One of the most respected musicians inworld
might be Soundcircel Flanagan.
Last year we started talking about music,
and for some reason i kept sending him more questions.
It was one of the most revealing conversations i ever had.
Less
What are your musical influences ?
there are a lot of different things in your songs
Sound
Basically i am a rock/metal fan,
but i started as a classical guitar player.
I wanted to learn the guitar and my parents said that this was ok,
but only if i learned to play some decent music.
So i did that for a few years but at that age, about 7-8 years old,
i wasn’t really interested in that music.
I wanted to play rock and not old boring music.
Looking back i am glad i got to learn it though,
it gave me a good basis to continue with music,
learned to read scores and my teacher
got me interested in the music theory.
You also learn how to play correctly
witch makes it easier to play.
So classical music is a big influence,
Progressive music is,
it has the same elements as classical but they mix
it with a lot of other styles. And i love World music.
And offcourse all music that is melodic, i am addicted to melodies
But mostly i am influenced by the old Queen
Less
Queen is awesome, in what way did they influenced you.
Sound
The layers.
They where pioneers when it comes to producing an album,
i saw some docu’s on how they worked
in the studio in the beginning.
Spending months and months in there, trying and experimenting
to get a certain sound.
Recording for weeks and ending up
with maybe 10 seconds they used.
Brian May is a genius, the guitar parts are so simple
but so damn effective.
He “taught” me how to record,
if you listen carefull you will hear like 5 or 6 guitar parts,
some have only a note here and there, or just a few chord hits.
But leave that out and it doesnt sound like Queen anymore.
I got my love for layered music from them.
As a kid i used to crawl into the speakers to listen carefully,
blasting out their albums and trying to unfold them.
Less
So we have Queen, what other bands do you like ?
Sound
Not many, i am more someone that likes songs.
I consider myself a Metallica fan,
allthough there are a lot of songs that i hate,
and this goes for all artists to be honest,
I prefer single songs more then complete albums.
Music has brought us some great songs
that have stand the test of time.
For me its not about the bands, the songs is what counts for me.
I dont like Michael Jackson, but he has some great songs.
Less
Do you come from a musical family ?
Sound
Owh yeah,
both my mother and father’s family are real musician family’s.
My mother used to have an accordion duo with her brother
when they where kids, he continued and played till he died
in cover bands on weddings and stuff like that.
My grandpa used to sing in choirs,
and nephews and nices are playing as well.
Drums, organ, bass that kind of stuff.
My father’s side only has the classical trained musicians.
They all went to the conservatoria and graduated big time.
One nephew graduated on three ~lol~
He runs 3 orchestra’s now and teaches clarinet,
helps the goverment with setting up things for schools.
We have conductors, teachers, players in orchestras you name it.
And one uncle is an instrument builder,
specialised in woods and brass.
So i guess the classical music is in the genes.
Allthough i am the only one that actually writes music.
I know my nephew writes arrangements but that’s about it.
Less
But if classical music is so big in your family
then why did you picked the guitar instead of a classical instrument?
Sound
hahahahaha, blame that on Ace Frehley
Ace was the first lead guitarist of Kiss, The Star Child.
I used to be a big fan of Kiss and Ace.
I was about 5 and the suits, make up ,
shows and music was very impressive to me.
Later i discovered that Ace was really a good guitar player,
his chromatic solo’s are pretty cool,
and he might be one of the best with that.
Gene played some wicked bass lines
and Paul is maybe one of the most
under estimated guitar players, his chords are amazing.
For me the guitar was the first instrument
that felt good in my hands.
I tried others, i started as a drummer *lol*
but once i started on the guitar it felt like coming home.
The feeling was “Ok this is me, this is what i need to do”
Less
So you where a rocker in your chidhood ?
Sound
maybe *lol*
i allways loved rock music,
but its not the only thing i listened too,
I tried to listen to different music as mutch as i could,
lucky my sister was into pop music so she bought
and played stuff like ABBA all the time,
offcourse i sneaked in and took the albums,
but dont spread this detail around
Less
Course not ~lol~
but euhhhhh ABBA ?
Sound
Bjorn and Benny the composers where brilliant.
Offcourse its very commercial and poppisch,
but they showed you can write interesting music that sells.
It all sounded very slick and balanced, very commercial
but the things they wrote are awesome.
A song like Chiquitita, brilliant stuff.
Very classical and you can hear how they build it up,
how they wrote each note with a purpose.
Its what i like about music,
telling a story with notes and chords,
and they where the masters with that.
Offcourse they where the perfect combo,
brilliant composers with good singers.
Less
And you try to do the same ?
Sound.
It’s the only way for me,
Music is a language that can tell a story.
The music i hear on the radio doesnt have that anymore,
its just background noisy to fill the silence.
And sometimes one song sticks out of that and thats the song i like.
Less
So you dont listen that mutch music
Sound
Not really, offcourse when i worked we had the radio on
but it just comes in and goes out right away.
A blur in the background so to say.
And when i am home i do my own music.
Less
You are one of the many people who lost his job due to this crisis,
so i guess you got a lot of time to play music.
Sound
Yes i lost my job, and yes i got a lot of time now
allthough i am limited offcourse
Less
How so ?
Sound
Awh well its not a big secret, lots of people know it.
I have a couple of rheumatic related “things”
I hate the word diseases, so i never use that word
Less
Can i ask what you have ?
Sound
Sure……
I got arthrites in my foot, hips and hands,
Herniated disks in my neck and a rheumatic muscle disorder.
Less
Wauw, sounds not good.
How does this effect you ?
Sound
Ok i shall tell you,
but then we drop this because its not a real issue for me.
Imagine that you have pain 24/7,
everything you do causes more pain
then the normal level of pain you have.
Its not that you are limited, but everything causes pain.
My doctors explained it to me like this.
Look at it as a battery,
your battery is full, when you do things it gets empty
but when you rest it recharges again.
My battery starts allready half empty,
when it is completly empty it only recharges a little bit
and it takes a long time for that.
The arthrites makes my fingers a bit stiff and numb,
the hernia adds some extra problems as well
Its on my right side,
so most times my complete right arm is very cold
and sometimes without strength.
You have this “leaning to one side thing”
to reduce the pressure, so your body is out of balance
etc.etc.etc.etc.
Less
Wauw, cant they do anything ?
Sound
They tolled me they dont operate that hernia,
its to risky and wanna do it when nothing else works.
so they treat it weekly,
stretching your neck and stuff like that.
I tried painkillers for the muscle pains,
but nothing worked so they wanted me to try morphine
but i kindly said no to that,
im not going on a daily basis of morphine.
I could make it easier by quiting music,
thats what the doctors ordered me
“We forbid you to touch an instrument”
yeah right *lol*
they might as well shoot me and bury me.
Less
What are the risks when you continue ?
Sound
Loose of arm/hand functions.
Normally excercise is good,
but playing music is not really a nice excersise
the way i play is like attacking it.
Less
But still you go on ?
Sound
I thought about it offcourse.
If i quit playing then i keep the functions for sure,
my life would be hell though.
i would have to stop the thing i love most.
if i continue then i MIGHT loose it in the end,
but at least i could do my music.
For a lot of people it would be easy,
they stop music and adjust theirself.
I know i wouldnt be able,
i would become a bitter grumpy man.
Not a real pleasure to live with.
If i cant do music then life has no purpose.
So i take the risk…
Less
How do you feel after a show ?
Sound
i thought we should drop this ?
After a show my hands are burning and feeling weird,
numb and stiff so to say
i try to hide it and adapt my show to it.
I had one fan that could hear it when i suffered,
now that was weird to notice
Less
How could he hear that ?
Sound
She *lol*
One show Nya ( she desgined and created my fireworks )
imed me with something like :
“your having pain right ?
i can hear how you stretch the notes longer then normally,
playing a bit slower”
And she was right, you learn little tricks,
stretching notes longer, reducing the speed.
Instead of 32 notes you use 16th notes,
you talk a little bit more,
play more slow songs etc.etc.etc.
Thats why i never did back to back
or more shows on one day,
the times it did happen where awefull.
Problem is that i cant say no as well *lol*
I remember visiting a wedding after i had a show,
not sure how i ended up there ?
But musicians where grabbing the stream
and offcourse they asked me as well.
So what do you do ?
you play a few songs and make sure to give them a good time.
I normally start with the fast and wild songs first,
then slow it down and see how my fingers react
and “gather” energy for the last part
Less
But you go on,
and risking to loose your arm and hand function ?
Sound
I have to.
I cant do without my music,
i NEED to play,
i NEED to mess around with notes and chords.
If i dont then i probally end up in a nut house.
Less
You mention it, so here we go,
your own music, those arrangements,
how do you write it ? how does it work ?
Sound
wauw, thats a tough question.
For me its normal to “think” like this.
I have been, and still am, analysing music my whole life.
I remember that as a kid i layed on the floor
with my head in front of the speakers.
And owh boy if someone made some noisy
“heyy, im listening here”
I listened and unfolded the music in my head,
listened what the drums where doing,
how the bass reacted to that,
what the guitars played,
how the chords where spread out
over the different instruments.
For me it was amazing to listen and listen and listen
and hear the big picture, hearing how different instruments
work together in this proces.
I loved the question and answer parts,
one instrument plays something
and another responds to that
I was excited to hear different melodies
that slowly got together and then spread out again.
At that age i didn’t really understand how it worked,
so i studied the music theory,
read every book i could lay my hands on
It fascinated me,
the fact that people could get a grip on something like music.
Remember i was still a young boy
and growing up i learned it’s nothing more then
science and law’s of nature.
Less
what do you mean with that ?
Sound
Music is, looking at the basics, pretty simple.
You “do” something
and that energy causes the air molecules to move,
you start a wave pattern that goes on till it hits your ears
where it gets translated into the music you hear.
Fast vibrations cause high sounds
Slow vibrations cause low sounds.
As long as the waves are moving and doesnt hit your ears,
Sound doesnt excist.
Amazing when you start to think about this.
Music only excists in our brains.
Notes are nothing more then air molecules
vibrating at a certain speed.
an A is 440 Hz, meaning 440 cycles a second.
So take “something” ,
get it to 440 cycles a second
and your brain tells you it’s an A.
Music theory is not a book of laws,
like all theory’s it is just an explanation of what happens
when you do something.
Theory tells us that if you take 3 strings,
and let them all move with cycles
of 440, 523 and 660 Hz
then your brain hears an A minor Chord.
It doesnt say that you NEED to,
but if you do then you got an Amin.
We gave it that name,
but its nothing more then vibrating air.
I use to work with machines and the rotating parts
cause vibrations as well.
sometimes it was fun to mess with the motor speed
to try to get a certain tone,
the machine itself became an instrument *lol*
Fun to do but it showed me that it doesnt matter
what you take, get it to the amount of cycles
and you got yourself a tone.
People overrate theory in my opinion.
They keep on nagging about little details
while in fact it’s very simple.
Play something that sounds nice and i explain why..
Play something horrible and i explain it as well.
They created the most crazy rules in theory,
making it sound like it is some stupid law,
while in fact those rules are nothing more
then finding a decent way to explain
why that part sounds nice.
Theory only explains
why something sounds beautifull or horrible.
It’s all science, natural laws and mathmatics.
Less
That kinda kills the romance in music doesn’t it ?
Sound
Owh no, not at all.
The trick is to use that info if you need it.
It’s not that i play the guitar and think
“ok lets get this string move to 660 Hz”
you think, lets play an E,
and most times you don’t even think what note it is.
You play by ear and feeling,
let the music take over and see what comes out of it.
Offcourse you KNOW what notes harmonise and in what way,
you know what sounds good and what not.
Less
And where does the Theory kicks in ?
Sound
Omg this is diffecult to explain.
Its a proces you go through,
you learn something and start using it sometime,
after that you really don’t think about it anymore,
you just use it.
I love the quarter notes for instance,
as a kid i learned that it has this important sound to it,
dramatic if you like.
I learned it is used a lot in anthems and tunes of news shows.
So now if i want to point something out,
or get attention for an important melody then i use quarter notes.
It’s like writing a letter,
you don’t really think : MUSIC has a M-U-S-I-C,
you know it does, and writing it down is an automatic thing.
I try to tell a story with my music,
so each single note has a meaning.
Each note has its purpose and is placed there for a reason.
Less
Still it doesnt sound romantic,
we allways have those ideas of composers that are being dumped and then take their guitar and write a beautifull ballad.
Sound
I know, but those artists are doing the same thing.
You know that a minor scale sounds sad,
so automatically you take a minor scale.
Most of those things just happen without thinking.
The brain responds to those things.
Remember those slot machines ?
the rolling bars with the fruit pictures ?
When they stop you hear a nice sound.
What they do is, the ones i knew offcourse,
play a C major chord.
first roll let you hear a C,
then next an E
and the last one a G
It makes people feel happy,
so they stay and throw in more money.
Less
I never realised that ?
Sound
Those things are everywhere.
Composers mess with your mind.
We can make you feel sad when you are happy
We can make you dance when you don”t want to
You name it.
A sad movie with a happy tune isnt that sad
A horror movie with funny music turns it into a comic.
Music is very powerfull
Less
Do you realise this when you write ?
Sound
you just write the song
and what it does to people is very personal.
The majority gets happy with majeur scales,
but i know a few people who cant stand them
I do realise it when i think about a song,
i mean you know what scales and chords give the effect you want.
You know how people respond to certain things.
If i want them to feel sad
then i better not write a happy cheery melody.
You think about what you wanna tell people,
and what things you need to achieve that.
If you play a non-oriental scale on a sitar
then it still sounds oriental,
the sound of that instrument is bigger then the notes.
So use that and people get an oriental feel.
All instruments trigger something in your brain.
You can use that to get your message out.
Less
Strange question,
but do you think of yourself more as a guitar player that writes songs, or a composer that happens to play guitar ?
Sound
I guess i am more a composer/producer then a guitar player.
The guitar is just a tool to get the job done.
Less
Back to that Theory stuff,
do you think its important to know all of this ?
Sound
Depends what you want ?
Some musicians are happy to play 3 chords for their entire life,
and some are never happy.
As i said before, Theory is a tool,
most musicians play by ear and when you analise it they play perfectly according to The Theory,
because Theory only explains.
So play something that sounds nice
and you follow automatically The Theory.
We all follow The Theory but a lot dont even know it,
the same goes for the laws of gravity,
we all live up to those laws,
but most of us dont know a damn thing about it.
Less
So in fact its a load of crap ?
i mean, it seems to me
that you allways play something that sounds nice ?
Sound
Yes, but…….
You can use it to improve your music.
Less
in what way ?
Sound
I use the little elements of music as a language.
I dont sing so i need other ways to tell my story.
Notes, Chords, the sounds i use, the way it is produced,
all are being done for a special reason.
The more you know about this, the better you can use it.
Music theory, the theory on how frequencies work,
the science of music so to say.
It all works together and if you understand it
you can use it to create better music.
Less
have an example ?
Sound
let me think …
I use a lot of layers in my music,
it gives me more instruments to work with
and you can create great things with it.
Problem is that you are limited by frequencies.
If you have two instruments
playing the same frequency range then they rule eachother out
so to say, with a band with drums, bass, guitars and vocals thats no problem.
Drums and bass are in the same range but thats not a problem,
the guitars are but they can harmonise.
The more instruments you use,
the harder it gets to find space in the spectra.
I never play full chords on the guitar,
would i do that then i dont have room for other things
So i spread the chords across the spectra,
bass plays a note, the high instruments play some
and the guitar fills the gaps,
or the guitar plays some intervals
and other instruments fill it up
or i use 2-3 guitar lines
each playing a single note from that chord.
or i just turn it around,
high instruments playing bass notes, l
ow instruments play melody.
Boring to record offcourse but the end result is what counts.
You have to think differently with layers,
you dont fill the spectra, you make room in it.
So you learn very good what notes are important.
If you dont know the science behind it, you can’t use it.
A lot of producers use EQ to fix something, i never do this.
They boost or limit certain ranges
because they get smotherd
or they feel that some range is not enough present.
That doesnt make sence to me,
why record a certain range and then reduce it in the mix ?
When i write i keep this in mind,
so i dont get in trouble during recording,
and i dont have to fix this.
I like my mixes to be open and fresh and as clean as possible.
A lot of work is done in the pre-production fase,
i know what i want, how the end result must be,
what effects i want etc.etc.
I keep all of that in mind before i start recording.
I approach my music the classical way,
those guys had their own language.
They used the notes to tell the story,
If they would have to write a mass for church
and the bible tolled how Jezus went up to heaven,
they let the music go up in pitch.
The triplets where to represend the holy three some,
The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
I learned a lot of that and kinda designed my own language.
Less
Yeah right
( /me scratches his head and wonders why he even decided to have this interview ? )
You approach music very technical arent you ?
Sound
Not at all, it seems like that because i am exlaining it now.
Normally this happens all in a flash, you dont think about it.
You play or listen to music
and this stuff just goes through your head.
How can i record that, what must i use to get that sound,
what happens to the frequencies when i do this ?
it all flashes through your mind when you play something.
Less
Sounds kinda exhausting ?
Dont you just listen/play and enjoy ?
Sound
Not really,
as i said before you learn things
and then you use them without thinking.
For me it means i am constantly analising music,
analising and thinking about how i would have done it,
listening to tv tunes and movie theme’s and how they talk to us,
listening to how music is being used
and what kind of effect it has on people.
I listen and discover new things and use that,
its like a circular process.
Once you start doing this, there is no turning back.
It just happens and you cant do a damn thing about it.
I hear music and my brain re-acts by ripping it apart,
re-organise it, add new layers,
thinking about how something is done,
thinking about why they use that certain note on that certain place.
when i play or write i get lost, i forget time and place,
you can let a bomb go off and i wouldnt notice it.
Less
Hahahahaha i heard that from other musicians as well
Sound
I guess we all have that.
I remember a few good stories about that.
I was about 14,
cycling to school and i had the first few hours free,
meaning i was all alone on that road.
I started to hum some melodies,
and a few hours later i realised i wasnt at school but cycling around and humming
Course i got dentention and stuff but i didnt cared.
Less
CoOoOoL, have more of that ?
Sound
A few years back,
i was still married and one night some boring show was on TV,
i tolled my ex i would go upstairs and record some stuff,
next thing i remember it was 7 am
and i wrote and recorded all night.
Course i was a mess at my work but that happens *lol*
It turned out she had asked me a few times
if i would come to bed,
but i just mumbled “yeah, yeah in a minute”
Or movies, hard to follow for me,
i hear the music and get sucked into the world of music,
in my head i re-arrange it add new things to it
and when the movie is over i have no idea what it was about.
Less
Is it hard for people to live with a guy like you ?
Sound
Not sure if i am the right person to ask ?
but i would have to say, Yes.
Musicians are egocentric,
“we” want that everything evolves around our talent.
I need time to write and record,
if i dont get it i take it one way or the other.
if i get it i take more and more….
I cant help it
If i dont write then i get insane, i NEED to write music.
I hear music all day long,
when i talk to someone i dont hear the words
i hear the melody and rhtyhm,
when i drive the sounds around me get together
and create a symphony in my head.
It goes on and on and on,
all that music has to come out.
Once i start then i am inside MY world
and its hard to get me out.
No problem offcourse, but i slip very easy in MY world.
I love to walk my dog,
but when i do that and listen to the sounds of nature
then i slip into it,
i unwrap the melodies that the birds sing,
add harmonies to it etc.etc.
and before you know it
you walk around for a couple of hours.
Less
is it some kind of escape ?
Sound
Hmmmm, could be ? dont know ?
Music is MY thing, i feel safe there, i can control it
i can let it do what i want,
i know what i am doing, how to do it.
it’s MY world.
Outside the music i feel lost,
have no idea what a lot of people want,
i dont understand them or the world around us,
they nag about ( for me ) small and meaningless things,
promotion,
the gathering of worthless crap,
third holidays etc.etc.etc.
Running around in that rat race to get more and more.
I cant relate to that,
just lock me up in a studio and i am happy.
So maybe an escape from reality ?
Less
You are being respected as one of the most talented musicians. Does it bother you that they say that ?
Sound
It’s strange to hear that,
im just “some” guy playing “some” tunes,
nothing special about it.
I mean,
it’s nice to hear that people enjoy what i do and that they get something out of my music,
but i never know how to respond to that.
For me its nothing special, i do this as long as i can remember
Less
Everyone i speak is saying the same thing though,
Sound. is a genius, that must do something to you ?
Sound
Offcourse its nice to hear, but it sounds weird.
Im not a genius, just a dude playing some music
Less
yes but you a have an unique way of writing and using your guitar,
why dont you play normal ?
Sound
hahahahaha, i do play normal !!!
well sort off…
Guitar is just and instrument,
and like all instruments you should try to develop it.
Its funny to see that most guitar players are very conventional,
its almost like an insult to change the well known guitar sound.
I like to play with that, like to change the sound as mutch as i can.
Thats why i love Steve Vai,
a pioneer when it comes to this.
I dont like to shred or play fast just to show off
it has to have a meaning,
solo’s and stuff have to go somewhere.
If it doesnt then its just a show off thing and i hate that.
Less
How long are you playing and how did you develop yourself ?
Sound
I am playing guitar for more then 30 years now,
and develop ?
Practise, thats it, listen to others and practise.
as a kid i use to play about 3-4 hours a day,
in my teens it went up to 5-6
and when i joined bands i normally played about 8 hours a day.
with some days off 12-14 hours….
have been doing that till i was about 28 and got married,
then it dropped down to 2-3 hours
and now i play as mutch as i can.
Less
thats a lot.
Sound
i love doing it,
love to fool around, explore it.
Play something and then turn it upside down.
Experiment,
add notes to excisting chords, and see what happens.
Play a melody and see what happens if you change things,
experiment with techniques, what happens when i do this ?
what sound does it give when i do that and how can i use it ?
Less
What do you think your fans get out of your music ?
Sound
Owhhh Less, don’t you have easy questions ~lol~
I hope they get some piece out of it and that it helps them,
well i know it does actually.
Less
In what way ?
Sound
I know that the parents of the little baby girl
still play The Rose Within,
I know some people that wake up
and first thing they do is play my music,
People tell me they have it on their cell phones,
or burned cd’s and playit to relax and de-stress.
I know a woman that is suffering a lot of pain
she play’s my music to forget the pain for a few minutes.
Less
Wauw, how does that make you feel ?
Sound
Honoured
for me its the reason to keep on doing what i do.
It feels so good to be able to give something to people with music.
It gives me the strength to go on.
Less
You are on a break and planning to return,
how is that going ?
Sound
We are getting there,
Lots of people have helped me so thats a good feeling.
Its amazing to see that they wanna help me.
I am recording new backings for a new set.
So thats pretty cool.
Less
Whats your goal for playing SL ?
Sound
Nothing mutch to be honest,
i just wanna have some fun and play my music.
Less
Earn money ? get famous ?
Sound
hahahahaha, yeah right.
I dont think thats a realistic goal.
Offcourse you can earn some money
or try to chase that fake stardom,
but thats not really my thing
Less
What do you mean with that ?
Sound
It doesnt matter if you look at RL or SL music,
it is all one big bubble.
It hasnt got anything to do with the escence of music.
There should be a law to forbid shows like Idols or award shows
What has that got to do with music ? nothing at all.
We had a lot of those shows in Holland,
noone made it to become the big star they promised ?
but the show earns a lot of money, so they all go on.
People chase their 15 minutes of fame, hopeing to get on tv.
The jury ( who claims to make you a star but fails )
is still there earning their money.
Its all fake, a bubble,
they allready know who wins
and just make shows to get people to call.
I am allways suprised to see the last show,
they show the voting stats and owh boy its a close call
all the artists are still close together people
so make that phone call !!!!
yeah right,
they knew the winner allready when they started *lol*
I never understood those award shows,
Grammy’s, MTV awards, TMF awards
and whatever they are called.
well i do understand them but it doesnt make sence to me ?
Last year Rick Astley won the Best Act Ever Award with MTV.
And they espect me to take awards serious ???? *rotflma*
The guy had succes for what ? 3 years maybe ? having 3 hits or so ?
I would feel humiliated if i was a selling artist
and they give Rick an award like that.
But i have that with all awards, im a big soccer fan.
You got your awards for best player in the world
and best player in europe.
So a player could win the Best Player in the World,
but become third in the Euro zone ????
*lmao* yeah that makes sence to me.
Well you know how it is.
“We” are stars on SL but once we leave our house
then noone knows who we are,
even my neighbours dont know i am a musician.
My family knows
but they think i am just your regular chord strummer.
Hitting a few chords with the campfire.
I am playing on SL for almost 2 years now,
Its nice to have contact with fans directly,
its nice to be able to play for people that are getting what i do,
that are in other countries, but i think we overrate it.
There are like 60-70,000 people online at a certain moment,
maybe there are 20-40 people in your show
looking at the average amount.
Before i had this break
i was on an average of 20-30 listeners each show.
I played orginals and maybe did 3-4 covers,
all instrumentals, never asked for one gig in my life,
they where all offered to me.
I dont think those are bad numbers,
if i wanted i could have played daily.
Venues offered me there calendars to fill in my own gigs…
Is that fame ?
You will see the same faces at your show constantly,
you get to know them.
Witch is good but can be dangerous
because you can confuse yourself
thinking you are some hotshot.
Lets say you do one show a day,
that doesnt mean you have 150-200 unique listeners
It means that maybe 50 unique people visit you in one week.
Is that fame ?
Maybe i am not celeb enough, i dont know.
I just wanna play my music,
dont care if there is only 1 or 100.
I did shows for 5 people and had as mutch fun
as the SL 5th birthday with a packed sim.
Dont get me wrong, playing on SL is awesome.
the contact with fans, the ability to do your thing
and the fact that people like what you do is great.
But i dont confuse that with stardom,
once i turn off my pc
noone knows or cares about Sound anymore.
Its not a bad thing, its reality and we all have that.
Less
Interesting view
Sound
Thank you *lol*
I love the SL music but i hate the crap that is involved
Ask a fee or not, tip or not, play there or not etc.etc.etc.
I didnt cared mutch for that,
i used to mention the venue tipjar
but never mentioned mine,
i didnt even have one to be honest.
Most times i forgot to mention my group as well.
Just put me on stage and let me play,
you wanna pay me ? thats cool
you wanna tip me ? beautifull
wanna be in my group ? awesome
but im not going to nag about those minor details.
Playing SL is expensive,
if i do 3 shows a week thats about 30-40 euros
on guitar strings only, i change them for every show,
you got your loss of time, one show takes 3 hours all together etc.etc.etc.
I dont mind others that are asking fees,
i totally respect them and do understand it
My feelings have been smashed around about this,
one time i think,
damn just pay me i have a pro attitude when it comes to music.
I record my own backings, prepare myself 100%, make sure i improve myself, and i give you a good show.
But then the other time i think, what do i care ?
give me a stage and a stream and leave me alone…
I have mixed feelings about this stuff.
And it all depends on the weather i guess *lol*
Less
one of the things that was pointed out to me is
LittleNoisyFox Delight
a tiny alt you created
and what people told me,
maybe the only tiny that got famous as musician.
Sound
Ahhhh the little bugger *lol*
Noisy is cool to do
Less
So whats the story ?
Sound
The official one ? or the the truth ? *lol*
Im not sure how it started ?
i think i just got a tiny one day and walked around like that,
i allways messed around with different Avis,
for a long time i was a Fairy as well.
offcourse people saw the name tag of Soundcircel
and that bothered me.
I created an Alt and Noisy was born.
The Official story is that Sound got a piece of his own cake,
Foxy of VLB gave me the title Trouble in Da House,
im kinda famous for my spamming during VLB gigs *lol*
VLB gigs where allways fun
and i had a “thing” going with Maggy,
she started to throw out the Howling gesture
an then i did it as well,
and we would see who could do the most.
Offcourse i win,
i can spam everyone to hell and back *hahahahahaha*
So Sound was walking around Bliss Gardens,
ran into Witchone Witherspoon
( a friend of mine )
and she decided to offer Sound a drink with a spell
because Sound is a bratt.
Allways smart-ass remarks, flirting etc.etc.etc.
That drink made Sound turn into Noisy,
so SL would be saved from Sound,
it didnt worked,
Noisy is even worse then Sound *roflma*
Less
How so ?
Sound
Well, Noisy is even a bigger flirt
more annoying then anyone.
Noisy thinks he is the only rocker on SL,
and that all musicians need his help.
Offcourse he thinks that he can get all chicky’s
and would like to be treated as a celeb.
Because he is the only rocker living the rockstar life.
It was fun, musicians use to respond to that.
BubbaC John use to have me on stage
and put on a funny voice pretending that Noisy sang
he changed the lyrics in some weird ones offcourse *lol*
Less
But what did you do then ?
Sound
Basically entertain.
Not many know this but its hard work,
With Bubba and offcourse with Joaquin
i had a chemistry thing going.
Bubba just sang and he reads the chat,
so Noisy was constantly talking,
making remarks and typing that he played some wicked solo’s or taking pics under skirts,
etc.etc.etc.
Bubba responded to that and there you have it……
Joa was even more fun.
He used to pretend i was really there,
and sometimes people did believe it *lol*
Joa asked Noisy what he would like to play,
so then i said “lets play something for the chicks”
Joa started and i listened to the things he played
and responded to that.
If he would play faster then Noisy would say
“ok my turn Joa, give me some chords”
Joa read chats and responded as well,
we allways use to scan for chicks to take backstage
and in he hot tub *lol*
Course it never happened
but people respond to things like that,
funny thing was that they would get more tips because of Noisy.
We had a whole story going,
Noisy and Joa got a deal on guitars,
so we have the same guitars and thats why we sound alike *lol*
One night some guy asked us if we where really streaming together and Joa said something like
“yes, i am in Argentina and Noisy is in Holland”
i picked up and said that i stream to Joa, and Joa to SL*hahahahahhaha*
it was a big compliment though,
it showed we where really connecting to eachother.
It was exhausting sometimes,
you have to pay attention to the artist on stage,
what does he or she play, what do they say.
at the same time you read the chat and have to respond
quickly to everything that is going on.
You are constantly typing and need to focus real good.
Less
But you never did your own show as Noisy ?
Sound
A few times it happened.
Noisy was mainly a DJ at Nubia,
those nights where legendary *lol*
I could play Noisy on air,
so i could make remarks and flirt and stuff
but didnt had to type.
Noisy was a fun DJ,
never payed attention to requests
and raising one hell of a party *lol*
He used to mess up your request
if he thought it was a bad one.
Some clubs hired me as well
and some have offcourse theme nights,
well not with Noisy *lol*
Noisy doesnt care for that *lmao*
So he DJed a Golden Oldie party playing only modern stuff
or a rock night with only ballads *hahahahahaha*
Less
But it still is an alt, a fake identity
Sound
the avi is offcourse, i dont look like a fox *lol*
But Noisy is just as mutch me as Sound is.
I dont believe in playing a role on SL,
i think you allways show something of yourself.
So the things that Noisy is saying and doing
are the things that i would say or do in RL as well
i guess its why he is loved,
its real, its not just remarks that i dont mean.
I do those things in RL as well *lol*
Throw me in a bar and i start you a party…..
Less
Time to wrap this up,
any last words of wisdom
Sound
*lol*
Wisdom ????
euhhh 2+2=4 ?
For me this was an interesting interview,
i learned some stuff about music and how some musicians look at it.
Next Sateday Soundcircel will be playing a comeback gig ( dressed as Noisy )
at the opening of the Tiny Bar and Ballroom.
More details will follow.
Recent Comments