Character List:

NOTE: Each character will have a Facebook page and will be posting to their wall via a scheduled post (That Buzz website that Zach showed).

HOST: Guides the audience on the PIX-CELL journey. Announces starting and ending of acts, intermissions, and helps with distributing media and crowd interaction. Probably shows up in the play in the 3rd act.

HERO: The inventor of the PIX-CELL and our tragic hero. A bit of a sellout which makes his name quite ironic. There will be posts months in advance of HERO coming up with his invention and building character. RSS those feeds into weeatpixels.info website.

LOVE : HERO’s true deep down muse. She inspires him to his core. Unfortunately, pixels become a distraction from their love.

This represents the need to remember and value what we have before it’s gone. LOVE represents how we ignore the life in front of us for alternate motives, like success.

BUDDY: Side-kick, biology nerd, overall good guy. He ultimatly makes the PIX-CELL connection.

PIXELS/PIX-CELLS: Represented by video animation (projected behind players). Whenever one of the characters is hooked into the PIX-CELL universe we see an abstract version of their pure imagination. The PIX-CELL is the catalyst between the digital realm and an imaginary world created by the users imagination whilst connected. The user is creating an abstract visual world. Some animations could be used as teasers to advertise for the show. Spreading the PIX-CELL socially could be nice way to point and laugh at social media while sthill involving it heavily too.

The DEVELOPERS: Represented by the MUSICIANS. Often told to go back to work. They could type on their music stands and grumble after interacting with HERO or HOST.

The PRESS: The left and right wing media. Misinterpreting, polarizing opinions, misusing information, and greed driven intentions for the HOT STORY and making a quick buck. You can’t blame them though, they’ve got families to feed. Plus, The PUBLIC wants what the PUBLIC gets. Consuming digital media at an extremely high rate thus, eating pixels.

The PUBLIC: Played by audience. Supply and demand and the demand for the new technology is on the rise. The PUBLIC demand is judgment filled, confused, easily scared, and deep down at the heart of the blame for the downfall of the pixel because of that over-consumption. We will only be hinting at that, there will be interaction with them. Making fun of smart phones, facebook, twitter, foursquare, cast members, bartenders, and more!

The GOVERNMENT/CORPORATIONS: Since the two are be coming interchangeable. Trying to regulate it (perhaps an inter-tubes reference here), transform it, let big companies bottle neck it, and spread misinformation rather than education.

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ACT O. SCENE O. INTRODUCTION:
Host walks out into spotlight stage left front. Talks to audience with a satirical “Colbert” like humor.

Hi folks, and welcome to We Eat Pixels.

I’m your HOST! We’ve got 3 action packed acts for you and your senses. Sit back relax and get a drink. We will have breaks and games during intermission and transition. Waitresses should be walking around the whole time taking your drink orders. Don’t forget to tip!

JOKE (mix around 3-ish different jokes every performance)
Enjoy the show, and don’t choke on your pixels!

ACT 1. SCENE 1. INT. Workshop/Office

One spotlight fades in on HERO. He sits at his desk slaving over his computer, obviously frustrated about something. He types on the keyboard loudly. He lets out several gasps and sighs with frustration. Hero clicks several times and then we hear woman’s voice from off stage.

LOVE: HERO, dinner is ready!
HERO: Damn it! I’m trying to work here!
LOVE: Don’t get pissy with me Mister. I’m not the one who chose your line of work.
HERO: No, you’re just the one keeping me from doing it.
LOVE: Fine, I’ll just put your food in the garbage then.
HERO: I’m sorry, LOVE, I didn’t mean that! I’m just trying to figure this out. Okay sweetie? Just give me one moment, I’ll be right in.
LOVE: UGH! Forget it. I’ll leave it in the microwave. I’m taking a bath and going to bed. When you’re done being a dick you should come to bed. You’re overworking yourself, AGAIN.
HERO: You know how I feel about you, LOVE. I’m just on to something big here. Something that can possibly make my career!
LOVE: UGH! (Grunts again and rummages around in the kitchen as HERO rambles about his project)
HERO: Imagine all your desires at the click of a mouse or a tap of your finger. You’ll be able to walk right into a digital version of your own imagination.The user will essentially be walking around in their own brain! You’re accessing memories, talent, creativity, love imagination (on and on)…

We’ll be famous! Imagine what it will do for my career.

LOVE: What are you babbling about?
LOVE walks on stage as lights come slowly up. A low music que stars. A light tiny playful yet catchy hook.

HERO:
Starts humming to hook. Then starts singing
WEP TRACK 01 – The Future

I’ve got the future in my hands
I’ve seen the future- the past be damned.
I’ve seen the people’s needs
I’ve got the future staring back at me.

I’m back to the future – I’ve got the future…. I’ve seen the future… I am the future

The people need a future – an interface that let’s them finally be free!

(get’s kind of lost in on pattern- almost a crazed look in his eye)

LOVE:

Seems like grander
Delusion slander
Stop for a sec
Take a gander

Don’t you love me?
Can’t you see it…
Look what you’ve become!

synapse fire
lost and tired
I do admire
Your soul’s inspired

Don’t you love me?
Can’t you see that…
it’s tearing us apart!

Stay humble
Stay sane, my Hero
Bumbling pix-cells
Could equal zero

You throw yourself
At your work
But you never
Come to bed!

Dividing lovers
Late night hovers
Under covers
Lost pixel blunders

Guess what Hero discovers
A un-comfy night on the couch!

The two now sing their same parts but together for the final part of the song.

HERO: STOP(to band)! What did you say LOVE?

LOVE: You’re going to overdo yourself again, Hero. I’m saying you work too hard and you don’t ever relax and take a….

HERO: No, what did you say about the synapses firing and the pix-cells in your brain!?!

LOVE: You obviously missed my point. I said…

Awkward pause

HERO: My LOVE, my muse!! You’ve helped me solve it. I must call my old college pal, BUDDY! We used to have long talks back at (Nearest institution or venue/sponsor/makeup/salon/whatever reference) about technology and the brain. I don’t know why I didn’t think of calling him earlier. The brain is a computer, faults and all, there is something that happens when you interact with the pixel. The visual cortex! We must make a PIX-CELL as you called it! I love it! The PUBLIC will love it. We must access and track the users imagination! (WILDLY)

LOVE, I must finish some of this work and contact my college buddy, BUDDY! You are the smartest woman on earth.

LOVE storms out/offstage. After a few seconds of typing the music comes back in. The Future theme comes slowly back up with HERO obsessing about his Pix-Cell dream.

I’ve seen the future, understand the human mind.

I’ve got the future. No child left behind! (not funny… re write)

This can be my shining hour

I’ll be taught in history classes

This will be huge,

This can appeal to the masses

I’m going to sail on top of the world

I’ll be bigger than NASA

But If this boat sinks

We may be out on our asses!

LOVE walks in with a plate of food and a trash can and throws the whole plate away and storms out of the room! HERO turns to audience.

HERO: Sorry everyone, I gotta go make amends with the love of my life. Get a drink from your waitress and don’t forget to tip. We’ll be back in a minute for scene 2.

(Cues band to finish song by themselves, slowly walking away  humming the lyrics again)

Music goes into long melodic break down as scene 1 ends and lights start to slowly fade.

ACT 1. SCENE 2. INT. (VENUE REVERENCE)
Phone call between HERO and BUDDY. Spotlight goes to HERO who appears to be at a bar or in Audience. He dials BUDDY’s #. Rings twice and 2nd light goes to BUDDY or could be located in another part of the bar.

BUDDY: Hello HERO! Long time no talk!

HERO: How did you know it was me? This is my new number!

BUDDY: Please dude, I have Facebook contacts synced to my phone.

HERO: Oh right, yeah. I did update that….

BUDDY: What can I do ya for old buddy?

HERO: Well I had this idea I wanted to run by you and I really can’t complete it without your help.

BUDDY: Oh yeah?

HERO: Well, it would probably be better if we could talk about it in person.

BUDDY: You know I just saw you check into Duffy’s (or venue performing in) on Facebook Places and Foursquare.

HERO: Oh, ha. Well, where are you?

BUDDY: I’m here.

HERO: What?

BUDDY: Yeah, I’m here now.

HERO: Oh yeah? No kidding!?! Well buy me a drink and let’s talk shop…

(The fellas meet up. Perhaps interacting with the audience like they know everyone in the room. Intro to act 2 song could be hinted or sprinkled throughout starting at the intro- just a mood setter for the pixel discovery scene).

WEP Track 02 – Buddies

CHORUS:
Hey BUDDY… give me the science
I’ve got this idea… you’re gonna like it

Remember… how in collage
We talked at length and you dropped your knowledge

Well, I’ve processed… all the information
With your help we… can change the station
Well, I’ve processed… all the information
With your help we… can change the station

BUDDY:

Not so fast!

WOOOOOOOAH… HEROOOOOO
I like where your head’s at

WOOOOOOOAH…HEROOOOOO
but your science is all flat

WOOOOOOOAH…HEROOOOOO

HERO:

Buddy, here’s the story
I got an invention that needs sorting

You can walk around in glory
The mind is sexy and it’s gory

Solving boredom as we know it
Our true nature will say, “screw it”

As we float through ideals over
Nations loving one another

Buddy, here’s the story
I got an invention that needs sorting

It’s got imagination soaring
And our stock prices won’t be boring

Tap in to the creative brain
Keep dementia patients sane!

Keeps our children entertained
On the road-trip down memory lane

Floating through our dreams
In a conscious state extremes
CHORUS:

Hey BUDDY… give me the science
I’ve got this idea… you’re gonna like it

Remember… how in college
We talked at length and you dropped your knowledge

Well, I’ve processed.. all the information
With your help we… can change the station

BUDDY:

Not so fast!

WOOOOOOOAH… HEROOOOOO
I like where your head’s at

WOOOOOOOAH…HEROOOOOO
I have some simple conditions

WOOOOOOOAH…HEROOOOOO
As long as we test this thing fully before it launches

HERO (big finish):
OMG! I totally agree (puts his hand out to shake)
I’m gonna post on facebook already
Put on your boots and come with me
Let’s go make some F*cking history

HERO & BUDDY together to finish… eventually singing to crowd:

OMG! I totally agree
Someone posted it on Facebook already
Put on your boots and come with me
Let’s go make some F*cking history

ACT 1. SCENE 3. INT. Office/Workshop/Soon-to-be makeshift lab
Several hours later. Both HERO and BUDDY are drinking still and working.

BUDDY: Ya know, I’m glad we turned this den into a lab. Are you sure your wife won’t care?

HERO: Oh, hmm. I guess I forgot to ask her. But my wife won’t care… I hope!

BUDDY: Well, should we try it again?

Plugs things in randomly. Hits power source a few times till it kicks on. Just a slow pulse (perhaps delay riff that goes with a loop and matches the intro – Moog iPad app for SURE just mess around with the knobs).

HERO: I hope this works this time. This is our 3rd brain!

BUDDY: Yeah, I really hope UNMC (or nearby school if adapted) doesn’t mind us using those leftover brains.

HERO: Well, if this works they will give us all the leftover brains we want!

AFTER program (band noise) runs for about 10 seconds all of a sudden the projected images explode with a crash and the MUSICIANS make noise and crashing sounds. HERO and BUDDY fall over like an earthquake had just happened. PIX-CELLs come spewing out in the animation. BUDDY looks into the microscope and is yelling over the band!

WEP TRACK 02.5 – plays and band can get crazy and improvy over a cool animation of HEROs imagination (animation based on cells splitting with pixels) with a noise build. Then all noise lowers to a light buzz and everyone talks over it until BUDDY shuts the machine down.

BUDDY:  Well… how was it, HERO?

HERO: WE’VE DONE IT, BUDDY! The PIX-CELL is amazing! The most amazing thing i’ve ever felt… the cell allowed me to walk around in my imagination and truly take it all in. We’ve fused a pixel with a human brain cell. YOU’RE A MASTER!

(Shuts machine down, essentially cutting off the band/DEVELOPERS… perhaps they can sort of collapse with exhaustion).

HERO: I couldn’t have done it without your help my friend! Oh, and all these DEVELOPERS we hired.

DEVELOPERS: Wave and nod to crowd. Perhaps lots of nerd glasses could be on in these moments. Pushing them up and snorting with giggles. BURN!

HERO: Now get back to work!

BUDDY: I’m going to stay with the crew and keep debugging the prototype.

HERO: Okay, don’t stay up too late we’ve got to alert the media in the morning.

BUDDY: Okay.

BUDDY goes back to looking into the computer screen as light fades painfully out to intermission.

HOST: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls… the first act is over. Get up stretch your legs, get a beverage from your waitress, or get out your smart phones and play Technological Intervention Questionnaire on your napkins to win free drinks!

First one who answers the trivia question gets free drink tokens!

Alright, break it up. Shows gonna start, get in your seats everyone! The second act is starting in like 2 minutes!
Hey Spencer (or some dude who’s talking)… shut up and sit down. We have pixels to eat here!

ACT 2. SCENE 1. INT. Press Headquarters

Title: The Press Gets Pixcel-ated.

Lights fade in at PRESS headquarters. Phones are ringing. There are 3-5 men dressed in 50s news-guy garb (hilarious juxtaposition of old school reporter and new school media). All reporters are constantly at their cell phones checking the newest twitter update and chattering amongst themselves in old school reporter stereotype but still answering 50s-esque rotary phones at their desk (for effect). HERO and BUDDY walk in very nervously. Tries to interrupt the first PRESS man he sees to no avail (gets ignored). 2nd PRESS man he barely catches hanging up the phone, as he exhales because he just lost his lead story.

HERO: Hey, can I get a second?

PRESS 1: What do you want guy? I’ve had a rough day.

HERO: My friend and I have invented a way to tap into the human imagination. You can basically walk around in your own mind. We’d like you to do a story so we can raise some funding.

PRESS 1: Who cares about that? This story sounds like a load of crap. Nobody cares about imagination!
Grabs PRESS GUY 2 and starts to chatter.

PRESS 1 (to PRESS 2): Did you hear that? This guy says he can tap in to imaginations and he wants to raise funds! What a nut!?!

PRESS 2: It kinda sounds interesting PRESS 1.

PRESS 1: I know dummy! (pushes PRESS 2 away)

(to HERO and BUDDY- Music Que)

Let me interview you knuckle heads! Sit down and let me give you the run down.

You must excuse me if your nerdy-ness put me off at first. For the average reader, you must understand, it’s existentially disturbing to think about the imagination. We have to get this out the right way.

I see your whole demeanor and it’s frightfully un-nerving.

OH, I’ve got to TWEET THIS

(music que)
WEP TRACK 03 – It’s In the Paper, It Must Be True

I can see you’re unassuming
Well you can assume just to trust me

I can see you’re enthusiastic
We’ll have this story gift wrapped in plastic

I can assure you it won’t be boring
This better be a damn good story

Oh and please don’t sue me!

(solo break)

I can see you’re unassuming
I’m assuming I can blog this story

I can see you’re enthusiastic
The PUBLIC will flip out – straight gymnastics

I can’t assure you it will be front page
Unless failure causes you to rampage

If so, please don’t kill me!

Song ends and reporter goes on as if nothing had happened. Starts asking our boys questions about their product and starting to work his story.

PRESS 1: How about this headline?
Local nerds claims they can tap into the imagination!

HERO: Like I said, we have invented a program that can allow any user to walk around in his or her imagination. Want to come try it?

PRESS 1: Ah what the hell, all my other leads are dead (grabs coat). Let’s go, kiddos!

(to PRESS 2) If you’re wrong about this I’ll ring your neck… but if you’re right… I’m taking all the credit! Later!

All exit stage as lights fade out. Host comes from the back of the venue with several newspapers in hand. Covers reading various headlines. HOST is shouting the head lines. There could be a QR code for a $1 off. Must have a smart phone w/ barcode scanner. HERO and BUDDY are in the LAB

HOST: DID YOU SEE PRESS #1’s TWEET!?! NERDS DISCOVER A WAY TO SEE SEE YOUR IMAGINATION! SOUNDS #COOL (perhaps HOST could actually TWEET from stage)! TWO LOCAL NUTS DISCOVER #CRAZY #COMPUTER #THINGY! #dollaroffdrinkpassword #pixelHERO

HOST exit and lights come up 

ACT 2. SCENE 2. INT. Lab

PRESS 1: Well, are we gonna do this or what?

BUDDY: Sure, have a seat. (puts headset on PRESS… ambient music que)

PRESS 1: (Animation of a million headlines morphing into ‘a big story’ starts slowly then speeds up as music does, perhaps some stabs at Glen Beck types of programs)

WOAH… WHOAH! WOW! It’s like I’m floating around in my wildest dreams… but I’m completely conscious!

HERO: (To Buddy) We’re a hit!

PRESS 1: (animation ends , music gets soft for dialogue) Guys, I gotta hand it to ya, this is cool. I gotta get this on my Google+ account ASAP (exits in a rush). Great work fellas… I’ll have something in the paper real soon!

BUDDY: HERO, this has been awesome and all but we should do some more tests before releasing it to the PUBLIC. I thought the article was going to help raise money for testing.

HERO: Come now BUDDY, let’s celebrate! You can test later. Plus you have some serious bags under your eyes from all the testing you’ve already done.

LOVE walks in unnoticed

BUDDY: Well HERO, we just don’t know what the PIX-CELL can do yet. My mind does feel a little cloudy after using it for only little bits here or there throughout the testing phase.

LOVE: (interrupting) What are you guys talking about?

HERO: Oh, my LOVE. Come and celebrate with us. We’ve just gone to the PRESS with our new invention. They interviewed us and he’s already blogging about it. Who knows the limits of this application!?! Introducing people to their deepest feelings and dreams.

04 – We’re A Hit

Sings.

We’re a HIT!
We’re a HIT!
We’re a HIT!
We’re a HIT!

We’re the smartest guys since Buffet and Gates
We’re gonna make the kind of money Zuckerburg makes.
Like Steve Jobs in India I’m tripping
This target market is gonna be livid!
Like the other Steve in apples eye, i’ll make an apple records pie.

BUDDY: 

I disagree entirely! Don’t Napster out on me already!

I’ve seen reports of bugs that need fixed
You’ve been running around not giving a shit!

We’ve got something here this I know
I’ll test this thing you go put on the show.

Argument ensues… 

HERO:

I disagree entirely!

BUDDY:

I disagree entirely!

HERO:

How DARE you disagree with me!

BUDDY:

How dare YOU disagree with ME!

…continues and crescendos…

LOVE: BUT…

…peaks with Love interrupting.. all sing …

But I thought you said,

We’re a Hit!

We’re a Hit!

We’re a Hit!

We’re a Hit!

HERO: That was awesome guys. I’m gonna go start planning my speech.

LOVE: But HERO… !

HERO: WHAT?

LOVE: UGH! Storms out!

BUDDY: Hey, HERO… isn’t it your anniversary tonight!?! I saw something on Love’s Facebook wall saying about how she hoped you had something extravagant planned (scheduled post to We Eat Pixel’s Facebook).

HERO: OH! boy!

Coming darling… I have reservations at Blue Orchid (whispers to crowd… perhaps asking crowd what the best nearby restaurant) no I don’t!

BUDDY: (Sort of to crowd) Got to admit… the guy has drive! He gets so wrapped up in work he doesn’t check Facebook and misses his anniversary…  That’s my pal, HERO!

Lights fade out.

Act 2 Scene 3 INT Restaurant w/ Love for Anniversary

Title: PixSell-Out!
Lights come up and LOVE and HERO are at the local fav restaurant, HOST could pass out tokens or ask a question on the Facebook weeks in advance and ask crowd/users their favorite restaurant. Most creative answer get’s used in the play.

LOVE: Well this is very nice. And thank you for the flowers.

HERO: It was no trouble at all my LOVE. (to crowd) The neighbors won’t miss them at all!

LOVE: What?

HERO: Oh nothing darling, nothing.

Say, how is your food?

LOVE: The best. I love this place!

HERO: Me too.

LOVE: I’m gonna go to the little girl’s room and powder my nose.

HERO: Who still says that!?! SERIOUSLY!

LOVE: ME! Shut up you! (walks off smiling and giggling)

HERO: (taking bite)

the GOVERNMENT rep: (pops up out of nowhere perhaps from behind/under table like he was there the whole time) Hey there HERO. I’m from the GOVERNMENT. We want to offer you a bazillion dollars to release the PixCell to the market. Are you interested?

HERO: A BILLON! YES! Where do I sign and when do I get the check?

the GOVERNMENT rep:

Well, I said a bazillion but who’s counting zeros these days (shakes hand).

Barring no issues with the product … I have the paperwork right here! We can fax it back to Washington right away.

HERO:

Fax? Who the the hell uses faxes still? Ha.

The GOV rep:

We do.

HERO:

Oh… right… silly me. Where do I sign?

The GOV rep: Now we just need to know what makes it tick… we’ll put a patent on it right away for you.

HERO: Here is all you’ll need (draws quick sketch on a napkin)

(signs paper)

The GOV rep:  No shit… that simple, huh?

HERO: My partner figured it out.

The GOV rep: Smile!

HERO: Wha?

Camera man and reporter comes from off stage suddenly and light flashes as HERO is still shaking GOV guy’s hand. HEROs face has a surprised/dumb founded look. Light fades out. End scene.

Act 2.5: Sell-Out Headline

HOST: Extry, Extry. Read all about it. HERO nerd sells out! Makes a bazillion dollar deal with taxpayer money.

(hands out front page of fake newspaper with HEROS dumb founded look on it, barcode deal)

HOST: Next Act starts in 5 mins folks.

Act 3, Scene 1/ Sweet success. INT. HERO HOME/LIVING ROOM/OR FORMER DEN
Fade in quickly. HEROs on the phone PRESS1 (who has a spotlight on him from PRESS headquarters). HERO has the news article in his hands.

HERO: Why did you print this?

PRESS 1: You wanted a story and I gave ya one…. er you gave me one, rather.

HERO: I look like a fool!

PRESS 1: Well ain’t ya?

HERO: uuuuh… ummm… ugh!

PRESS 1: Look, I’m just bustin your chops, pal. No PRESS is bad PRESS as they say…

Awkward silence

PRESS 1(cont.):

Well, don’t go thanking anybody, pal. Good luck… jerk!

HERO: Thanks for nothing, PRESS!

(hangs up phone then talks to himself) I look like a damn fool in this article!

Knock on door. HERO goes to answer it.

CORPORATE stooge: Hi, I represent the CORPORATIONS you signed your company over to.

HERO: WHAT? What are you talking about? I sold it to the GOVERNMENT!

CORPORATE stooge: HAHAHA

HERO: What’s so funny?

CORPORATE stooge: Aren’t GOVERNMENT and CORPORATIONs the same thing anyway?

HERO and stooge both laugh

HERO: Fair enough. Well at least I get some of the funding for development right?

CORPORATE stooge: Where here’s the thing, our researchers and bio-electricians have determined that at the current rate of PIX-CELL flow to the brain it is possible to get a disconnect with reality… and if strapped into the system for too long it causes serious reality deficiencies to the brain. We did some testing and it looks like you’re liable for all the damage that this product will have on the PUBLIC.

HERO: The PUBLIC? We’re still in the testing phase!

CORPORATE stooge: Not according to this document you signed. It’s been at PUBLIC-MART since the moment you signed this document. We are not liable for this mess. I’m here to inform you that we’re shutting down your operation and no longer providing you funding. Article 29-17 B reads, In the event of damage or PUBLIC misusage damage and losses are to be owned by creator, one HERO H. MATTHEWS. All belongings and documents related to the PIX-CELL shall be seized by GOV.CORP.COM and locked in a secret basement until the year 3059. Then we flush it down the toilet if toilets are still around then.

HERO: I probably should’ve read that document a little closer. Kinda weird about the toilet thing.

CORPORATE stooge: Yeah… well, you’ve been served I guess… here is all the paper work. Have a nice day!

HERO: Improv cursing having to do with pixcells, social media, and a desperate man hitting bottom. He is kicking chairs, throwing the paperwork around, throwing things off the table, and being loud. Cue music.

04 – I’m Ruined

I’m RUINED!!!!!

This wasn’t supposed to happen
It happened all so rapid
It wasn’t supposed to be like this
I didn’t even break surface

This wasn’t how I planned it
The market is demanding
I am good for nothing
And I’m a good for nothing haaaaaaaaack!

and now I’ve got to start from scratch

Keep the money coming
To keep the lights running
To keep my lady happy
I must take some action

How can I crawl back from this?
I’m up to my neck in it
My life’s work is shit
My career mid-hissy-fit

(break down)

REPEAT last 6 lines minus the last 2. 

LOVE and BUDDY come up at the end of his song and interrupt his rampage.

HERO: PIXEL SHIT, CRAP ON A LOG, PUBLIC BASTARDS….

LOVE: What is wrong with you, HERO?

BUDDY: What’s the racket man?

HERO: I’ve done a terrible thing. I sold the PIX-CELL to the GOVERNMENT and they’ve sold it to some crazy CORPORATIONS!

BUDDY: Well, aren’t they the same thing?

ALL: Hahahaha, LOL!

BUDDY: Ahhh, never gets old. But seriously, I guess people’s brains are getting cut off  from reality when used too much. We need to test this right away before they come in here and take all our equipment.

BUDDY: Wait a second, OUR EQUIPMENT!

HERO: Listen here man we’ve got lives to save. We’re in this together!

BUDDY: But we’re still in the testing phase. We could’ve found that out ourselves in one or two more days of testing and figured out how to regulate it. How do they have access to everything already?

HERO: They’ve been selling it for days in stores. I gave them the basic scheme on a napkin and they wrote me this check… and now before we can cash it I’m sure they’ve stopped payment on it.

BUDDY: (Zooms over to hero and slaps him hard twice – perhaps loud goofy sound effects) YOU FOOL!
I must find a way to stop this madness you’ve created.

Runs out of the room towards testing.

LOVE: What does this mean, HERO?

HERO: It means you’ve married a failure. I had such a good idea and I let my greed ruin it. I’ve sold out and now I’m made to look like a fool. This could’ve been avoided if I had just paid attention rather than getting greedy.

LOVE: What can I do to help?

HERO: Oh my beautiful darling, even in this time of need you’re willing to stand by me and my dreams. I must go warn the PUBLIC we’re doing all we can to fix the problem. Save our image.

Go see if BUDDY and the DEVELOPERS need help with testing I’ll be back as soon as I can.

LOVE: Oh, HERO! I love you, why do you have to be such a fool?

HERO: I don’t know. Shut up and kiss me!

The two embrace and the lights go down. END of Scene 1

Act 3 Scene 2 – HERO faces PUBLIC at PRESS conference – get’s ridiculed
HOST prepares the crowd for their scene then HERO takes a soapbox in front of the audience.
HOST: Well folks, it’s judgement day. We’re gonna need your help in telling HERO just how upset with him we really are. So feel free to boo or cheer him as you like. Look everyone is gathering at the PRESS conference.

Now with no further ado HERO H. MATTHEWS (music cue).

WEP TRACK 06 – plead

HERO: (sings to public and interacts with them)

I’m on my knees PUBLIC please
I’ve got my limits you’ve got these needs
We can pretend all day and night
The feelings mutual… right?

kissing babies, shakin’ hands, givin’ thumbs up, makin’ “Friends”

(2 phrase pause for blocking/dancing/shaking hands/kissing babies)

We un-cap the limiter of your dreams!
You’ll be sorry you’ve been relieved
Our product was released without testing
Second chances gives our product new meaning

(fun fill and little dance)
Give… a second chance… just give us… a second chance

(PART C – iPad Ref)

I’ve consulted with my DEVELOPERS
They’ve assured me that… this was irregular
This… gives us a chance… to do it better… it… gives us a chance to do it better!

Since I was a boy… I’ve been a dreamer
This is a culmination of something bigger
My team has helped me tap into something brighter
Give me a fortnight to make this better

I’m on my knees PUBLIC please
I’ve got my limits you’ve got these needs
We can pretend all day and night
The feelings mutual you can imagine what’s right
Give… a second chance… just give us… a second chance
This… give us a chance… to do it better… it… gives us a chance to do it better!

Song end and HERO steps off of his pedestal right onto the toe of a reporter.

REPORTER 4: Watch where you’re going knucklehead!

HERO: Who are you calling knucklehead? Why I oughta…..

Just then camera comes out of nowhere and snaps a photo of HERO about to punch reporter. Instantly, HOST comes out with new paper instantly.

HOST: Extry, Extry! Corrupt Science Nerd assaults reporter at press conference. Is a huge all around bummer! Becomes viral instantly! Public cries, “FAIL”

Act 3 Scene 3 – The Death of LOVE and BUDDY

HERO frantically runs inside to find LOVE and BUDDY and some of the DEVELOPERS overloaded and in a coma (eventually dead). Some DEVELOPERS still alive are crying. 

HERO: Oh…  my god! What… what happened!?! (holds LOVE)

DEVELOPER 1: We went out to take a break and get some coffee and when we got back they were… they were… GONE! (pouts)

HERO: How long have they been like this?

LOVE: (coming to… sounding very weak) H-H-HERO

HERO: My LOVE you’re alive!

LOVE: HERO… I’m fading (music cue -Love sings (steals show) as she dies. Could prelude to final song)

07 – Why You Pinch My Love Handles?

Do you remember the moment we met?
Before your hair was speckled grey
You were always such a dreamer, my HERO
Shhhh (covers lips with fingers)… there’s not much more to say

lemme say…

Remember what you said when we first kissed
That stars collided far, far away
That universes were being born and some
That universes were blowing away

I laughed and knew to stay (!?!)

HERO can you see me, I’m FADING?
I wish I were making plans for staying
Quick, kiss me HERO, HERO, I’m FADING!
Baby, baby, baby… I’m saying…

I can’t last… another day

HERO: (talking) But… my LOVE… my muse…

don’t leave me… I need you! I’M SORRY!

LOVE:

HERO can you see me, I’m FADING?
I wish I were making plans for staying
Quick, kiss me HERO, HERO, I’m FADING!
Baby, baby, baby… I’m saying…

I can’t last… another day

LOVE:

Good-bye… my… HERO (she dies but music can have a nice subtle/sad transition).

DEVELOPER 2: HERO… she’s gone.

DEVELOPER 1: Damn it HERO. We can fix this! All you need is the initial stimulus and you can coast in a state of consciousness for quite some time… they only overdosed because we didn’t know the brain would overload and shut down. We can fix this and honor their memory.

HERO: No… no… NO! It’s over! It’s dead. Let my ugly selfish life destroying dream die with me… take me out boys!

Keys and drums start 
08 – Fun’s Over

My dream has died
Buried alive
I sold my own
I’m all alone

The greed did arise
and cause my demise
Once surrounded by the ones I loved
Now cursed and alone

This blasted pixel has caused me hell
To this world I’ll say farewell
I’ve killed the love of my life
I’ve killed my best friend… I haven’t told his wife

(dialogue with the developers and the play and plead with him not to kill himself)

I’M DONE WITH THE WORLD
I’M DONE WITH STUPID DREAMS
I’VE BEEN RIPPED AT THE SEEMS
I MISS MY WIFE

The greed did arise
and cause my demise
Once surrounded by the ones I loved
Now cursed and alone

HERO then takes the machine as song continues to build into a mass noise and then some crazy synth and band noise until one of the lead of the band turns the machine off which cuts off the entire noise. HERO collapses. The band leader runs to him…

DEVELOPER #3: HERO! Are you alive?

HERO: (slowly wakes up) Am I… am I dead?

DEVELOPER #3: No. I don’t think so. Anyway… so me and the guys were talking… (super fast nerd speak) what if we limit the PIX-CELL output by slowing the signal and finding other ways to prevent OVERLOAD from happening.

DEVELOPERS: (amongst themselves) Yeah, hell yeah. Sweet. Let’s do this. BOOYAH!

HERO: That’s great and all… but can I finish this song or what?

DEVELOPERS: Oh yes go ahead!

HERO: 

The greed did arise
and cause my demise
Once surrounded by the ones I loved
Now cursed and alone

Act 3 Scene 3.5 – It 
HOST runs in with one more newspaper. HERO and team of nerds correct their product and implement a proper testing phase! PUBLIC forgives HERO! Cast comes out one at a time as It’s In the Paper It Must Be True riff plays out and cast takes a bow… perhaps finishing with one last verse! 

HOST: EXTRY EXTRY READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!! HERO and team of nerds correct their product and implement a proper testing phase! PUBLIC forgives HERO!

x—————x

x::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::x

x—————x

Technical brief

Assets & Timeline

Characters

Scenes

Live Script & Video promo snippets

Animations (representing exploding imaginations)

Viral spread of pixel eating

Ironic marketing

Live show focused otherwise

Movie view @ Bourbon

Vimeo & YouTube release parties

Website/Facebook/ETC SOCIAL

CAST & Crew

Musicians: 5-8

1 Lead Guitar

1 Rhythm Guitar

1 Keys (More synth than piano)

1 Drums

1 Bass

2 Violins

1 Cello

More instruments as director and band see fit.

Venue/Promo material

Downloadable material

Make up/Costume

3-5 promo videos, and fake ‘PixCell’ videos.

Mommy, Where Do Lyrics Come From?

Find the final edited article here.

I have a box that has almost every poem I’ve ever written since my brief stint with insomnia in high school (about 13 years of poems). I’ve gone through most of my life processing the world around me by breaking it down and making light of it, even if I’m the only one that understands it.

My writing process after high school can be summed up by bands I’ve been in:

R$B started in about 2002. At the time I wrote long bantering lyrics about politics, morals, and religion. I just assumed I could change the world and that everyone was going out of their way to read my cleaver thoughts. I was deeply mistaken. Then, I had a wicked Harry Nilson phase and thought simpler structures with deeper metaphors and sharp punch-lines were the easiest way to reach the crowd. Then I had a MIke Patton phase, developing sounds from the guitar hooks and rythms and writing lyrics into those sounds later on.

Rent Money Big: The Elevator Shaft from Love Drunk on Vimeo.=

I had to twist some arms but I got Drew (Rudebusch – The Fucking Smash and Where Are the Cars of the Future), Will (Holmes – Monkey Steals the Peach and Igriega Satan), and Nate (Bicak – Paying Bills) to write a couple lyrics here and there but in the end I made the final lyrical arrangement and melodies while jotting notes down while the band practiced or practice recordings we made.

In 2008 Nate (Bicak), Zach (Abresh), and Kayleigh (Speck) formed Knots. Call and response allowed Kayleigh and I to bring different parts of the song to life in different ways. It was most fun to sing and easier to remember then the long R$B stuff. In my song writing I gave the lyrics room to breath and made it easy improv certain parts within the general idea, and would sometimes even interact with the crowd during a certain part of a song. I was more free to just let loose and not worry about anything but belting it out.

Now in Irkutsk, it’s a team effort with Courtney. It’s been really fun bouncing ideas off one another trying to complete one whole idea. If either one of us comes up with an idea we will text it back and forth or send a facebook message. A few song names came out of failed band names.

Irkutsk at O’Leavers from Ingrained on Vimeo.

Thinking about my evolving process made me curious. I wanted to hear how other artists broke down the lyrical process. I asked some talented Nebraska songwriters to give us some insight into how they produce their lyrics for the likes of us listeners and poetry snobs.

Artists and bands (past and present):

Becky Lowry All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

Brendan McCauley Husbands, Thunderstandable

Brendan McGinn Her Fly Away Manner, Thunderstandable, MWMBLES

Bryan Klopping – Two Black Cats, Luminoso Lashkar, Bryan Klopping

Cooper Moon – Filthy Jim and Dim Light

Dan Jenkins – Ideal Cleaners, Drive-By Honky, Dr. Dan Medicine Woman

Django Greenblatt-Seay – Down with the Ship, The Answer Team, Grandpa Science

Jason Meyer – Talking Mountain

Jenna Morrison – Conduits, Son Ambulance

Nick Tarlowski – JV Allstars, Good With Guns, Heat Machine

Orion Walsh – Orion Walsh and Slow Coming Day

Teal Gardner – UUVVWWZ, Crumbs, Ingrid Blood

1. Tell us about how you write lyrics. What’s the process. Is there a routine? Do you use a keyboard, pencil, pen?
BECKY: I’m really fond of Sharpie pens and either my Moleskine or graph paper. I really enjoy graph paper.

BRENDAN McC: When Husbands began and it was time to start writing lyrics I pulled them all from the notebook. However, starting with “Sex Desert,” I have begun not writing anything down, but rather writing the music and then mumbling on top of the music until something comes up. I feel this way is much more honest to the particular song. I’m not going back to ideas that are separate and trying to make them fit. So you could say I do my best “writing” in the practice room with Devin (McCauley, bass) and Dave (Ozinga, drums) standing around.

BRENDAN McG: It’s varied over the years. I used to write before going to bed and then at the next practice see if anything fit with new material. Sometimes it would take months before the right words fit with the right song.

Now I just try to write down ideas any chance I get, like while having a beer after work. I use paper and pen.

BRYAN: My lyric writing takes the form of my surroundings. I have many .txt documents floating in my digital debris with anything from one-liners to entire sets of songs. The same is true for notebooks and memories. Words everywhere.

COOPER: I like the writing process to be as natural as possible. I usually start with writing the song then add in vocal melody. lyrics, most times, come later. I like to work it out. pick a theme and see what comes out my mouth. most times I just say what’s on my mind.

DAN: Lyrics are initially written as I’m playing the song. I sing words or phrases that fit the part, and then I usually go back and tweak them, although I will sometimes keep some of the original parts.

DJANGO: I write on everything. I scatter thoughts and ideas in notebooks at home and at work. I text or email myself a line here and there. But I put my best work on the backs of business cards. Most of these business cards are my own, so whenever I find myself giving someone my card, I always have to check the back of it first.

JASON: I usually have some sort of interaction with a friend or whoever and decide to write a song about it. I don’t like to write very literally, so I’ll pick a theme (space, trains, wizardry, etc.) and write about the interaction in a roundabout, abstract sort of way. Sometimes I’ll have some sort of dream or just suddenly come up with a line or two. I try and figure out what my brain was trying to tell me, and then write around it. Like a spiral, spinning from the middle on out. Usually just keep everything committed to memory, though I’ll jot things down with a pencil on whatever I can find.

JENNA: Well, the lyric writing in Conduits is largely a collaborative effort. Luckily, the three of us who do the majority of lyric writing (Myself, JJ Idt and Nate Mickish), have styles that mesh well together.

NICK: I used to write with pen and paper. In college, I’d spend most of my class time writing and doodling and not paying much attention… Did I get good songs out of it? Meh… not really. Just wasted a lot of good study time in class. Anymore I just use my laptop. I can have a thesaurus, a rhyming dictionary and easy editing at my fingertips. Plus I can listen to a song’s demo version and write from there. I really don’t write much without the computer. Oh, and I make notes on the go on a notepad in my ipod.

ORION: I always use pen and paper to write lyrics down. Sometimes lyrics to a song all come at once and other times just a chorus or a verse will come to me. Then I’ll usually go back later and try to finish the song. It depends on if the music is there at first or if it comes later as well. Sometimes a song can be written in only a few minutes. Other times a song will go unfinished for months.

TEAL: There are many approaches. It is useful to have a beat in my head. I used to listen to a song and then use the momentum of the memory of it to encourage an outpouring. Lately I think of an image. The keyboard has become a useful tool for getting into the space of my own thoughts. I start typing and am guided by what appears there. I move from the screen to paper once I understand what I’m saying. Images let themselves become symbols when I push them out of me. I pull them back in with a pen.

2. Where do you do your best writing?

BECKY: I do my best writing in my car. The problem is I also do my best forgetting in my car.

BRENDAN McC: I used to carry around a notebook all the time and write in it. This was before Husbands. I’d write down stream-of-consciousness type things, just to get them out of my system. They would be oblique observations, or questions – bizarre questions. This notebook, I took it with me on this three-month trip I took to the West Coast, and I wrote a lot about freedom and responsibility. I’d just graduated college and thinking about what I was going to do next, and what was expected of me. This is where the question from the Husbands song, Lawyer Dad, came from – “What if I was your lawyer and you were my dad?”

BRENDAN McG: The majority of Her Flyaway Manner’s lyrics were written in the bedroom, or in a class in college. Now, location has no baring on the product.

BRYAN: Two extreme opposites. First is with a glass of encouragement on ice at my computer. The other one is stone sober in nature.

COOPER: Out of nowhere. Ideas can just come to you in the strangest places. I like to run with that.

DAN: A lot of it is done in the car, listening to practice recordings, then jotting down lyric ideas in a notebook. Probably not a good idea as far as safety is concerned, but when I’m excited about something my priorities are often out of order.
 


DJANGO: Basements and cars.

JASON: All alone on the couch. Late at night when I’m trying to sleep and can’t shut my brain off.

NICK: I used to write with pen and paper. In college, I’d spend most of my class time writing and doodling and not paying much attention… Did I get good songs out of it? Meh… not really. Just wasted alot of good study time in class. Anymore I just use my laptop. I can have a thesaurus, a rhyming dictionary and easy editing at my fingertips. Plus I can listen to a song’s demo version and write from there. I really dont write much without the computer. Oh, and I make notes on the go on a notepad in my ipod.

ORION: I think I have done some of my better writing when I was homeless and living out of a van. I literally had no computer, tv, or anything to keep me busy other than my guitar and the thoughts in my head. I have written other good songs while on the road traveling or at home as well though. I think a change of scenery always inspires me to write.

TEAL: Home.

3. What is your favorite topic to write about?

BECKY: Books and schmoopery and driving.

BRENDAN McC: It would be dishonest for me to answer that because I’m not
completely in touch with the place my lyrics come from, but my favorite lyrics have always been lyric-writers who themselves grapple with contradictions. One of my favorite lyricists is Marvin Gaye, who was really spiritual, but also really sexual, and also really a troubled man of the flesh.
I learned a lot about writing lyrics from Justin Kohmetscher, when I was in Thunderstandable with him.

He demystified the process for me, because he would draw lyrics from anything and everything. He took lyrics off of warning labels on furnaces, from other people, from other songs, from conversations he had heard, and from jokes we made in band practice. He was totally open. I like to think I inherited that openness from him. He is my all-time favorite songwriter. Period.

When I write a lyric and I didn’t have a conscious meaning behind it, I tend to go back and analyze what it does mean, so I can understand it better, and know what I’m singing about.

BRENDAN McG: I used to write about the “everyday” situations. The “not-so-spectacular” type stuff. Lately, I have been more spurred on by learning about misdoings of corporations like Monsanto and finding that what I learned about my country doesn’t always jive with reality. Noam Chomski and the like have been really inspiring over the past year or two.

BRYAN: Historically, most of my stuff is auto-biographical, but recently I have been writings songs of hope for humanity. You know, like “hang in there”.

COOPER: I guess that would be whatever is goin’ on around me. I call ’em like I see ’em.

DAN: I think my favorite thing to do is to create characters and situations based on actual people I know and actual situations I’ve witnessed or heard about, but skewing things to the point of non-recognition. 



JASON: People I know.

DJANGO: Sans religion.

NICK: At my house when I am home alone. I cant really write with distractions. No TV, no music (unless its the stuff I’m working on).

ORION: I use to write a lot of songs about my personal life, loss, and love or the lack there of. I got into storytelling songs as well that tell either partially true stories or are completely fictitious. I also write songs about politics, money, and the government. Who knows what’s next.

TEAL: Movement.

4. Do you like writing about love or heartache, or do you stay away from it?

BECKY: That’s all I really ever write about in one way or another. I’m kind of a sap, a lump of schmoopy goodness.

BRENDAN McC: I don’t like to talk about love in any obvious way, and if I do, it has to be steeped in some kind of irony. It’s a topic that has been touched on so many times, and rightly so. It’s a big deal to our culture.
However, I don’t want to be caught writing about it and meaning it. I don’t know why. I’d rather sing about sex, anyhow. And I do. A lot.

BRENDAN McG: When HFM started I found it was easiest to write about love etc, but now I try to avoid it.

BRYAN: No. Embracing that sort of thing is so 90’s.

COOPER: I wouldn’t say I like writing about it. I most definitely write about. I write about what I’m feeling. Be it about heart ache, back ache, or headaches.

DAN: I stay away from it. Or at least hide it really, really well.

DJANGO: I used to write a lot about my personal relationships. It’s simple. It’s easy. It’s good, too. Everyone can relate to it. It’s also the stuff my friends/band mates make fun of me the most about.
Over the past year or two, I’ve been writing more about social issues. These days, if I write about love and heartache, it has more to do with a friends’ experiences. If you have an empathic personality, then you’ll never run out of things to write about.

JASON: I certainly don’t make a conscious effort to stay away from it, but it seems to generally work out that way. I definitely leaned toward it when I was younger.

NICK: Well, whatever comes to mind really. 🙂

ORION: I think every human has experienced or will at some time experience love and heartache. Thus if you are writing songs that are honest you are going to write about this subject at some point.

TEAL: I can’t anymore, and that makes me sad, to think that something is lost now, like my ability to just be totally in love and in love with that so much to have to see it… to hear it in a song. I think about different things now through the language I use to write music. It is tragic that I’ve lost it. I don’t write about that, either

5. Any politics or satire?

BECKY: Not yet. Of the two, I would likely err more on the side of satire. The thing is, I use music as an escape more often than not. Politics don’t scare me, but the music I typically enjoy listening to, even the stuff that makes me think, keeps away from politics. So, that’s what I aim for. I mean, I write for me first anyway.

BRENDAN McC: I try to avoid politics in my songwriting, at least consciously, but they do sometimes come out anyway.

BRENDAN McG: Definitely becoming more political…

BRYAN: Very little.

COOPER: Oh yeah.

DAN: Politics will peek in sometimes, but I try to avoid specifics. Getting specific can date a song immediately. 



DJANGO: Irkutsk sucks.

JASON: No political. No real satire either. Sarcastic observations of normal situations wrung through an absurd filter.

NICK: Not so political with the bands I play in now, but I enjoy music with political themes.

ORION: Definitely.

TEAL: Substance.

6. Do you prefer to write your lyrics in front of the rest of the band (if applicable), later by yourself, or with one member of the group?

BECKY: I’ll admit, I’ve never tried writing a song with the band because I started writing before them. It might be something to try, but for all the truly embarrassing stuff I’ve written, I feel like it’s safer to write in private.

BRENDAN McC: It’s really funny for me to have Devin and Dave tell me what they think I’m singing, because it isn’t always clear to them.

BRENDAN McG: For HFM, I write alone, and when I feel comfortable with the lyrics, I’ll share them with the guys.

Thunderstandable was more of a group process, more open to suggestions from everyone. If one of us said something silly, or misspoke – garbling up our words usually made for some fun lyrics. Elements of conversations taken out of context worked wonders for us.

BRYAN: Self with possible modification upon presentation.

COOPER: Lyrics, for me, just come together. Be it with the band, by myself, at work with friends, wherever.

DAN: By myself, although in practice I’ll make up lyrics on the spot, as we’re learning a song. Lots of times I end up keeping those lyrics because they usually make us, or at least me, laugh.



DJANGO: It depends on the band. If I have a well-formulated thought, I’ll run it by the band. Normally it would be within the context of the writing process as a whole, so we can talk about syncopation and the such.

JASON: I write them alone. As a band, I think we’ve refined a line or two here and there. If I have to sing them, I want to write them.

JENNA: I think, collaboratively (Conduits), we all have different approaches, but inevitably, ride on similar emotional waves, which allows working together to be pretty fluid. Generally, when someone else brings something (lyrics, music) to the table, the rest of us tend to say “Hm… Yeah. I like that. Let’s see where we can take this.” We are all pretty open to suggestion, and are happy to change something if it helps the song paint a more fitting picture to match the vision. Everyone usually ends up pretty happy with the final product.

NICK: It used to be very hard to show my lyrics to people or to try to explain them in detail. I got over that though. The mere fact that you write is a form of reaching out. I don’t go around saying to people, “Hey, read these new lyrics I wrote!” But I do post them on the web and have no fear of showing them to my bands. Most of the time they come across just like I want them to. Sometimes they suck and need fixing. I trust my friends and bandmates to give me some of their input, plus more than one brain on a song can make a good song great.

ORION: When I was in a band I very rarely wrote lyrics with the band around. I always write better alone and would bring the lyrics to the band once we had a song idea worked out.

TEAL: I generate a lot of words. Editing is done solo, but I write around anyone. It is fun to tell Jim what I am writing about. He’ll sit down and really take it in because he really cares.

7. What do you use as inspiration? (members the opposite sex, dreams, refrigerator magnets, internet memes, etc.)?

BECKY: When I am between muses (as I am right now), I rely on stories, be it books I’m reading, stories from my friends, memories of good times or sad times gone by. Mostly though, and honestly, there will typically be a muse involved (someone who I want to say things to or write things for that I have no gumption to do in reality) and that usually carries me pretty well.

BRYAN: This is a hard question. I bet most people agree. I’ve been focusing on art lately with a keen eye for abstraction. Maybe my art is influencing my music? I want things to get weird.

COOPER: The shit I’ve done or has been done to me in my life.

DAN: Playing the guitar is usually enough to inspire me to sing along.



DJANGO: Normally, it’s through something I read or a song someone else wrote, or through a conversation.

JASON: Dreams. Interactions. Situations.

NICK: My inspiration is a desire to play. I love playing live. I need songs to play, therefore I need to write. I write enough about myself on facebook and whatnot… people can access each other so effortlessly now… Songs are a statement. When I have something to say, I generally do it song-wise. It serves two purposes: I feel I have figured myself out a little better, in a way, and I have more material to jam with my bands.

ORION: I would say I use my personal life and the people and experiences around me for inspiration for writing. I find that real events and circumstances make for better songs.

TEAL: Inspiration is in everything. It is trying to pare down the subjects which takes the most discipline.

8. What are you going for in your writing (ex. clever lyrics, word play, irony)? Is there anything you avoid? Any rules you abide by?

BECKY: I aim to write things that make me happy or excited to sing them. I also try so hard to avoid self-deprecating stuff. It’s real easy to get down on myself. As far as rules though, I don’t really have any. Mostly just the more corny or the more sentimental, the better.

BRENDAN McC: I don’t think lyrics are all that important to the listener, especially with the kind of music I’m making. It’s more important to get lyrics I can be pumped about singing. Husbands isn’t a lyric-driven experience. It’s about the band. The lyrics are just another piece of the puzzle.

BRENDAN McG: I try to be direct, yet aloof enough to be open to interpretation. I like to avoid sing about “that” or “this” or “it.” I need to be more specific than that.

BRYAN: After nearing the completion of an English degree in creative writing, I realized I really can’t stand contrived lyrics etc. I avoid cliches, cursing, and venting. Maybe I don’t want words in music. I think someone once said that real music has no words. I’m starting to agree.

COOPER: Just trying to explain myself.

DAN: I really just want to entertain myself. I pepper the lyrics with inside jokes, lines that are funny to me for unspecified reasons and things that might seem nonsensical to others. Sometimes they are, but I’ve usually included everything for a reason. And I love to switch pronouns: Write something with “I” and then change it to “he” or “you.” That’s my big secret. My rule is that if something seems slightly embarrassing or corny to you, it probably seems that way to other people, too. So eliminate everything that seems embarrassing or corny.



DJANGO: I probably don’t use a formula. I like to keep things vague enough that I can change my mind as to what the song is about, as I experience new things in the future. Having said that, some of my shit is straight to the point and, well…inherently, it’s shit.

JASON: I certainly try to mask what I’m writing about to avoid any confrontation about it. Other than that, I try to write timelessly for myself so I won’t hate something down the line.

JENNA: I tend to take a poetic approach – trying to use metaphors and textures to help whomever is listening create their own vision of what the song is about, rather than forcing on them personal thoughts or experiences from which the lyrics have stemmed. I like to play with emotions, be vulnerable, and try to open up the listener. Often, the lyrics take on darker tones (much like some of our music, itself), but I work to make them vague enough to where the listener might not realize the song they are listening to is about a murderer, or someone I’ve lost, or the state of the world. Hopefully, this allows the person to have their own meanings and experiences that they share with the song.

NICK: I really try to avoid tired metaphors and genre-specific cliches. For example, how many pop-punk bands have described their lover’s power over them as having a ‘gun to their heads?’ Answer: Tons of them. This metaphor would be something to avoid. 🙂

ORION: My goal when writing a song is to impact the listener and to make him or her think. There is not a whole lot to my music and the words are definitely and always will be the focus. I find that I am usually a better lyricist than a musician.

TEAL: I am trying to evoke concepts that are intriguing. I am trying to create spaces and images where the listener can linger, like in a museum or an alleyway or at the foot of a tree. I want there to be small treasures. Nothing should be immediately categorical. It is not intentionally elusive, but it asks for a creative contribution from the listener. Imagination is a creative act.

9. Where do your ideas come from?

BECKY: See the answer to question number 7.

BRENDAN McG: Over the past few years my ideas come from being educated on issues or why things, possibly in the news, etc- have happened. There’s a song about the fact that I had some dream… There’s a song about how interesting cats are.
It’s been more difficult to write, or to be inspired to write now that I am content in my life.

BRYAN: I’m gonna pass on this one. I’m still trying to figure it out.

COOPER: Day to day life.

DAN: My magical brain.



DJANGO: Irkutsk. That band is amazing.

JASON: Mentioned before, but dreams are a big one. Interactions and situations with people I know.

NICK: The song fairy. Oh, and experience too. Sometimes not though. Ill tell a story now and again.

ORION: Real life experiences.

TEAL: Experience of the world, curiosity, sensitivity to surroundings, media, readings, art.

10. Do you like writing sober or not-so-sober?

BECKY: I don’t know that I’ve ever sat down to write a song after drinking.

BRENDAN McG: Both have worked well. No big preference there.

BRYAN: The latter. My self-censor is on overload if I’m completely sober.

COOPER: Spontaneous glory

DAN: Either will do. Not-so-sober writing will often times seem like it’s the best writing you’ve ever done, but then you read it when you’re sober and the truth is revealed. But like most not-so-sober activities, it’s still fun.



DJANGO: I’ve only ever been sober.

JASON: I’ll occasionally write stoned, but I don’t really care one way or the other.

NICK: Both. Writing not-so-sober can be really quick and easy or really bad and pointless. Writing sober is generally the clean-up stage after a night of drunken rambling, although I have a tendency to over-think sometimes.

ORION: I have written most of my songs sober, but some have been written while under the influence.

TEAL: All is good as long as its truly productive. I don’t want to come back to a work and hate it later because I made it while drunk. To me that is a waste of time.

11. Sum up your writing style.

BECKY: I write precious lyrics about un-ironically enjoying the human experience. Even the sucky parts of it. And Sharpie pens rule my life.

BRENDAN McG: I’m not sure I can sum up my writing style.
It’s a fluid and dynamic process. It varies, and could be witty at times or angry and aggressive.
Writing lyrics tends to follow the creation of the song but needs to be able to stand by itself.

BRYAN: How many words do I get? One? Hopeful. Two? Feel good. Three? Talking beats singing. Four? Words are not necessary. Five? Now I’m just getting redundant.

COOPER: Either/or. some of my fav’s have come when blackout wasted. lucky I had a pen. I like to rely on what I call spontaneous glory.

DAN: Something I have to do so I have something to do while I’m playing the guitar.


DJANGO: I guess I’ve never really thought specifically about my writing style. I just write about what’s important to me. That’s usually friends, family, social issues, logic and reason.

JASON: Things that seem important to me abstracted and messed with so no one else can figure it out.

NICK: In a word? Selfish.

ORION: I would say my current writing style consists of personal, political, and storytelling lyrics laid out in the traditional folk format which is generally verse, verse, verse for a song. Though many of my songs do take on a traditional pop format song structure which is verse, chorus, verse chorus. The difference with my writing is I usually leave out the bridge section which is used in most pop songs. I have always liked to keep things simple and to the point. The most important aspect of a song to me is the lyrics and what is being portrayed through those words to the listener.

TEAL: Impressionistic and honest.

Clawfoot house performance

Thanks to multimedia artist Bryan Klopping for posting this video of me reading “Juxtapussy”!

HN.org A Thunderstandable Reunion (unedited)

A Thunderstandable Reunion
HearNebraska.org
See the final article HERE

by Timothy Scahill

When my friend Drew told me about Thunderstandable (2003ish) I thought for sure he was joking about the band name, then I heard who was in it and put the CD in the stereo instantly. Just as instantly, I was a fan. The booming drums, the quirky random lyrics, tumbly guitar/bass/drum rhythms and planned hick ups. They (TS), were a mentally abusive band that made you think, interact, and giggle with them… all while nodding your head to the hooks.
Touching Tits is a very hot track I highly recommend.

http://www.thunderstandable.com/music/touchintits.mp3

The members of of Thunderstandable consist of Brendan McGinn , Justin Kometcher, Brendan McCauley, & Anderson Anderson (really? haha).
Most of the guys are in various legendary local bands (Her Fly Away Manner, Dean Arm Band, MWMBLES, & more).

Brendan McCauley and Justin Kohmetscher have since gone to school, lived various places and moved back, and started new projects. I sat down with the all four members at La Mexicana for margaritas, five years after their last show.

We talked about sounds, Lincoln, the underground DIY movement in the 2000s, what has changed, and even got into some intra-memes.

HN: Let’s start with some influences for the newbs… Thunderstandable sounds like?

Kometcher: Austin (Skyles) always told me it (TS) sounded very 90s. I never really understood what he meant by that, but I think I understand where he’s coming from generally.

McCauley: My cousin once told me Justin sounded like Ozzy Osbourne.

Kometcher: Oh yeah… Andy Fairbairn always described us as… umm… what was it…

McGinn: Math Sabbath.

Kometcher: Ahhh, Yeah

McCauley: When I first met Justin and Brendan, they had been playing before I joined, they said they had been listening to Led Zepplin and the band Oxes… who I subsequently listen to a lot of.

HN: When was the last Thunderstandable show, and how has life been since?

Kometcher: We had two last shows. One at Duffy’s and one at Chatterbox, before it was Box Awesome.

McCauley: August of 2005

McGinn: I have that on a crappy video tape and and some audio tape.

HN: And life since?

McGinn: I had a baby. Miles.

McCauley: I went to, and graduated from college.

McGinn: Which is pretty awesome.

Kometcher: I did the exact same thing as Brendan (McCauley)… so I’m gonna go ahead and piggy back off of his answer. Oh, and Dean Armband happened. That was cool.

Anderson: Oh wait a minute, I lost and found my dog. He left and three years later he came back and now I have him!

Order:
Kometcher: To start we’ll have the super nacho with chicken and beef.
McGinn: Torta El Pastor (out of it that night, got Pastor Taco instead)
Anderson: Langua Taco
McCauley: Steak Burrito
Scahill(HN): Steak Burrito
Kometcher: Could I get a number 23. Enchilada, chile, and taco combo.

Tongue Taco

HN: Explain how you guys met each other.

Kometcher: I met Brendan (McGinn) through Ben Armstrong at high school. He introduced us as people who might be interested in the same sorts of musical endeavors.

McGinn: Smart man!

Kometcher: He was quite a match maker. We hit it off very well! Adam (Anderson) and I went to junior high together.

McGinn: Justin (Kometcher) and Boz (Hicks) sent a message to the office saying they had high jacked my guitar and that it could be picked up at the house where Boz lived. Tim Kasher and Rob Mansil lived there at the time too.

McGinn: McCauley played in a band called Metropolitan Ape. I think it was a Bright Calm Blue show.

McCauley: All ages Knickerbockers show when they got back from a summer tour. I asked Brendan at that show about a band they had played with called, Signal to Trust who we had played with once. Then he had mentioned that Thunderstandable was looking for a bass player. I said, “Oh, I play bass!”

McGinn: Also you had the question that you already knew the answer to. It was, “Did you record that specific 7 inch of Bright Calm Blue?” and it was the one I didn’t record. After talking with him I went back to Justin and Adam and told them I think I found someone we need to play with.

McCauley: Well, Justin was there.

Kometcher: Yeah, McGinn and I conferred and I was like, “Yeah, let’s do it!”

McGinn: We had asked a few guys to play bass, Nam from Tie These Hands.

Anderson: Anderson Butler

McGinn: Austin Skyles played with us for a night or something like that. What was interesting with bringing McCauley into the picture was that we had only practiced a couple of times and then we went immediately into recording the Capitol Hott E.P. So before he was even familiar with all 5 of the songs he had already tracked Capitol Hot. So as far as learning the songs we were like, “don’t worry, just get through the band practice, play, have fun, whatever… and then we’ll just like really learn the stuff as we go.” So for him, already having the skill set to play the bass but then to bring him in to where the rest of us were over time, there was a direct creative dialogue that was then absent in the last 6-7 songs.
So, it was like, this is what we’re doing and he picked it up and ran with it. So we (the Brendans) were able to form a real tight rhythm section while the other guys were… well, it didn’t really matter what they were playing (all laugh), we’re just going to play this together…. k? Got it? Good!

I have fond memories about that whole process.

McCauley: Yeah, that was good.

Kohmetscher: It was nice to not have to worry about… not necessarily always being on. Because Adam and I had more freedom with Brendan and Brendan.

HN: The Brendan Rhythm.
Could you talk more about recording and that process?

Kohmetscher: The first one was mostly recorded in the 222 house basement.

McGinn: On 19th Street. Pro-Tools and an M-Box.

Kohmetscher: We did some at your house (to McGinn).

Anderson: We recorded at the Alley once.

McGinn: Culture Center.

McCauley: My favorite place we played at was the place across from Zen’s.

Kohmetscher: Wait, I don’t remember recording at the Alley!

McGinn: Next to the Silver Spoke. When we were with Naked Rob, and we were practicing at this weird place by the strip club.

McCauley: Next to the Night Before Lounge.

Kohmetscher: I don’t even remember practicing there. I remember the place next to Harry’s.

McCauley: Then there was that place across from Mum’s. It was right after that.

Anderson: Oh my god! Yeah, that was ILL!

McGinn: So, anyhow we recorded these little demos at all these different places, but we tracked the drums at the 222 house. So, with the M-Box we were always recording 2 channels at a time. So we’d record an overhead mic and a bass drum mic. Justin or Adam would help me play the whole song throughout. Then whenever someone was available we’d record their tracks separately. So, a lot of stuff was kind of finished aside from having a bass track.

Then, I was booking shows at the Culture Center and I had some shows fall through. So we grabbed a specific date. So one time Justin and I went in and recorded 3 other songs which were probably our 6-9th songs. We did the same sort of process. We recorded all the songs in that late August.

Anderson: We recorded stuff at 9th and Van Dorn before Justin left Boz’s house. So we’ve recorded at EVERY place!

Kohmetscher: The recording sounds very… well, piecemeal is very derogatory. I don’t mean it to sound like that. But there were a couple of songs on that first record where we switched vocal mics half way through the song. So there are some distinct differences to me that aren’t evident to most people.

Anderson: OH! What about practicing up in the Parish Project!?!

McCauley: Yeah! That’s right!

HN: Describe each other’s new bands. Dirty Talker describe Husbands and vice versa. GO!

Kometcher: Husbands reminds me, actually, talk about 90s, reminds me of some 90s bands that I was really, really interested in. I think it has something to do with the way Brendan (McCauley) is doing vocals. A Minor Forest is one that I think about when I’ve seen you guys so far. Only its… more danceable is the wrong way to put it, but you are more danceable.

McGinn: A little more of a groove.

Kometcher: More so than intellectual 90s rock. Yeah, with a groove.

McGinn: Brendan (McCauley)’s playing guitar now, where he was playing bass in TS.

McCauley; (To waiter) I’ll have one more [Margarita], and by one more I mean who knows how many more!

Anderson: 7 more!

(All laugh, margaritas kicking in)

McGinn: In Husbands there’s kind of a noodle-y sound, not noodle-y as in haphazard but more flowing kind of guitar.
I’m liking it! The youtube song is great!

Kometcher: Yeah, I’ve gotten that stuck in my head. Whistling it all day in my apartment.

McCauley: That’s good.

Kometcher: What is it called, ‘Desert’?

McCauley: Sex Desert

Husbands: “Sex Desert” from Love Drunk on Vimeo.

Kometcher: Oh yeah, that will get many, many, many more hits than just Desert.
There was a song that Dean Armband had that was on YouTube that was called The Return of Tuff Hedeman because TS had a song a long time ago called Tuff Hedeman that has like 40,000 hits!

CAREFUL, IT’S VERY LOUD and LIVE:

See Thunderstandable New Years Eve 2010-2011
w/
Rent Money Big
& Machete Archive

12.31.10 (Dub’s Birthday Bash)

athoughtbytim: greatest hits

In 2007, Tim didn’t have a real band… so instead, shamefully, he turned to Garageband and his lap top microphone (which crashed in 08). He then started singing the songs in bars and at coffee shops to get his live music fix and sometimes, it worked.

These recordings are athoughtbytim’s greatest hits. Some may be added later upon demand. Tim hopes to one day turn these songs into a simple funky coffee shop trio when he’s too old to scream. He would like to call it ‘Jena Was A Jet Pack.’

Some tracks (Matter Of Fracture, Compressed To Impress, Monderans & Worhols, & Life’s A Ball) produced by a young DJ Stryke and are used with limited permission. Theses tracks are for reference and memories only 🙂

…and yes tim refers to himself in third person on his blog sometimes. Deal with it.

HearNebraska.Org- Black Marketing (unedited)

Black Marketing:
Fashion Heard

Lincoln Calling Pre-Parties Wednesday-Friday!
Visit the website: LincolnCalling.com

Wednesday, September 29th
Black Market, 1033 O St.
free for all ages with ticket
0800pm Powerful Science
0840pmHigh Art

Thursday, September 30th
Black Market
free for all ages with ticket
0800pm Bonehardt Flannigan

Friday, October 1st
Black Market
0900 pm, free for all ages with ticket
WHITELODGE/blacklodge

Haven’t you HEARD fashion before? Well if you haven’t, you’re not listening very closely. A boutique clothing exchange and alternative shoe store on 11th and O is making some serious noise.
One of the hardest working women in Lincoln is making an impact on the Lincoln community. Jacklyn Geist and her team at Black Market have organized a tight ship consisting of hardcore work ethic, style, community, shows, and killer events!

Since the shop opened up 6 years ago, a lot has changed but the core crew has a strong voice in the Lincoln scene. Bad-ass birthday parties at rock venues, fashion shows, First Friday rock shows, benefit events, and more. Black Market isn’t afraid to put ‘IT’ all out there in order to do something bigger and better.

I sat down with Jackie and part of her team (Jake Gellinger & Tobias Burnham) and asked them about the love affair between music and fashion, business and local success, their upcoming Lincoln Calling pre-party shows, and more.

Tim:
Name some favorite things about Lincoln?

Tobias: I love the sense of community that Lincoln has, it’s like a bigger city but still keeps a small town feel to it.

Jackie: I love the downtown entertainment and schools around here provide a great amount of opportunities.

Jacob: I like the people. The the main reason I’m here still… is for the people.

Tim:
Least favorite things?

Jacob: Nebraska.

Tobias: Yeah, I feel like being in a conservative state we could be a little be more progressive, but the University helps with that… and kind of hinders that as well.

Jacob: And it’s tough because we are in the middle of everything.

Jackie: Things move a lot slower here so we kind of have to speed it up ourselves.

Tim:
Talk about Black Market’s relationship with music locally and music in general?

Jackie: Well, customers really feel the music we play. It really attracts a different feel from other stores in downtown Lincoln.

Tobias: We obviously aren’t playing top 40 hits in here… [interrupts himself] well… sometimes… that stuff is more of a guilty pleasure.

Tim:
I know I’ve heard GaGa in here!

Jacob: Only on Tuesdays.

Tobias: TRANNY TUESDAYS!

Jackie: …and Gucci Saturdays.

Tobias (continues): But I think also, we are friends with a lot of the people in the Lincoln music community, a lot of them shop here, the clothes here are a better fit on a musician’s budget, and a lot of them bring friends and a different crowds in here.

Jackie: When touring bands come to town to play for us or another venues we will really try and make a connection with them! Then, they tell other people and they’ll tell friends and they’ll want to come back.

Jackie: We also have a community events board where we allow people to put up fliers. People come in just to find out or post what’s going on. We love seeing the artwork that goes into each flier too. Like, for example, I love the flier with photo of Cathy Sypal on it. Angela, that did the jewelry, has sold stuff here before. It’s so good to see local artists continuing to grow with the community.

Tobias: Early on we were like, “What’s going on… why are there no fliers? We know stuff is going on around town,” and now it’s completely full of event fliers without us doing any of the posting. Just as the music scene has expanded we’ve had to expand our cork board.

Tobias: Our First Friday shows have really helped us pick up with the local music scene too. It first started with just art; then it was art and food; then art, food, and beer; and now art, food, beer, and music. It’s a new aspect we just started bringing to the store.

Tim:
Talk more about First Friday’s Art

Jackie: We started doing First Friday’s when we opened The Public about 2 years ago. Having events like that really sparked new connections between different events. We started with art, then went to food, which started introducing us to different caterers in town like Dish and Ivanna Cone, then we started having beer, so we got to know Nebraska Brewing Company and others like that and now bands. It’s been really successful. We’ve seen the same old faces but then on top of that the gallery walk brings in some of the older crowd you’d never expect to see in here, like people from Gallery 9 and Burkholder Project. They’re starting to come down because of their Downtown Lincoln Association map; it really helps bring the different age groups together. I know lots of faces in downtown Lincoln, so when I don’t know someone I get really excited to meet new people, new names to memorize.

Tim:
What do you see in Lincoln’s future?

Jackie: I think Lincoln is getting more progressive because of its young demographic. Lots of young entrepreneurs are starting music venues, design firms, and dot coms. We’re all getting really good at organizing each other as businesses, employees, and owners that work down town.
I think in the next 2 years Lincoln is just going to explode!

Tobias: I think with the arena opening up, for better or worse, it’s going to expand Lincoln’s business community, and bring many more people to town. Also, the expansion of the University is also going to get us better research facilities, and that’s going to help substantially with the city’s progress.
I just hope we don’t lose this tight knit community. In downtown Lincoln, we’re all friends with each other, we all love, know, and/or hate each other. Well, know each other at least. I think Lincoln has a lot of opportunity for progression.

Jacob: In the last three years I’ve noticed, since moving from Aurora to Lincoln, since before I moved here even, I’ve noticed a change already. Fashion, music, and art… those all go hand in hand. A lot more indie/younger people coming in and wearing things that I thought were different. Now I walk down the street and run into someone on the street who’s wearing the same thing as I am!

Tobias: I doubt that Jacob!

Tim:
Any local acts you’re excited about?

Tobias: UUVVWWZ is great! Spencer is always all over town and everyone loves him! BenTONE is blowing up quick too!

Jacob: I think he’s going on tour!

Jackie: It’s really nice seeing DJs going to other places to play now. There is this huge electric music scene that’s going on right now. Four years ago there wasn’t anything quite like it. The closest you had was Bricktop 80’s night. I think that’s because these kids are going out and seeing other stuff and bringing it back.

Bring ‘IT’ BACK, man!

Jacob: They’re bringing ‘IT’ back and they are bringing other DJs from other places back with them. In the past couple weeks we’ve had friends bring DJs from Chicago. That’s just because we’re getting out. Exposing ourselves to new and different things, meeting people, making connections… and bringing it back.

Tim: Tell me about your Lincoln Calling festivities.

Tobias: We’ll see how it goes. This is our first year as a venue for it so we don’t really know what to expect. We’re really excited to be a part of it and to get some bands/DJs in here. Obviously we don’t have a sound system or a stage, I think just helping to support smaller bands and to giving Lincoln Calling another venue gets us really excited for it; it’ll be interesting.

Jackie: Having a venue on this side of the 14th and O street area is hopefully going to expand Lincoln Calling and it’s awesome to see that progression and be a part of it.

Tobias: We’re just super excited to have a whole different vibe of people in here.

Jackie: Lincoln Calling for us is going to be all about the connections. Working with Jeremy Buckley for this whole event, bringing the festival to a new location, the network is expanding, and a lot of people are able to get on the bill including WHITELODGE/blacklodge coming from Chicago, so it’s nice to host somebody new from out of town. I would never say no to something like this. It gives someone a place to play even if the music is not my style.

Tim:
Talk about local fashion

Jackie: Fashion in downtown Lincoln has exploded. We have the Rock in Fashion show that Salon Vibe is putting on for the 3rd time. There is a lot of drive behind it, especially with Omaha Fashion Week and how organized that is. It just keeps getting better and better.
In 2005 I hosted my first fashion show at I?S Salon , I never expected to have that same show get 3, 4, and 5, times the amount of people show up as we kept putting on the shows. In the beginning would have like 50 people show up and now it’s up to 1,000+ in Lincoln, Nebraska; it’s amazing!

Jacob: In the last two years it seems like Lincoln has discovered, “Oh, we can make money off of throwing fashion shows for benefits.” Events that can help our community just from fashion is awesome.

Jackie: For example, sororities on campus, YMCA, YWCA, and Academy of Rock come in here and do their own thing too. We help them with their cause, help them pick out clothes, and we get some brand exposure by letting them use the clothes from our store. It’s fun helping these different groups out.

Tim:
Sum up your relationship with music in Nebraska

Jackie: I think that being in Lincoln, we have reached across Nebraska and over into Iowa and Kansas… it all comes together; that’s why I love Lincoln.

Tobias: I do need to go to more shows. I’m kind of in a cocoon lately.

Tim: Well, it’s not too bad when they come here to you, right?

Tobias: Well, yeah. Ha, that’s the whole thing.

Jacob: I call that cocoon, “drunk-ness.”

Jackie: Well, when I was 17 I was going to all the punk/metal shows and that’s all there was for us. Now it’s more this awesome hipster, indie, electro whatever you want call it, but I always appreciate it as the art it is.

Jackie: Go support your local bands and support the local venues. Then, with the arena coming in it’s going to help out with more too.

Black Market… YA HEARD!?!

I asked Jackie some more questions. Listen to the Soundcloud below and enjoy.

The Duffy’s Collection

timbo’s Duffy’s collection

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

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Lincoln Calling design

WHAT SHOULD I PRINT!?!

I’ve been asked to print some of my pictures for the upcoming Lincoln Calling festival.
Which images should I print?

01. Darren

02. Brent

03. Kevin

04. Saber

05. Brendan

06. Teal

07. PlackBlague & friends

08. Josh

09. Elliot

Or look at other Lincoln musicians here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/athoughtbytim/collections/72157623886110453/

Design Trends and Advice for New Designers

Design Trends and Advice for New Designers
By Timothy Scahill
Lincoln, Nebraska
(ITT Tech – Omaha, NE)

Design trends are usually one of the toughest ruts to get stuck in. In my short 10 years freelancing, I’ve seen a lot of trends come and go. The human mind is a wild thing to harness and direct especially with visual graphics. The user’s eye movements and mouse clicks greatly influence how design should work.

A designer can like or reference a specific style, but there are always things to consider before you jump head first into something popular or trendy. A lot could be said about personal style vs. personal taste (another blog article perhaps?), but when it comes right down to it, Andy Rutledge says it best: “Creativity is not design.” Styles and trends are rooted in creativity, not basic need.

With new tools comes new inventions, and with every new invention comes a need to interact with it and communicate its uses to the world. Recent trends of 2010 can already be seen with the innovation of CSS3 and HTML5, not to mention the hundreds of other scripts that are changing and growing all the time. Things that are created to make one thing easier can start to do other amazing things, accidentally. Building graphics and assets with code and vector math rather than a pixel-based program is a pretty amazing thing to witness and will do nothing but keep getting more amazing.

The struggle between human innovation and mass acceptance comes from ease and/or instruction. As human beings we need simple instructions for just about everything. This is where the designer’s true heart should be… making life easier for the beautiful, majestic, eccentric, dumb, and funny thing that is the mind.

After jumping head first into designs you’ll notice popular trends emerge. Some trends come from innovation, some come from a specific style that becomes popular, and some are just the simplest answer to a really hard question, “How do I want my design to look?”

Grungy:
One specific trend popular among young people and first time designers is called grunge design. This style portrays the ‘tough organic’ feel and a lot of people flock to it. In the Smashing Magazine article: The Secrets of Grunge Design Steve Lennartz explains the great things grungy design can do. If grunge must be used I recommend that it is kept subtle rather that overwhelming.
Traits include: Dirt, rust, torn, sloppy paint, scribbles, messiness, anywhere in your design. I recommend staying away from this unless your designing stuff for friend’s crappy metal band or sloppy softball league. You can reference nature in other beautiful ways rather than its gritty side.

Web 2.0:
Web 2.0 is a trend that gets thrown around quite a bit, but I’m not sure if it is ever explained appropriately. Web 2.0 is “a term used to describe a new generation of Web services and applications with increasing emphasis on human collaboration.” This was right before Myspace (2004/’05) became every one’s punching bag. It also stems from a collaboration of design traits that slowly emerged and gained popularity right before Facebook and Twitter started grabbing most of Internet user’s interests. For more specific definitions I found a great list of articles here.
Traits include: Subtle gradients on headers/footers, detailed UI & UX (user focused), shiny banners and ribbons, social based media, forum communities, design sharing, open source code, and a lot more.

Geometric, Grid, and Math based:
I often wish geometric design was trendier because there is more detailed reasoning behind how graphic assets line up. There are lots of types of math you can reference in math-based design that you can’t even touch with the simple tricks you learn in a tutorial. When basing things on how they divide, how they line up, how they sit next to each other, etc. make for a deep impact on how people see things. More importantly when things don’t line up they become visually uncomfortable. After seeing the movie ‘Pi’ 12 times and reading this article, you will be only at the tip of how deep mathematics can take you in to organizing information.

Simplistic and Content Focused:
Much like in ceramics ‘function before form’ speaks to us in content driven design. When you drink out of a glass you want a simple interaction with it. The glass has a function to perform first then we can appreciate it aesthetically. The true minimalist design highlights the nothing except what you need to communicate. If you’ve never seen the Helvetica documentary, you must watch it ASAP.

Simplicity not only focuses on content, but it relaxes the users eye among an over visually stimulated world. Not to mention, loading times, simpler code, and more (http://www.noupe.com/design/simplicity-in-good-web-design-advantages-how-to.html). Whether you are creating a flier for a band or building a website for your portfolio, you should always design for NEED then fill in the other appropriate assets after that. Things can change and maneuver throughout the process but as long as you focus on the content, your customers and users are getting everything they need from the material without being bombarded with other artsy crap.

My advice to new designers:
STAY AWAY FROM TRENDS! The longevity of a design is in jeopardy when you jump head first into something trendy. If you do one thing for a client that is trendy there is a chance that the company or client will never update this piece again. You, your portfolio, and your client are then stuck with an outdated design, essentially, forever. A good example of this would be, “Who designed this, and why does it look like 1995 threw up all over it?”

Here’s my advice about how to keep an eye on trends and stay away from getting stuck in the ‘trendy’ rut: DESIGN FOR NEED! Not everything that is ‘popular’ and makes you a ton of money ‘right now’ lasts forever. Put important things in places people won’t ignore, do your research about target markets and competitors, subscribe to more quality blogs than you can read, create a simple evolving story as the user clicks through your site or flips through your brochure, research, research, research, trust your gut after you have done your research – research some more, watch the trends come and go, and most importantly… THINK SIMPLE.

References:
http://www.andyrutledge.com/creativity-is-not-design-test-2.php
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/05/20/web-design-trends-2010-real-life-metaphors-and-css3-adaptation/
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/03/11/the-secrets-of-grunge-design/
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Web+2.0&sa=X&ei=-KxQTLnHHYTCsAPw5M3gBw&ved=0CBIQkAE
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/02/09/applying-mathematics-to-web-design/
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjAwMTI1MjQ=.html
http://www.noupe.com/design/simplicity-in-good-web-design-advantages-how-to.html
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/02/05/50-free-ui-and-web-design-wireframing-kits-resources-and-source-files/