Hey, all!
Hope everything’s staying as safe and well as is possible in these difficult times. I wanted to share this positive anecdote in the hope of raising a few smiles.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing a German band called Electric Callboy (ably supported by UK tech-metal stalwarts Monuments). If you haven’t seen any of Electric Callboy’s videos, they are… an experience, to say the least. Live wasn’t much different - the crowd was divided into metalheads and people who looked like they’d come from a rave at the gym (glow-sticks and sweatbands included).
The concert itself was spectacular; the band have their performance dialed in to perfection, from the musicianship to the vocals to the onstage banter. Whether paying a sarcastic tribute to German schlager before “Hurrikan” or wheeling out a phallically-shaped piano to cover “Let It Go” from Frozen and “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, there was not a single lull in their set. The two vocalists in particular had this hilarious rapport, aided by each having flawless live vocals.
It’s the vocals in particular that I want to discuss, thanks to a comment made by Elizabeth Zharoff (AKA The Charismatic Voice) in analyzing Electric Callboy’s recent single, a re-imagination of “Everytime We Touch” by Cascada. In her 20-minute video analysis, Zharoff makes a fascinating point around 8 minutes in about the style of harsh vocals that Electric Callboy employ:
“Instead of screams that are very angry and pull you down into the mire, or that are sometimes very cathartic -- sometimes, that feels a little heavy to me, and there are different kinds of moods where I need to be in that state of mind to appreciate that kind of music. With Electric Callboy, they take me into this hilarious fun zone, and then the screams happen and I just want to bounce to them. Why does screaming make me feel happy all of a sudden?”
This made me pause and reflect on my own preferences in heavy music, as well as my partner’s taste in music. While she is not averse to extreme stuff, Electric Callboy is the first time she’s connected with an artist rather than been put to sleep by them. Part of that’s due to the electronic influence, but I think the upbeat and party-inspired screams and growls may also be playing a significant role. In the meantime, the new album Tekkno is being blasted around the house on a regular basis, and I can’t complain about that.
Pentober poll results!
After posting links to the stories, I’ve had some interesting feedback on which stories to elaborate on. I’ll be working on these and will reveal the finished longer pieces in due course.
The stories selected are as follows:
New Scribble ✍️
Notes: This poem came about from an experiment to see how many words with the same first letter I could fit in. The concept it hinges on is this thought of disappearing digitally, removing all trace from the Internet. Given how things have been going for the last [insert number of years according to how old you are], it may not be such a bad idea…
My Departure
Welcome, dear audience
To my deft and deserved
Disappearance
.
I have decided it is time
After a slow decline
To dissolve myself
.
See my desktop dismantled
This identity, damaged
Diligently decimated
.
Watch me drown in digital static
Decompose into ones and zeroes
A dark pool of data
.
Observe, my will is done
I am departed
Deceased
Thank you for reading No Margins Left - your support means the world to me. Quick reminder that you can pick up my books on paperback, Kindle or PDF depending on whether you go via Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Ko-Fi. Email me if you want signed copies.
And I’m out.
Until next time,
